THE PPP CONGRESS AND THE ELECTORAL DEFEAT OF 2011


Guyanese will be able to assess the future of the PPP, and the government it leads, by the way in which it treats with the electoral defeat of 2011 at its upcoming Congress. Defying all rational odds and holding on to a minority government, courtesy of the Burnham constitution, the results of the elections signaled the most serious crisis facing the PPP since 1992. With its popular vote slipping from 53 percent to 48 percent, the leadership will have to give some account of its stewardship to the Party, or lack thereof, which could have resulted in such a dramatic decline in fortunes after so much bluster and bombast over the past ten years and during the election campaign.

No information has been revealed by the PPP as to the results of any analysis made by it of the reasons for its dismal performance. The word is, however, that no analysis has been done but two general views prevail. One is that support fell off because of failures of the government which includes arrogance, extravagance, corruption and loss of support of sugar workers because of the high handed attitude to them. The other is that the Party organizational capacity faltered, lost contact with the people and failed to organize the turnout of voters.

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THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE’S REPORT TO THE PPP CONGRESS


The state owned press has been reporting recently that preparations for the PPP Congress are moving ahead. Apart from physical and organizational aspects, there are a number of documents which are prepared for presentation. The most important is the Central Committee’s Report. This lengthy document reviews developments since the last Congress. Areas of examination include political developments, the performance of the Party, the successes of the Government, the economy, the international situation and others. An analysis of reasons for the electoral loss of 2011 is likely to be an important inclusion. This lengthy document which takes several hours to read is the first substantive item of the Congress.

The General Secretary takes on the responsibility of getting the Report prepared. He does not usually prepare the full Report himself but would prepare one or more sections, including the political section. It could be that someone else assists the General Secretary to prepare the political section but this is not known. It is not known who assists the General Secretary with other sections of the Report, if anyone does. When Cheddi Jagan was alive, the preparation was an open process. Several persons assisted but he usually prepared the political section. Everybody knew who was doing what. Completed parts would be shared for comments. Then and now, when the draft is completed, it is presented to the Central Committee for approval. With the little time that is usually available to absorb the document, amendments are not usually substantial.

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VIRTUAL REALITY.


Guyana exists politically in a state of virtual reality. In the film The Matrix and in George Orwell’s novel, 1984, such realities were creatively and brilliantly portrayed.  The Government says to the Opposition, which has a majority in the National Assembly: You are obliged to pass my Budget but I’m not obliged to assent to your Bills. Or: I have my legislative agenda and sanity can only prevail if you facilitate it on a date convenient to me. And: The radio and cable licences have a wide ethnic and geographic spread. These are just three of many examples over the past year and they are enough to demonstrate the point.

In this virtual reality the Government is entitled to have its agenda attended to in a timely manner, is entitled to have its Budget passed, is entitled to have the Speaker rule in its favour and is entitled to control over the National Assembly.

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THE RADIO AND CABLE LICENCES SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN


The controversy surrounding the issue of radio and cable licences by the last administration in its dying days, adopted and defended by this administration, is not going away. Apart from a tepid intervention suggesting that President Jagdeo was keeping a promise to open up the airwaves, the Government has made little attempt to launch a proactive defence of Dr. Jagdeo. The result is that there have been demonstrations, protests, statements, newspaper advertisements and more, decrying not only the manner and timing of the issue but the persons to whom the issue was made, alleging bias and nepotism. Some of the criticisms have been egregiously vilifying.

The reluctance of the Government to take on the critics of the licences issue is mystifying when contrasted with its vigorous support for Dr. Jagdeo’s comments on the resurgence of anti-Indian sentiments or the loud and sustained campaign in opposition to the Budget cuts. Admittedly the latter are far more immediate and impactful than the issue of the licences. But the muted defence of Dr. Jagdeo, muted despite the Attorney General’s belated claim that the licences have a fair ethnic and geographic spread, is still rather surprising having regard to the daily dose of demonization delivered by the press.

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THE TRIPARTITE COMMITTEE


A Tripartite Committee, comprising the three political parties represented in the National Assembly, was appointed last year during the Budget controversy and is now revived. There was no agreement in 2012 on anything in relation to the 2012 Budget except for the aborted deal relating to pensions and Linden electricity rates. This unraveled when the AFC, having been left out of the discussions, joined with others and rallied the people of Linden to oppose the hike in rates. The Committee then lapsed.

It was not revived for this year’s budget and no discussions took place between the Government and the Opposition.  No one knows the reason why this should be so. It was clear that there would be a stand-off in the National Assembly. Presumably the Government figured that with the Court ruling in its back pocket and somehow being able to restore the cuts made last year, the Speaker would not dare, the Opposition would not dare and it would weather the storm. The Speaker and the Opposition had other ideas.

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