I don't know if Charandas sold out his party for any profit and it is reasonable to think that anyone making such a claim doesn't either unless they can provide concrete proof to that effect. I also don't know if he really voted against his own party because of conscience as he stated. What I do know is that I like his actions because it brings an end to this hapless government and not a moment too soon.
The APNU/AFC coalition made countless and still unproven accusations against the then PPP government when they were in the Opposition. Right here on GNI, there were so many posters who berated PPP supporting posters with very obscene comments and mockery. The level of discourse was so toxic that it is amusing that some Coalition Government supporting posters would ask, nay demand civility on GNI now. The reality is that there are no saints in the Guyanese political system and anyone hoping for or expecting any is wasting his time.
Granger was being advertised as a redeemer but soon after the 2015 election victory, he showed his true inclinations by bestowing Guyana's second highest award on Green who is one of the most disliked persons in Guyana's politics. He also began making regular pilgrimage to Burnham's graveside, another of Guyana's most disliked persons. Granger's wife may not have worn any ugly shoes like Ramotar's wife but Granger was as ineffective as Ramotar was. And ironically, both governments lasted about the same amount of time.
So where did this government failed? Everywhere. Getting into government in 2015, they spent the next 12 months completely focused on planning for the Jubilee celebrations in 2016. When asked about the crime situation at the time (including one just next door to his house), Ramjattan stupidly stated that he ha no time for that as he was busy preparing for the 50th anniversary celebration. Seems that he is still busy doing something other than being focused on public security in Guyana.
For a group of people who criticized the PPP government for corruption, they began their government by promptly giving themselves hugh salary increases completely ignoring the promise they made to the Guyanese people that they will give them "the good life". Then there was the case where it took a leaked document for even the Finance Minister to first correct his statement that he knew nothing about any Exxon/Mobil signing bonus to acknowledging that it really occurred. That money is still locked away in a private account and not included in the Consolidated Fund. And whatever happened to the UD5M that Harmon travelled all the way to China to resolve. I can go on but why bother? The evidence is everywhere that the Coalition Government is hapless.
Now we get to yesterday's debate and vote. Say what you wish about Jagdeo, he is a very confident and effective leader. He handily won two consecutive presidential elections so he knows how to deal with the political circumstances. By contrast, the PNC have never won a general election and time will tell if they every will. Way back in the days when the West Indies Cricket team was the powerhouse of the cricket world, they used to have the 'West Indies against the rest of the world matches'. In today's political system, the condition is that the PPP occupies 32 MP seats and all the other political parties combined occupy 33 MP seats. Correction. That was yesterday's political system as that government has been effectively dissolved. So those who like to berate the PPP as a minority party still need to deal with the reality that as a stand alone party, it still has more supporters than any other stand alone party. One also need to take into consideration that even before this NC debate and vote, the PNC was signaling to the AFC that their value was not worth 16 MP seats. That could only cause the AFC to break from the PNC as they have no real value to the PNC (remember that Moses was a meaningless PM as Harmon was installed to reduce the visibility of Moses as Jagdeo correctly stated yesterday when he labeled Moses a PM with no port folio) unless the PNC correctly acknowledge that they have no chance of winning a free and fair election on their own so they give the AFC another sweetheart deal. That may not work many AFC supporters from 2011 to 2015 have realized that the AFC headed by Moses was no more than a paper tiger.
Jagdeo laid out his case concisely and the response from the Government was pathetic starting with Harmon personal attacks and continuing with Williams little league 'contribution'. He sounded more like a preacher than a MP. I say government response liberally here as I have not seen the second part of the debate as yet but I did watch the vote at the end of part two where I saw the initial shock of the government MP and then the constant badgering of Charandas to have him change his initial vote. Incidentally, Charandas stated that they were all told earlier to vote no so those here who like to condemn Jagdeo for what they claim is his dictatorial behavior should take into consideration that the PNC are no less dictatorial. When this NC was first lodged, the government shut down Parliament to give themselves time to regroup. In the end, Jagdeo proved that he knows how to count votes. That is what scare those who are not PPP supporters the most. And at the end of the debate and vote, Jagdeo rose and addressed the Parliament as well as the country with a message of conciliation and promise. The true sign of a seasoned statesman.
Lastly, no one in Guyana is immune from corruption so there is always a need for someone to police the police. That was where the AFC proudly stood back in 2011. They had that swing vote where they could have forced the PPP and PNC politicians to work for the people of Guyana and not for themselves. The did a terrible job of that opportunity as Moses was drowning too deep in vindictiveness. He probably thought that the AFC would win the 2011 elections and kick the PPP and PNC both to the curb. That never happened so he sided with the PNC against progress in Guyana. The PPP has sins too and hopefully they have learned that nothing is certain or forever. Now they need a new leader as Jagdeo cannot be president anymore. Hopefully they find one with some of Jagdeo's strong qualities but without the suspicions that some have for Jagdeo. Best wishes to Guyana in 2019 and beyond. Hopefully its new found wealth benefits all of its citizens. And Guyana does desperately need a new Constitution that provides representation for EVERYONE.
