Another welcome to this your mini-feature which seeks to lighten any lingering tensions generated at this time.
For some campaigners for your vote tend to be overly aggressive, even divisive and contentious as they make their case. We herein understand the enthusiasm but seek to cloak the campaign seriousness with light commentary, some analysis and lots of humour. Here goes.
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No-no, no battle between brigadiers
If you are unfamiliar with the Officer rankings within the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) you might be a bit confused with the seniority levels in our army.
For example, Norman McLean and Joseph G. Singh were Major-Generals, much more senior to any Brigadier. The President and Mr Mark Phillips now of the PPP were Brigadiers. Phillips was a Chief of Staff but His Excellency President Granger was never GDF Chief of Staff.
Very many in the army welcomed Phillips when he succeeded the Rear Admiral Gary Best of Pradoville Two. The would-be Prime Minister, Brigadier Phillips was appointed by then President Donald Rabindranauth Ramotar then, later on, the Rear Admiral, appointed by then President Jagdeo, turned his support towards the Brigadier-President Granger. Phew! Confused? Confusing but no Brigadier Battles. Because Brigadier Granger was never GDF Chief of Staff but he became Chief of Country!
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Hail up all dual-citizen voters!
This column knows, for a fact, that all the parties in the National Assembly – and sadly the Speaker and his knowledgeable Clerk – turned a blind-eye to what they all knew! For years!
That the Constitution – at Article 155 (1) disqualifies persons from being a member if he/she was/is a citizen of another State besides Guyana.
Thanks to rogue M.P. Charrandass (Dec 2018) the dual-citizen status was catapulted into a negative sense for some M.P.’s and even would-be top candidates as recently as Nomination Day a few days ago. (Incidentally apart from disqualification for “allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state”, you can’t be an M.P. if you are “certified to be mad/insane, of unsound mind” or if you are awaiting death or more than six months in jail. What? It’s just that many are not “certified”? Ho-ho.)
Never-the-less, reality motivates this feature to hail up all of our thousands of business people, professionals, executives, politicians and voters who are born Guyanese as well as naturalised, paper-citizens of other places. How welcome too are the remittances, boxes and barrels from dual citizens in the USA, Canada, UK. Shouldn’t that assistance entitle them to a vote? Which brings us to Dayvo’s story.
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Dayvo’s Trini wife – and vote
Dayvo is a proud 45-year-old Guyanese fellow. He was never comfortable accepting the constitutional fact that “a Commonwealth Citizen who is not a citizen of Guyana” but has been living/is resident in Guyana for one year – or more preceding the qualifying registration date, can vote here on polling day.
Imagine a man from Zambia, Australia, India, a lady from New Zealand, Barbados, or Britain can vote here if they qualify as above. Just one year!
Now Dayvo spent time in Trinidad, met a lovely mixed-race lady – Trini to de bone. She knew Guyana would find oil. So she joined Dayvo in Guyana since February 2017. They lived as happy man and wife. Dayvo is a solid PPP man. And voter. So he is now shocked that his loving wife plans to vote for “de Brigadier”.
Poor Dayvo. He is now cross! But he still loves his Trini-wife-voter. And she is currently pregnant for Dayvo.
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Campaign cricket: PNC T-20 reply….
Recall that the PPP sent in the PNC to take “first strike” in their twenty-twenty encounter. Nagamootoo and Williams together scored 67. But all-rounder Felix’s 45 N.O. helped PNC to a 150 total.
Amidst stoppages for rain, campaigning, Nomination Day and third umpire rulings, the following was the PPP score-card:
B. Jagdeo c and bowled Granger – 33
M. Phillips not out – 33
Irfaan Ali bowled Granger – 01
C. Rohee bowled Granger – 20
S. Hinds run out – 00
A Nandlall caught W.keeper – 05
J Hamilton bowled Felix – 00
D. Ramotar hit wicket – 18
O. Lumumba bowled Ramjattan – 18
T. Vieira L.B.W Granger – 20
Hydar Ally retired – 02
Total – 150
As might be expected, the match deemed a tie, ended in much controversy. Because newcomer batsman Vieira is claiming that the third/video umpire was biased in giving him (Vieira) out L.B.W.
The PPP is claiming that the umpire was partial to the bowler because he was D.A. Granger. A protest has been filed by the PPP. It is scheduled to be heard by the CCJ on Monday 2nd March next.
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Dayvo is confident!
Dayvo was inebriated. He was belligerent and aggressive in his contention that: “Dere is nothing like a no-confidence motion! Is a “confidence vote or motion!” (Article 106 (6)) Until…
