THE long-standing traditions of Parliament is to operate within the embodiment of the constitution, the arms of the law and justice, the parameters of rules and regulations, the confines of dignity and integrity and the bosom of peace and goodwill. Burnham absconded with that honour when he brokered with lies and deceits with external help to forge an alliance resulting in an unearned entrance to governance in 1964 and then, in 1978, to fraudulently enforce an unacceptable “Referendum” on to Parliament, the nation and the people because of an acclaimed two-thirds  majority approval for constitutional changes.

Burnham purported that there was a 70 per cent voters’ turnout for the Referendum and 97 per cent voted “yes” but in actuality, there was only a 10-14 per cent turnout. Since then, Parliament has been seeded with abomination, thanks to the diabolical mischief planted by the “bête noire” PNC party and its apathetic members.

In 2011, the PPP/C had a minority government and so the APNU and the AFC parties were able to veto them and voted in a speaker and a deputy who were not PPP/C. In 2015, the APNU+AFC party unconstitutionally appointed a speaker of their choice and did not allow the appointment of a deputy speaker, thus denying the PPP/C that “gentleman’s agreement” post.

Still want to talk about atrocity and violation? On how many numerous occasions were not the members of the PPP/C censored, expurgated and silenced in Parliament by PNC-appointed speakers?
The PPP/C government has reached out to the other side of the divide and has made “inclusive governance “a reality by nominating and electing Mr. Lenox Shuman as the new deputy speaker for the House. Mr. Shuman, an Opposition MP, is the leader of the Liberty and Justice Party, he is not part of the PPP/C and in fact, he ran against the PPP/C in the election, contesting for the presidential position.

President Ali just does not talk but puts words into action. Relieving Dr. Vincent Adams of his post as director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not disabling him, but enabling him for further and future consultation as per President Ali, thus, reflecting willingness to work across the board and with non PPP/C party alliance.

Shuman’s appointment as a technical adviser is again inclusive governance and is not a conflict of interest as an opposition party. The narrow mindedness of the APNU+AFC party knows no boundary and their “shortcomings” continue to be reflected daily in words, deeds and actions.

Their comments about Shuman’s appointment should be challenged and analysed by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) as material for racism.

It is the first time in the history of Guyana that a member of the Indigenous family has been anointed with a highest post so far and this was made possible by the PPP/C. In the month of September that is declared “Amerindian Heritage Month,” all Guyanese are proud and happy that Lenox Shuman has been elevated to this honourable position, except of course, the envious and discriminative APNU+AFC and their convoluted members, led by no other than a fork-tongued David Granger. Even their supporters in the street disagree with their comments and would want to disassociate themselves from such slanderous and cheap comments. Is this what they meant by seeing “eye to eye?” Remember the choice words of former AFC member, Asquith Rose when denouncing Cathy Hughes’s propaganda about election-rigging earlier in June as “pathetic, appalling and absurd?” How can you seriously purport to want to build strong relationships with members of all the communities when you deliberately sidelined one member from the very inception by turning your back on him? Isn’t this a sure sign of refusing his entire community and widening the gap, instead of bridging it?

But of course, we all know only too well that the PNC regards “truth” as the enemy and has made the elements of “lies, deceit, dishonesty, corruption, collusion and fraud” a culture that must be practised, propagated and preached by the party. Incorporating all these dangerous and diabolical factors into a wicked witch’s cauldron, manufactures a distasteful medicine that must be consumed by each member in order to sanctify their sincerity and loyalty to such a devious, daring and devilish party. No wonder the truth can no longer be recognised when presented in any form or shape to them. The entire world had an “eyeball-to-eyeball’ view of Mingo’s election-rigging and yet it is only the APNU+AFC party who continues to deny its existence!

The Lowenfield mathematical fiasco continues to be an international abhorrence; yet, it is only the APNU+AFC who concurs and accepts such audacious preposterousness.
Opposition MP Cathy Hughes threw Mingo and Lowenfield under the bus when she openly affirmed that the APNU+AFC party won 217,000 votes during her chastisement for Mr. Lenox Shuman as the deputy speaker of the House. A guilty conscience does speak louder than words and as “ole” people say, “mouth open, story jump out.” There goes the election petition case through the window. Will Granger rap her as he did with the confessions blurted out by Nagamootoo, Harmon and Ramjattan? When you dig a hole for someone else, who first falls in? “Ole” people also say, give a long rope to anyone and soon, that person will hang him or herself! Time is longer than twine! Time will tell.

Respectfully,
Jai Lall