BUDGET BLUES


Formal exchanges of letters between the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, and the Shadow Minister of Finance, Mr. Carl Greenidge, seeking to fix a date for a meeting to discuss the proposed Budget, and the inevitable name calling when the exercise proved unsuccessful, ought to have alerted everyone that no serious discourse will take place. The identical process and outcome played out last year. The identical process and outcome will likely play out next year. A different outcome will be achieved only when a larger political understanding leads to telephone calls between these distinguished gentlemen, or their secretaries, to schedule meetings, as is normal office practice.

That process having expectedly failed, the inevitable last ditch effort is being made on Monday morning, just as last year. The Opposition has a long list of demands with a threat of $40 billion in cuts if those demands are not met. We must all wish the Government and Opposition well and hope that the talks succeed.

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THE UNITED NATIONS AND MINING ON AMERINDIAN LANDS


I return to the issue of mining on Amerindian lands because of the international dimension introduced by a letter to the Government from the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD). The letter expressed concern over mining on Amerindian lands of the Isseneru and Kako communities and has asked the Government to review the granting of permits and concessions without obtaining the prior and informed consent of the affected indigenous communities.

The impression created by the letter is that the Government continues to grant mining permits and concessions without obtaining the prior and informed consent of affected Amerindian communities. The information on which formed the basis of UNCERD’s letter was provided by the Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA) and the Forest Peoples Programme (FPP).

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THE BLEEDING OF SYRIA AND THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE


As the killings continue, renewed focus is being directed to Syria and Palestine due to President Obama’s recent visit to Israel and the West Bank, Secretary of State Kerry’s visit to Iraq, the resignation of Moab al-Khatib as head of the Syrian National Council (SNC) and the latter’s occupation of Syria’s seat at the Arab League.

In a volatile part of the world, the stability of Syria and other influential countries, such as Egypt, is important. Whilst Syria’s friendship with Iran and support for Hamas of the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah of Lebanon were unacceptable to the West, it lived with the Assad regimes of father and son because they were stable internally, their policies were predictable, they neither offered nor posed any military threat to Israel and a different leadership could have been worse. But events have overtaken this thinking. The Arab Spring seized the consciousness of the Syrian people who rose up in rebellion, were mowed down by the regime’s bullets, and have now resorted to armed struggle.

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THE PPP’S 30TH CONGRESS


The twice postponed 30th Congress of the PPP will be held in Port Mourant, Corentyne, on August 2 – 4. It will provide an opportunity for the Party to seek out inspiration from the birthplace of its founder. It was in Berbice, the traditional stronghold of the PPP, that the greatest loss of votes took place and the greatest apathy among PPP supporters was detected at the 2011 elections.

Congress is the major event in Party life. The approximately 1,000 delegates and observers from all across Guyana expect that their views will be heard and taken into consideration in  determining future Party and Government policies.

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ABUSE HAS NO PLACE IN POLITICAL DISCOURSE


The slow dismantling of Cheddi Jagan’s legacy of reasoned debate as a method of convincing opponents and educating supporters began at the turn of the century. It created the opening for the introduction of  an alternative approach to political discourse – the cuss-down. Many had hoped that with the change in Government, this particularly degrading and offensive type of verbal assault would come to a welcome end. It was felt that necessity would dictate a change of course because it was believed that the cuss-down tactic caused the PPP to lose votes at the last elections. However, it appears to have been given a new lease of life at the rally at Babu John on March 3, in the name of Cheddi Jagan.

Cheddi Jagan always reserved his anger for systems and policies, not people. He fought against colonialism with the greatest zeal and the sharpest language, but never abused colonial officials and, in fact, worked with them between 1957 and 1964. He condemned imperialism not only in Guyana but worldwide. But he was unfailingly polite to its representatives. The same Cheddi Jagan proposed coalitions with the PNC and good relations with the United States throughout his life, never insulting or abusing their leaders.

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