Dear Editor,
As never before in the last twenty-three years, the ruling PPP will take a back seat to the APNU+AFC coalition led by David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo.
Despite being viciously attacked by Mr Jagdeo and his cohorts, Messrs Granger and Nagamootoo continued to look good to the voters throughout the campaign. The character assassinations of Granger and Nagamootoo gifted the coalition with a sympathy vote. Without realizing it, Mr Jagdeo may have done the coalition a great favour. And with defeat hovering over him, he became nervous, confused and restless. However, with all the controversy that has been swirling around the administration of late, including the recent drug contract given to Jagdeo’s best friend, Dr Bobby Ramroop during the campaign, one would think that Mr Jagdeo would have been less contemptuous and more circumspect in his attacks on the leaders of the coalition. As a former president, the nation had expected him to behave much more maturely, decently and respectably, and be more appreciative of the concerns of the electorate.
I refer here not only to the supporters of the PPP but to the wider constituency as well, especially in light of Mr Ramotar’s unsolicited confession that his government has not always met the desired morality standard.
This is nothing new. Surely, it is downright immoral for Mr Jagdeo to divide, dishonour and disgrace the country and the people with his race-baiting style of politics. That is the kind of stuff which would not even appeal to goats or yard fowls.
The electorate was smart enough to know that the PPP had insulted their intelligence by spinning a web of lies and distortions in the campaign, which all but the mentally challenged could unravel.
And the sad thing is, no one, not even President Ramotar or Ms Harper has discouraged Jagdeo from conducting an indecent and ghetto-type campaign.
During the campaign, the nation was told that ministers and senior PPP officials had failed to live up to the highest ideals. They had refused to admit to any wrongdoing, accept the consequences and make amends where and when possible. They had defied justice; ignored the laws and the constitution; used the treasury improperly; given the country’s airwaves to their friends and relatives; took the country’s best ocean front lands for themselves; cussed down diplomats; threatened the staff of Kaieteur News with violence; threatened to slap and strip women; lied to the nation and made excuses in order to remain in power by winning the election at any cost.
But the people, especially the youths, were fully aware of the importance of this election in that it has put the fate of the nation at stake and would not be taken lightly. Further, the coalition put everything on the line in this election and was not taking anything for granted. So when those in authority with a political agenda to use the state resources to enrich themselves, relatives and friends, all is not well. But at a meeting in Buxton the other day, the President told the people that all is well with the country and the crowd responded with a resounding “No.” They told him to fix what is wrong rather than to blame the opposition. They also made it very clear to him that the country had suffered under the PPP for the past 23 years and when a nation suffers, all its citizens suffer too. But the President gloats about winning the election and forming the next government.
After the nation voted, the PPP became despondent and wobbly while the people are elated that the soon-to-be declared APNU+AFC coalition will address these issues and will urgently take action to move Guyana forward for them to have a bright future in the land of their birth.
Yours faithfully,
Asquith Rose
