Latest update May 10th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 27, 2017 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon
If there is any caricature in politics anywhere in the world, it is the Working People’s Alliance in Guyana. I don’t believe the Justice for All Party has any members. I don’t believe there is any other member in a party named the National Democratic Alliance except Keith Scott himself; he currently holds the portfolio for labour in the Ministry of Social Protection.
One can hardly take issue with the Justice for All Party and the National Democratic Alliance, because there is no subject to confront them on; the leaders do not go to the media to talk about anything.
One can take issue with the WPA, because from time to time, three persons write in the media referring to their party, the WPA – Dr. David Hinds, Desmond Trotman and Tacuma Ogunseye. There is also a diaspora group by the name, Overseas Friends of the WPA. It is headed by former administrator in the Anglican Church, Keith Branch. In a recent email exchange with Mr. Branch, I asked him if he belongs to a group that supports the WPA, then where is the WPA. He didn’t answer.
I have dealt with the nonexistence of the WPA in several columns, so I am not going to pursue such a dead subject. But two things have surfaced recently and they need elaboration, because when the political history of Guyana is written, the next generation is entitled to know these aspects of their country’s political evolution. First, there is the pronouncement of Christopher Ram that in 1985, Rupert Roopnaraine and Clive Thomas became the co-leaders of the WPA and that shape has remained up to now.
Is that true? If it is, it is incredible that the WPA, which forms part of the present power structure, has had the same co-leaders for thirty-one years now. Someone like Tacuma Ogunseye is always writing letters to the press. But to date, there is no rejection or confirmation of what Ram wrote, from Ogunseye, Trotman, Hinds or even Roopnaraine or Thomas. The second thing is perhaps more important. It relates to what Dr. Hinds and Ogunseye are always carping about – the lack of WPA’s influence in the direction of governance.
Dr. Hinds repeated that lamentation as recently as yesterday in his column. Here is what he wrote; “The WPA is part of the present government, and I suppose in normal circumstances it is not unreasonable to expect the party to pressure its colleagues to do more regarding the findings. But, the truth is that we have little, if any leverage within the government.”
In that column he goes very far in expressing the WPA’s dissatisfaction with the PNC attitude to the findings of the Walter Rodney Commission. Here are his words again “The new government, dominated as it is by the PNC’s faction, continued the PNC line that the inquiry was flawed and halted it prematurely. In the circumstances the WPA’s hands are tied; there is not much we can do as a party.”
Hinds then bravely stated; “The PNC would never accept any finding that implicates it founder-leader.”
This second issue I am sure does not generate interest in the Guyanese society, but for the commentator, analyst, historian and academic it does. If you have no say in the overall direction of a government, why then are you still a part of it? Three answers are the only answers. One is that your representatives just want the perks of government. Secondly, you are happy with the policies of your larger partner so no need to spoil things with your own demands. Thirdly, you are hoping at some point to influence policies.
Which one it is we do not know, because the remnants of the WPA that are in government do not speak on these issues. Every time David Hinds speaks or writes about the WPA, he uses the word, ‘party.” He uses the word several times to describe the WPA position on the findings of the Rodney Commission in the column yesterday. The concern of this article here is not the findings of the Rodney Commission; it is about the WPA’s approach to governance.
If there are formidable doubts about the attitude of your larger partner in government and about certain policy directions and you cannot do a damn thing about them, then, at some point you have to question your reason for continuation.
The WPA may have plausible and sound reasons for staying inside APNU and by extension the government, but even a fool would have requests and would want to have them implemented if he is part of a partnership.
It is disgusting that our teachers have to protest in the streets for a…
May 10, 2024
– President Ali visits Guyana National Stadium By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – Yesterday, the National Assembly successfully passed the ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies Bill, 2024,...Kaieteur News – This column does not respond to criticisms, except where there is misrepresentation of what was said... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]