EYEWITNESS: Hustling…with the touts

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Your Eyewitness mentioned yesterday the PNC’s refusal to adhere to democratic norms in so many areas of national life on account of their authoritarian and anti-democratic DNA; the latest one being their insistence on using the unfortunate murders in West Berbice to stir up tensions in the society.

Not satisfied with the racial violence accompanying WEST Berbice “protests” following incendiary statements made by Granger and Harmon, they moved a motion to call for “action for justice” in the murder of the two Henry cousins and Harish Singh.

Now, we know that Granger decapitated most of the old heads from the PNC and AFC in his MP list. But the Leader of the Opposition (LOO) is constitutionally funded, so that he can hire legal counsel, no? As the Speaker informed them, aren’t they aware of Standing Order 26 (G), which precludes a motion relating to any matter which is under adjudication by a court of law? That the National Assembly cannot violate the sub judice rule? Weren’t they aware that three men were charged and placed on remand for the said murders? And that the requisite preliminary inquiry has been scheduled to be heard?

But rather than following the clear statement of the law, the PNC decided to break that law by holding what they called “The People’s Parliament” in front of the Stabroek (Big) Market! So, what else was new? It was most fitting, since that area is one of the most lawless in all of Guyana as far as “choke and rob” and other personal crimes are concerned. Birds of a feather were flocking together!

Well, a video of the occasion ended up in your Eyewitness’s feed, and it unfortunately was simply a continuation of the earlier incitement of Granger and Harmon. The hypocrisy that characterised the event was epitomised by one of the speakers continuously addressing a “Mr Speaker”, who was probably getting a good night’s rest in his home!! So, what were some highlights of the speakers, heard as your Eyewitness skimmed the video?

Figueira (the fella who elbowed the now nominated Ambassador to India!) led off, and regurgitated the PNC’s criticisms of the GPF, calling for the Argentine Forensic Team to be solicited even as he invoked Che Gueverra. He was followed by Mahipal, who brought up the Lusignan, Bartica and other massacres from 2008, and connected them with the West Berbice murders. The Police should question them on that “connection”!

Then came “Lampy”, who insisted that the PNC coalition was “on the move”. They were moving all right – permanently out of Parliament!
One Gita Chandan-Edmond ended by misquoting MLK in speaking of an “arch” of the “moral universe”. It’s “arc”, dear…pronounced like “ark”!

It was a Confederacy of dunces!

…with the race card

It doesn’t surprise your Eyewitness that all these “woke” columnists, who were silent as a grave when the PNC tried to pull off their blatant rigging of the March 2 elections, just can’t stop railing against that poor young artist who painted the First Family along with some persons they had reached out to with gifts. This was “racist” they insist, because it showed African-Guyanese as needing to be helped.

Well, your Eyewitness knows that all of us see through lenses that are coloured with our own experiences; but shouldn’t what we see be consistent?

But regarding the point about putting African-Guyanese in a position where they are being helped, was Vincent Alexander being racist when he claimed in a recent letter to the press that, “it is my firm conviction that the enslavement of Africans along with the post-slavery institutionalization of their subjugation, in Guyana, has left them economically disadvantaged and psychologically scarred.”

And that they should be helped?

…the COVID-19 restraints

Your Eyewitness loves his beer as much as any red-blooded Guyanese. But opening up the bars to allow 40% capacity? Who’s kidding who?

So, the 40% will REMAIN spaced out as they BECOME spaced out?

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