Dear Editor,
Reference is made to the caption, “PPP/C Rosignol/Zeelust NDC councillors retract resignations” (SN, March 10, 2021). Clearly, the PPP went into furious overdrive with what I believe is an unprecedented development with those mass resignations, which were almost a clean sweep of the ruling party’s presence on that council. For a brief moment I harboured the sense that this was like what goes in Conservative and Labour ranks in the British system. It was open defiance and open revolt; and especially when personal interests were threatened. Here party members do not publicly disagree with their own, and then cross the resignation rubicon. In this society that is unthinkable, simply undeliverable; and that is exactly what happened in the rapid aftermath. It was ‘return to sender, except it was not Elvis Presley. No! not this way! This is just not done! Don’t air the duty linen in public. Shame on all, for thinking about this and then doing it. It was hold the troops in line and quell the mutiny. After all, the neighbours will talk, and there are no better gossipers and ‘taak name’ people than Guyanese neighbors.
For the job of settling differences and conciliating and negotiating, there was the vice president who rode to the rescue, not of the councillors’ plight, but to salvage and paste together the sudden crack in the party’s image. That is bad for business, sends the wrong message, and gives other members ideas. Best to nip that in the bud and authoritatively. Be done with this damn nonsense, comrades. It was a case of urgent remedial actions and damage control. It would be very comforting to observe the incredibly energized, on this occasion, vice president display that same single-mindedness of purpose, sturdiness of character and vision (don’t hold breath) in his representations on behalf of all Guyanese in negotiating with Exxon, who has this country has by the tail. It must not be the other way around, which is now settled norm.
Editor, just as how the vice president could pat himself on the back for his heroism on behalf of the party (and himself), he must manifest that same unflinching courage in facing Exxon and forcing it to eat crow and back track. If that is their level of disappointment and frustration with developments powered by the party, then I leave it to the imagination and intellect of other Guyanese to ascertain wisely the degree of discomfort and distaste with what the PPP has been about and where things stand in many places. The big maan should ride to those places and peoples just as quickly, decisively, and smartly.
Sincerely,
GHK Lall
