Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 22, 2019 News, The Story within the Story
The last few days were crazy ones for the media and the people of Guyana.
From protests and heavy police presence to a placard-waving disruption in the Pegasus Hotel while President David Granger was speaking to the private sector, to Roger Khan, it was a busy time.
It was one of the many sub-plots that characterized a year of waste as we prepare for the momentous occasion…the start of first oil. I could not help but marvel at our frailties as humans.
When the history books are perused a few years from now, 2019 would stand out as a time when we took our eyes off the ball. The other team has the ball now.
It would be the year when the Coalition Government battled what it says is an illegal act – that no-confidence vote of December 21st, 2018.
It would be the year when the Opposition and civil society, largely, piled on the pressure, calling for an end to political stalemate which had strangled the country’s investment climate, pitted its people against each other, and exposed the stark weaknesses of our Constitution.
On Thursday, I was assigned coverage of the business luncheon of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association at the Pegasus. President David Granger was scheduled to deliver the feature. About 11:20hrs, I was caught in the traffic madness.
The police had ringed the roads leading to the Pegasus.
From the Marriott side, to Lamaha Street to Camp Road, it was virtually impassable.
I found my way using a back road in Kingston after being sent from one street to another, in vain. The police were not budging, police pass or not.
The sight in front of the hotel was unbelievable. There was a sea of red and loud chants and waving of placards. Police ranks were all over.
There were yellow tapes and protestors were braced up against the locked gates of the hotel. The back entrance was open, but rains which were threatening again had flooded the parking lot.
The president arrived around midday and shortly after his speech begun, the disruption began.
We are not here to debate whether it was right or wrong. I will always back the rights of the people to object and protest and picket. It is fundamental of a good society. It is the engagements with such that need to be watched.
The Opposition, from all indications, bought tickets to the event, according to GMSA, and as such was properly there. The security of the president and even Khemraj Ramjattan, the Public Security Minister, were unable to quell the chantings.
An embarrassing silence enveloped the room, with the president halting his speech and forced to watch the unfolding scene. There were some memorable photos of him standing there, hands in pocket.
It was supposed to be a high point for GMSA, and an opportunity for Granger to sell the developmental plans of his Coalition Government.
The GMSA on Friday apologized to the president for the disruption.
The situation should be a wake-up call to the police force and the president’s security detail. There is intelligence on the ground that should have allowed the police to prepare better. The traffic situation was another matter.
While we cannot cater to every eventuality, the relevant authorities will have much to think about. There will have to be workshops and more training on various scenarios.
Guyana has too few roads and when we block the existing ones, it is a nightmare.
It is all about planning and coordination.
The coming months will not be easy. We are likely to head to February elections.
The Opposition seems to be comfortable with the date and the Guyana Elections Commission appears to be depending on the information it has of the various preparations that need to be done before there is readiness.
According to the Opposition, the ball is in the President’s court now to name a date.
The President and his ministers will be meeting Tuesday to discuss the letter from GECOM which advises on a likely date.
Where does that leave us?
We will be waiting impatiently and the Opposition and private sector and the western diplomats are all anxious for a date.
A statement from the diplomats – the US, UK and EU- was uncharacteristically strong in its language. It would send a signal that the situation is an untenable one.
Those countries, which have significant investments in Guyana, would be worried.
While that is happening, the arrival and detaining of Roger Khan was the news on Friday night.
Yesterday, his lawyers said police detained him and he is being questioned about the shocking killing of talk show host, Ronald Waddell, a decade and a half ago.
It would be a welcome distraction to the current political stalemate.
The past year has been wasted. We have a non-functioning Parliament. Our politicians refused to convene the National Assembly but they continue to collect the monthly salaries.
We have critical legislation that needed to have been passed.
We have a number of committees including the Public Accounts Committee which cannot meet to examine the expenditure of Government as reported by the Audit Office.
With oil, there are key regulations that speak to local content and other monitoring mechanisms, that need to be debated.
Our oil money and the use of it needed all hands on board in the National Assembly to discuss and ensure we are protected.
Alas, we have wasted a year.
In the meantime, the preparations by the oil companies are continuing full speed ahead.
We are not ensuring that we are getting a fair piece or that the mechanisms are in place to assure that what we are getting is fair.
We have nothing to be proud of ourselves this year.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
Mar 28, 2024
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