A. A. Fenty

I invite readers, both my regulars and casual fans, to decide whether (all) the following is factual, true and an accurate record of a very recent war-room-type strategy meeting by executives of the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), as they planned another round of responses to all the Granger government is doing right and doing wrong as they, the PPP, fights to stay relevant even necessary.

Ignoring my preference for avoiding immediate comment on issues of simmering significance, sometimes better left to others blessed with sharper intellects, wider experience and more analytical attributes, I, never-the-less, plunge into two conversations today.

Do I dare ask? How relevant is trade unionism in Guyana today?

Today is to be among my briefest offerings. But hopefully, effectively terse and pointed.

Sixteen years ago I “approached” a young lady living in a section of West Ruimveldt in the Georgetown Capital.

The virtually-premature ministerial salary increase generosity aside, I share my thoughts on issues of authority, power, humility in fair-minded service and political personality changes.

Three “trivially significant” and introductory points: Public Servant above refer to workers employed by the Government via numerous entities.

Escapist-like, today I veer away from all those current issues of national significance, which too often tend to be stressful, provocative or controversial.

(but did she disappoint him?) In my earlier life, or a phase thereof, both as a young professional and a more activist political Party member, I was obliged to attend most, if not all, of the Congresses and General Council gatherings of the “paramount” People’s National Congress (PNC) – my party of choice.

With gradually increasing consistency, I’ve been picking up indicative hints about the emphasis that is to be placed on the May 2016 Independence Anniversary event, apparently in preference to the annual February Republic Mashramani activities.

Here I go today venturing into an issue of “uncharted waters” for me.

I don’t mean that the “professional”, recidivist criminals are actually choosing law school to qualify themselves as attorneys.

I had given myself up to this month end/weekend to feel free to criticize harshly but constructively, the still “new” May 2015- Granger Administration.

The dissatisfaction, expressed publicly, by the former Alliance For Change Berbician activist and one line in a recent Stabroek editorial have given rise to the following comments today.

Today I’ll appeal to even my regular readers – as well as the curious casuals – to bear with this brief Sunday–School/Bible –lesson– like “lesson” intended to capture the element of the concepts implicit in my wordy lead caption.

What manner of “human” cracks an old lady’s skull, tramples her battered body, perhaps strangles her, then drinks a beverage from her refrigerator?

How dare I – a non-academic, a non-political scientist, a non-professional, qualified analyst or philosophy “logician” – attempt to advise a new government how to entertain or respond to a political/parliamentary Opposition-aggressor, seemingly dedicated to being uncooperative?

What better manner in which to begin my own Emancipation Mini-series of columns than to quote from President David Arthur Granger – the historian?

Recent exchanges in the print media on aspects of “public information,” our right to know, to access facts and stats and to familiarize ourselves much more with the role and responsibilities of our Commissioner of Information – himself a Master of Many Unfamiliar Words – have motivated me to re-visit this issue, briefly.

(First of all, I’m hoping that this offering is one of my lazy-days, time-out pieces.)