From the Diaspora…KUDOS TO MR. GRANGER FOR DEMONSTRATING POLITICAL MATURITY

By Ralph Seeram
If events of the past few days in Parliament can be used as an indicator, Guyana has entered into a new era of political maturity and cooperation. This no doubt bodes well for the continued social and economic development of the country. While President Donald Ramotar must be congratulated on this development, I think the greater credit should be given to opposition leader David Granger and APNU who by their actions, demonstrated that they are prepared to put the interest of the country before politics. I am sure that the most ardent critics of the PPP Government must have been startled by the level of cooperation APNU has given in approving expenditures in the Government 2012 budget now before Parliament. No doubt there are some elements in both the PPP and APNU who are not happy with this development.
Shortly after the last election, many Guyanese at home and in the Diaspora expressed the view that the elections results giving the combined opposition a one-seat majority in Parliament was a blessing for Guyana. There was also lots of rhetoric from both sides of the political isle speaking of putting country ahead of politics.
One must remember that before the elections David Granger gave a commitment of cooperation whether APNU wins or loses the elections, of course it was not open ended, and never the less he did made a commitment of putting the interest of the people first.
I had an interview with David Granger in Orlando before the elections. I mentioned in an article that he came across as a very sincere person, and was very concerned about the direction the country was going in terms of vast corruption in the Government, and its lack of attention to youths. I also said that I did not think he would make a good politician because he seemed to be too honest. Politicians are seldom honest.
In the last few days he proved me wrong. He has demonstrated that he is an astute politician. His “point man” on the 2012 Budget Carl Greenidge led the charge in “softening up” the PPP on its Budget, opening the way for him to come in to negotiate concessions from the PPP.
Some may want to praise the PPP for making concessions to APNU in the current budget debate, but one must realize that the PPP had no other choice. It had to cooperate or face new elections. Many felt that if the country was led by the former President Bharrat Jagdeo, in the present Parliament the choice would have been elections instead of cooperation. To this end President Donald Ramotar should be commended.
One has to ask what are the alternatives to cooperation? Obviously it was new elections. And who stood to gain or lose by such an exercise? The only people that stood to lose were the opposition parties. Both APNU and the AFC stood to lose their present leverage in the present Parliament. Why? There is a distinct possibility that the PPP would have regained their Parliamentary majority.
The PPP had nothing to lose as there is no doubt that they would have emerged with the majority votes, winning both the government and Presidency again.
In a previous article shortly after the elections I said that approving the 2012 budget will demonstrate whether there is political maturity. This budget is the “big test”. So far APNU and the PPP have shown to the Guyanese public that they are willing to put the interest of the Guyanese people first. APNU needs to let the Guyanese pensioners know that it was they who secured an increase in their benefits; they should not let the PPP steal their credit.
Some people might be asking where the AFC fits in the equation. Recent events show the political immaturity of the AFC. Think about it. While APNU has been negotiating to put more “bread on the table” for ordinary folks, AFC has been trying to do the opposite, “taking bread off the table”. When I read that AFC moved to terminate contract workers at the Ministry of Sports, the reality of this stupid idea touched me personally.
I have a very close and personal friend of over forty years, who dedicated his entire working life to sports in Guyana. I am always his house guest when I visit Guyana, and I know that he is a contract worker at the Ministry of Sports. Sometimes I think he puts sports before his family, always traveling to the outreaches in Guyana to promote sports.
When I read about cutting his job, my thoughts were how was he going to pay his bills, mortgage, utilities, food and support a son in college. I have seen what the cost of living is in Guyana, and for one to be out of a job presents a serious crisis.
Now multiply my friend by a few thousand of his fellow contract workers and you realize the disastrous consequences of the stupidity of AFC action. Sure they may be some “fat cats” to use the AFC term but taken as a whole, the AFC created public relations for themselves. In political terms most of these ordinary contract workers could be the very opposition party’s supporters.
Some leaders in the AFC need to put aside old grudges and put the interest of the Guyanese people first. If they don’t know how, go ask David Granger.