Whatever else it may be lacking, the leadership of the Alliance For Change has a look of youthfulness and energy about it. If neither Ramjattan nor Trotman are exactly spring chickens, they are chronological babies compared with the main men of both the PPP/C and APNU.
One would have hoped that with two sixty-somethings from the two parties running for the presidency, their running mates would have been a couple of fresh-faced youths, sprightly spring chickens who could inject some energy and some life into their respective campaigns. But not so. Two more sixty-somethings. It’s a shame really.
Here’s a thought. This is a young country, flouncing and bouncing and either the PPP/C or APNU could have gone for a bright, young attractive woman who could have held her own on the hustings whether she was articulating a job-creation strategy or doing the ‘six-thirty’ on the stage to get the crowd going. The other side may have considered an educated but liberated young male who could both deliver the political goods and ‘wow’ the women. That would at least have infused some life into an election campaign that has had as much life in it as chicken bones.
President Jagdeo may not be everybody’s cup of tea but at least he provided a sense of youthfulness and energy and even if there were times when he exemplified the recklessness of youth as well, at least we didn’t have to live on our nerves, wondering whether he wouldn’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow.
And once again there are no women in the race. When will we be able to call a Guyanese-born woman Madam President or Madam Prime Minister? Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing to enjoy the attractive ensembles of a female Prime Minister or President?
