It was the late Winston Murray who propelled attorney-at-law James Anthony Bond into the political arena and this new APNU parliamentarian is on a mission to work for and with the people to make Guyana a better place for all.
The young MP, already well-known in political circles, has put the government on notice that he is there on a mission that he will work to fulfil in the next five years. He is not there, he said, to make friends. In short, he will do less talking and more action.
Bond said his political journey began when Murray invited him to a meeting and introduced him to some seasoned politicians as “the young man I have been telling you about…” Soon after he became a part of what was dubbed the ‘Murray faction’ of the PNCR.
“I owe everything to God I always say that… Mr Murray was undoubtedly the vessel God used to get me involved in politics… I know persons might say ‘you are a Murray boy’ and I am; I don’t want people to forget that,” Bond told the Sunday Stabroek in an interview.
Murray’s political life is what he plans to use as a yardstick in his performance in Parliament, his advocacy, his presentations and his research.
He was so influenced by Murray that following his unfortunate demise Bond admitted that not only did he cry on national television but he became lost for a short period. He was forced to stand on his own feet and many persons close to Murray had an issue with him as he became very assertive and independent, hence his move to run in the PNCR’s presidential candidate primary following his nomination.
‘More talkers than doers’
In politics in Guyana, “…there are more talkers than doers and I am never like that. I like people who could get stuff done and politicians in my opinion, the government in particular, have an inherent inability to get… the basic things done,” Bond told the Sunday Stabroek.
He said he has always spoken about young people and their lack of voice and that is his driving passion. It disturbs him that in the political arena there are hardly any young people in leadership roles and that older people do not mentor the young to aspire to such positions.
Bond said he is not in Parliament to become “chummy” with the government adding that he does not subscribe to such thinking.
“I don’t want to reach the stage where the government feels that Bond had to suck up to them to get things done. I would embarrass them and I would bring them into account.
“I want to let them know that I am not here for them. I am not even here for me. I am here for the people and if they are helping people they are my best friends,” Bond said.
Bond said at the end of his five years in Parliament he needs “deliverables” as a result of the confidence that was placed in him.
“I must not be one of those MPs that they say only went there for his duty-free concession and the publicity,” a serious Bond said.
And Bond does not subscribe to the view that because in the past the government was a majority, parliamentarians could not have made a difference.
He said Parliament is not the only place where parliamentarians can do work as they could write letters to the media, knock on a minister’s door “or do something.
“I don’t buy it that I could do nothing… I plan to do something, walk, talk, do something, just do…,” Bond said, adding that his motto is hard work and determination.
He pointed out that the PPP/C still has the power even though it is a minority government. Guyanese, he said, have continued to accept mediocrity, pointing out that many projects are substandard and they are just accepted. He said second best from any of the country’s leaders, regardless of which side of the fence they are on, should not be accepted.
In Parliament, Bond said, he would be working along with Basil Williams who is the shadow minister of legal affairs. He said while the justice system is “not bad” he would like to see judges and magistrates working under better conditions; the sloth removed and the modernization accelerated. He pointed out that magistrates and judges still use pens to take notes and this takes up a lot of time.
Bond has also developed an initiative called ‘The Court Employment Education Programme’ for young offenders; an idea he has informed his leaders about and he is working on a paper to present to Attorney General Anil Nandlall. He said the initiative proposes that in-lieu of incarceration, first time offenders up to a certain age should be trained and helped with an education so that “instead of producing criminals we provide persons of worth to society.” He said the initiative covers all offences except murder.
He also wants emphasis to be placed on his old school President’s College, which he said is in dire need of assistance.
‘Astonished’
Meanwhile, asked about the claims of former PNCR executive member Dr Faith Harding that the party’s presidential candidacy was tainted and rigged in favour of David Granger, Bond said he was “astonished”.
Bond said Dr Harding, who he loves, was being dishonest when she said the primaries were a farce and were rigged.
“That is dishonest, that is untrue, that is wicked… and I am using the harshest possible terms because I wouldn’t condone someone dragging my party through the mud because of personal grievances,” Bond said.
He said they all observed the voting process on the day of the elections and Dr Harding got 20 votes a little more than his 13. Bond pointed out that Carl Greenidge only lost by 15 votes compared to what Granger gained. Granger, he said was the first to announce he was contesting and was indeed the favourite and had a political campaign running around the country.
He described the party’s primaries as a learning process which saw self discovery and also learning about the party and what needs to be done to “fix the party and fix the country.”
Bond said his political life is now in perspective as he knows what his goals are and he is well aware of what he wants to achieve; a result of the presidential candidacy race. Bond said all of the contenders took something “unique” to the candidacy race.
“It was a dynamic team… I feel if we had run for the presidency of Guyana as a block we would have won. I do believe that, because we had so much to offer… If PNCR went alone and we were the image of the party we would have won, throw in a few others and it was a dynamic team,” Bond said.
However, he said there is need for a partnership such as APNU as one party does not have the answers and if the PNCR had won then there would have been one party rule, which is not what is needed in Guyana.
Don’t despise
Meanwhile, Bond has advice for some of the older folks telling them not despise a young person trying to make a difference.
“Let’s say there are some who wish I was not there. Let’s just say there are those who see me as a threat and rightly so, I don’t blame them they should. Don’t feel that I am here just to occupy space. I am not one of those youngsters who you would have non-performing for years in an office,” Bond said.
He said when Robert Corbin or David Granger feel he should be out they would get him out but it should be left with them. He said Corbin and Granger do not see him as a threat but as an asset to the PNCR and the partnership and he thanked both gentlemen for the trust they have placed him. He said those to whom he is referring know themselves.
To those who condemn street protests, Bond, who has been leading peaceful protests since the last elections and was shot in the back by the police with multiple pellets, said, who feels it knows it.
As for that infamous barber shop incident Bond said he and the barber are now good friends and he again denied ever hitting the young man. He, the barber and some other young men have come together with former GDF head Edward Collins and decided that as young men whenever they have issues instead of taking it into their own hands they should call on their elders for help.
Bond is one of three children born to a minister of religion and a nurse. He spent his formative years in Maba-ruma, North West District. He paid tribute to his parents, Leslie and Grace-June Bond to whom he said he owes everything and who he loves very much. He has been a lawyer for the last ten years–on the advice of his mother, which he has not regretted taking–with his work first commencing in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Bond is married with one son and he admits that his political work has taken a toll on his family as his private practice was affected resulting in income being affected. Nevertheless, the said: “I saw the struggle, I saw the walk to Golgotha and I am carrying my cross. I wouldn’t be carrying it all the time…”
