The PPP Post-Budget Political Theatre: Appealing to Race and Pretending to be more hurt than it is
By Prof David Hinds
If you have not been around long enough or have not studied Guyana’s political history, you may be tempted to misinterpret the noise coming from the ruling PPP in the wake of the budget cuts made by the Combined-Opposition as genuine hurt. Guyanese should not be fooled by the PPP’s antics.
That party is driven by two things—maintaining its hold on Executive power at a minimum and in the final analysis regaining the iron grip on the Indian Guyanese community so that its total hold on power can be restored at the next election. Every action of the PPP is geared towards achieving these objectives.
While the budget cuts have dealt the PPP a body-blow by puncturing the aura of invincibility and inevitability, the PPP knows full well that its control of the overall political process remains largely intact. So long as that control of state, executive government and society are not being seriously challenged, the PPP is relatively happy. It does not mind paying the price of $20.8 Billion to retain Executive power. So what we are seeing from them is political theatre aimed at doing two things.
The first is directly racial. The political crying and cussing are aimed at scaring the populace, in particular the Indian Guyanese community. By projecting itself as the victim while framing the opposition APNU as the “heartless” bullies and the AFC as traitors, the PPP is playing to a familiar racial narrative aimed at the Indian Guyanese political reflexes. In this regard, Minister Lawrence Ramsammy’s article (AFC’s Betrayal of Trust, Guyana Chronicle, and April 28, 2012) is most revealing. The Minister addressed his missive to “my sisters and brothers who voted for the AFC “and asks “Did you really vote for the AFC to have them join with APNU.” Dr. Ramsammy did not have to put “Indian Guyanese” before “brothers and sisters” or “African Guyanese” before APNU to get his message across. He knew full well what he was getting at and his intended audience understands what he is saying. The images of the “Indian victim,” the “African bully” and the “Indian traitor” are quite vivid in the Minister’s discourse. One should not be surprised at the PPP’s call to race—racial appeal is in that party’s political genes.
The second objective of the PPP’s theatre is to draw the opposition, particularly the APNU, into a state of complacency. The crying and chest-beating are aimed at giving the opposition the impression that they have severely wounded the PPP. The PPP is hoping that the opposition would start congratulating itself and take its foot of the pedal. President Romotar’s constant invocation of the word “Dialogue” and the not so veiled threat of an early election are deliberate tactics in this regard. The aim is to lure the Opposition back into dialogue with the PPP with the twin objective of bogging them down with talking and arriving at deals to reverse some if not all of the cuts. Again this tactic of containing the opposition through nebulous dialogue has served the PPP well for the last 20 years, including up to two weeks ago.
Given the above, the PPP is very worried at David Granger’s rhetoric in his recent address to the nation. His use of the term “leverage” sends a clear message that the APNU knows that the fight over the budget is part of a larger political fight; it’s a means to an end. This frightens the PPP because it now knows that its political end-game is now being matched by the APNU’s political end-game. And it is when you challenge the PPP on the political front that it starts to sweat.
In closing I am glad Mr. Granger referenced the APNU constituency. The APNU and the AFC, from now onwards, must not make any major decision without first discussing it with the people who are affected by it. The Linden fiasco should not be repeated. And the APNU and the AFC must not go back to another election—Snap or Non-Snap—under the current rules which allow a party with a minority vote to form the Executive Government on its own. Hence, the next big job of the parliament must be Constitutional Reform.
David Hinds is a Political Activist and Commentator. He is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University. His writings can be found on his website guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com.
Comments
Mr Hinds, as an intelligent man, you should stop fanning the flames of racial hatred and divide.
Why this blame game on racial grounds?
What Guyana needs is a chance to let Democracy work, and unity of mind and soul so that this sad country can return to normalcy.
Many of you so called intellectuals, and I am sure you are an Afro Guyanese (I am Indian by the way) ,try to say that the Indians are the racists and the trouble makers. My friend you do not know anything about the Indian people and their culture and heritage.
You criticize the ppp speaker when he used the words “brothers and sisters”. to his listeners…Hey guy….they are our brothers and sisters…..our culture tells us ..that’s a nice way to address each other in our community.
If only the Afro Guyanese would copy our ‘family’ way of life, they would be better off rather than blaming the Indians for everything that have gone wrong in Guyana.
To progress man, you have to be hard working, industrious, live good lives, get married, be caring, pursue education, be respectful, and with Gods help you will progress in life. Now many Afro peope are decent and hard working, caring, and make progress in life…just like yourself…others have to follow. But where you go wrong my friend is to deepen the wounds in our society Try to be conciliatory and not judgemental.
Look, I will be blunt with you. The Indians are more equipped to run a business, but together, working in unity can be massive.
Running a country is like running a business….you balance the books, you expand, and you make profits to put it in very simple terms.
Under the PPP Guyana experienced more progress that when Burnham ruled it for 28 long years…that is a fact !! We must try to forget the past and move on…..so please alllow us to move on to more stabler grounds.
Those who are obstructing this Government are following the PNC lead of the past…the same PNC that Burnham led and reduced Guyana to become the laughing stock of the Caribbean. So lets ease off from this racist line….we are all in the same boat, trying to make our country better.
Now why don’t you be more encouraging and put your support behind this Government? Constructive opposition is ok, but spiteful opposition to derail the govt. Policies and make it look bad are the work of mischevious, nasty people. They will be judged by the electorate and I do hope they are kicked out of Parliament in the next election.
Come on brother….put your knowledge to better use…your country needs everyone of use to put aside prejudices and live in peace and harmony and rebuild our paradise.
Peace and love.
Taij
Why are you using racial titles to identify Guyanese…i.e. Afro Guyanese and letting us know that you’re Indian…..I guess that makes you an Indo Guyanese. Therein lies the problem of racial divide in this country. We’re ALL Guyanese. This narration of yours clearly states that you’re a PPP supporter and as such, your comments are politically motivated. We’ve seen enough of that in this country.
Good Day folks, Sisters and Brothers of the Guyanese population at home and abroad. Politics in every way has been described as the art of deals. Prof Hinds has been long enough to understand the politics of Guyana, since 1961,when the massive victory given to the PPP had created the basis for political hegemony of one race over the other and this was the time when our African brothers and sisters had to choose between staying with the PNC or cross over to the PPP. The same had to happen within the bowels of the PPP, the ruling party at that time. History has recorded the issues then were the political fight for the Political Independence of Guyana. What transpired then was 1961-1966,had shown the road that the leaders wanted to travel, both the PNC and the PPP. The Wismar holocaust and the total breakdown in law and order and the havoc that was reaped on civil society was the beginning of a new Political dispensation in the country called British Guyana. We are sad to record that the racial wounds of that era were never fully healed as LFS was catapulted into power in 1964 by a coalition of 2 political parties the UF and the PNC. it took 28 years of rule under the Gestapo, LFS and an entire nation paid the price for that arrangement that was termed “Anti-Communist” by the USA and Britain.Now Prof. Hinds. I feel somehow that you are comfortable if your own race is in power and you are part of the ruling elite. Nothing is wrong with this as you are an African Intellectual and may not feel comfortable with the alienation of the ruling party in Guyana. Many of us also felt this way under LFS who stole our constitutional rights as citizens of our homeland and created a scenario where outward migration was the only answer to Forbes Rule. Do you remember those sad times my brother. Why create further rift among a population of 701,000 people in a multi-ethnic nation as Guyana? Is that what you want for the Nation. Are you not opening the racial wars of the past. This is not the road that post Independent Guyana should walk. Why be a party to race wars and disintegration of the society that is slowly accepting one another as true brothers and sisters. The time will come when Mr Granger’s party will improve at the polls and victory may be theirs, again. The Budget deals are a must as this is what will expose the negotiating skills of our leaders and not the rhetoric of racism and race talk. Mr. Hinds let us agree to disagree. As an intellectual why see race behind every statement that Mr. Ramkarran is making What is wrong with the term Brothers and Sisters, He did not say My Indian Brothers and sisters. Come on let us not walk the road to racial disintegration of a society that President Carter gave a lease of new life to after he got Desmond Hoyte to agree to the sanitization of our Electoral Listings which ushered into office Cheddi Bharat Jagan some 20 years ago. You like me and all well wishers of the Guyanese nation must be responsible enough as we grow older in life to ensure political healing and racial integration take place in our beloved country. Let us work assiduously to promote inter racial harmony among all our people whether we are Indian as myself or African like yourself. It is the mistakes of our past political history that will be staring us in the face every time we fail to take corrective action especially when we want to give advice to those who hold the reins to political power. The people of Indian ancestry were not the only ones who were responsible for the return to democracy in Guyana after those 28 years of spiteful and nasty politics unleashed on the Guyanese people. The people of all races were glad to get rid of LFS who had entrenched himself into power, my brother. Today Mr. Granger can make the deals he so wants with President Ramotar because the population has given the combined Opposition one more seat in the house of Rep. It is 33 in the house of 65. Constitutional reform will come in due course. If Granger forces the hand of the Parliament by working a little harder his constituents he may get his own was. Why not set up the Constitution Reform Committee in this said Parliament and lets do the work. No one wants to be President for life,or do we have such minds still around. Hinds I am of the view that Politics can make veritable Statesmen out of the politicians but are they interested in walking that way or are they walking away from that objective. Please help us to heal the wounds of racial integration and build a new society for our children and grand children in this 21st century, We love you Guyana and especially you brother and Prof. Hinds. God bless Guyana and the Guyanese people!
You seem to forget the blatant Racism your party practiced for over 30 years where other races were brutalized and marginalized. I can only imagine the quality of professor you are. I feel sorry for the students that take your classes. Where were you in the 60’s when the state was being plundered and pillaged? What hyprocisy!
Sorry to say but you’re the hypocrite here. For the last 19 years the current government has been practicing Tit for Tat politics. If they have the best interest of the country at heart then they should have learned what not to do in order to unify the country. You’re on top now because your colour is in power just like the black people were on top when their colour was in power. Tit for Tat gotta done or we will all perish. The man simply saying it like it is. But with Tit for Tat, I really don’t expect a different response from you. Good luck girl!!!
Cathy, your mentality is that of a nasty street fighter. You lambasted William for using racial titles and you turn right around and refer to my colour people being on top. Do you understand what hypocrisy is girl? And for your information your colour people have prospered much more under the PPP governments than under any previous governments. And do reflect and see what group causes disunity in Guyana. Remember “Month fiya slow fiya”.
Chandra here you’re assuming that I’m a particular colour and if I was to hazard a guess I would say black. Never assume because you’re very wrong. But as the saying goes “never argue with ignorance because she will drag you down and beat you with it. Like I said before…Good luck. I hope your “colour” continue to prosper under your “colour” government. Tit for Tat wins hands down every time and government’s prey on ignorant minds to stay in power. Enjoy it while you can because moon a run till day catch he.
I still remember how much of the Guyanese monies are in Switzerland. That money should be returned to the nation to help the country in its development.
Talking of the Switz bank, the period 1970-1975, the Caribbean Development Bank loaned the then government $450 million US dollars and history and Financial audits at home and abroad traced it to the Switz Bank. The question of repayments surfaced during Cheddi Jagan’s term and he quoted from the Auditor General’s annual report and told the TT Government that such sums never came to the coffers of Guyana and further more should they be interested in claiming repayments they should wait until the return of the PNC government to collect the same. However Cheddi secured the Parris Club and the IMF and the TT government under Basdeo Panday to write off such sums that were stolen ans sashed away in the same Bank of Switzerland!
I must say that the PPP supporters here say basically the same things –over and over in most of their entries in this Guyanese Online Blog They are all stuck record LFSB 28years – no more black-man rule etc – long diatribes that say nothing new.- same old PPP propaganda…… get a life – this is 2012. For you the PPP is always right. To me they are sometimes right but one has to be truthful and realistic and talk about what is happening NOW… Yes today! The Anti African Guyanese racism; the neglect of the poor people and the purposeful policy to destroy the cities of Georgetown and New Amsterdam, is obvious. At the same time a few are getting richer and richer – have foreign passports or entry and send their money overseas, paying little or no taxes. This is Guyana today!
I, like many, believe the PPP is deathly afraid of the coming stolen money disclosures and prefer to get new elections to regain complete control. This Minority Government has to now answer some hard questions – so they hope to whip up Indian/anti African support to gain a majority and continue “Business for The Boys… as usual”.
The PPP today is NOT the party of Cheddie and Janet Jagan – great and selfless souls who fought for the “common man”. Ask their children and they would agree…. Both his son and daughter have said that corruption is pervasive from top to bottom within the party.. We don’t want to hear about LFSB in 1975… We want to know about the money that been thieving these last 20 years… and NOW. Money to get the beggars and homeless off the street and treat the growing number of dangerous mentally ill roaming the city… This country, and especially Georgetown, is becoming like India with beggars and animals owning the streets of the city – a danger to everyone.
The PPP has been running this country for 20 years and they have neglected Georgetown for political/racial reasons and because they do not have control. I am a young man of African, Indian and Amerindian heritage. .. a true Guyanese and I see that there are many young people like me who want CHANGE. More and more Guyanese are now of mixed heritage (30% at least), and we don’t identify with race as we are of many”races” in tune with the world of TODAY. Even so-called Indians are mixed (Ramotar and his wife for instance), so let us keep race out of it. Young people want a better life and a future WITHIN Guyana. That is why we have chosen a minority PPP government now, and the PPP will fail again in the next elections with their Rwanda massacre propaganda and painting all Afro-Guyanese as criminals and killers. They were hoping for riots and bloodshed – it did not happen. The PPP government and its drug lord friends financed the death of over 200 -400 Afro Guyanese youth just a few years ago and the selective killing goes on. Anyone against them is eliminated politically, economically, and even physically like Waddell and others. This has to stop, and it will.
The thieves and sexual perverts that make up the PPP government may still be run by Jagdeo in his bunker – Ramotar is an obvious puppet who can hardly deliver a proper speech. We want to know where the NICIL 50+billion and other stolen money for various projects is. Let us forget about your LFSB crap and who stole money in 1975 and how Trinidad’s Panday (another crook) helped to find it. Also, the Budget cuts are intended to ensure balance in government reporting, and transparency in expenditure before being approved. So let us move on. Guyana’s resources must not be sold and monies collected and spent to benefit PPP Incorporated. Therefore, the main issue that bother us young people is how we can achieve basic honesty and transparency and a solution that satisfies ALL Guyanese and not just a few, and how to ensure that money is spent wisely to develop Guyana. For instance, I was shocked to find out in the Budget that Guyana now owes more foreign and local debt than in 1992 …over $1B US… even with all the foreign aid, grants, and begging by Jagdeo, I though the debt had decreased. So folks lay off the LFSB anti Afro-Guyanese propaganda – your analysis is dated – LFSB was in YOUR TIME – This is OUR TIME and I, and other young people who are 2/3 of the population, want answers. My life is ahead of me here in GT… Yours, it seems, may be almost done and you are away spending your last days in your adopted fairylands… re-writing history.
To G. Trealist…..My sentiments exactly!!!! I can feel the emotion and passion coming through in your narrative of what’s been happening in Guyana over the past 20 years. If enough Guyanese feel the way you do, then CHANGE WILL COME. We need everyone to show up and vote these parasites out of office come next election day. They won’t be able to rig the votes next time around for fear of major reprisals.
Sound like a threat/terrorism. Will a war began at the next election
??
I want to hear something new. like the new airport they are building at Ogle or preventation measures against tsunami etc.
Prof. Hinds, I salute you for taking this discussion right to the gut. I absolutely agree with you and could not have said it any better. Besides, this is the conversation that every law abiding and truth teller should embrace if Guyana is to take its place in the world’s arena.
In fact, what we are seeing here in this discussion is a mindset that has been locked in the past. Most of these folks are so bigotted that they cannot see further than their noses. Further, the blame game about Burnham policies has become redundant and is only used as a football by the PPP and its followers to promote racial disharmony and mask their ineptness. In the same way, it is used to keep an iron grip on a sector of populace too ill inform to understand the truth.
I have lived this racial divide many years ago, when the PPP during an election year urged its followers to withdraw their monies from the bank because if Burnham wins the election they will lose all their life’s savings. Immediately, there was mass hysteria and the bank in a certain region was overran with rice farmers, fearful that “Black People” would strip them of their lifesavings.
The truth about the PPP is very transparent, this organisation does no believe that a person with AFRICAN ROOTS should ever govern the nation of Guyana. Apparently, they believe in the NUMBERS GAME and the right to rule supreme over the rest of the nation. Obviously, they forgot Guyana’s history of struggle in a partriotic society.
This fight in Parliment is just what the people of Guyana needs. I must applaud the one seat majority who are carrying the fight to this corrupt bunch of BIGOTS who have allowed the decay of a beautiful nation that I helped to build. Georgetown is a ghetto, with the permeating smell of a landfill. the Botanic Gardens is no garden at all. The embarrasment of taking visitors to this landmark was eventful and shameful as this site is now used as a garbage dump. Where are the animals? At least in Burnham’s reign their was a beautiful garden and the street were well kept and not foul smelling. And almost thirty years their is still BLACKOUTS and WATER problems in the City and surroundings areas. Even more, one cannot walk the street late at nights if visiting Guyana for fear of being robbed and or killed.
In fact, everyone has a gun and no one is watching. Further, how can there be law an order when the highest ranking officer of the law is charged with rape and is kept in office by the President. Indeed, the PPP love to talk about BURNHAM and his policies yet, they are mum about this lawlessness. These THUGS have hijacked and raped this country where life was lost and blood, sweat and tears were shed in order to bring respect and diginty to a mankind.
Thus, in order for any UNITY for Guyana, these old guards of Cheddi Jagan with their Russian trained mindset, will have to clear the way for a new generation of community leaders who hopefully can understand Guyana’s history and foster a “newnest” in this global marketplace of ideologies.
Here comes the next Walter Rodney, Sir David Hinds,thanks my friend for calling a spade a spade, But Sybil remember when Burnham used to tell his audience,”Do you want the coolieman to rule you?” They all used race to win. True Burnham now looked like a Boys Scout compared with the antics of the PPP
We need more men like Hinds to turn Guyana around. Who would bell the cat?
The road to Brazil is a large opening to business since. Brazil is in the BRIC line of prosperity countries. that is excllent for Guyana and that new Airport at Ogle. WOW!