The right to protest - (peacefully?)
Guyana’s small parties: cardboard? Shell?
Deliberately brief comments again today. Although the issues selected are always of some national significance sometimes extreme sensitivity – these days.
Take the concept and practice of public protest. Sometimes personalised, limited, specific. Sometimes spontaneous but most times organised, even “manufactured” with wicked intent.
Of course the standard, usual, dictionary–type definition of organised “protest” would be something like “an organised, well planned public demonstration of disapproval; or a display of objection to some range of acts, course of action, usually implemented by an opposing entity. In human relations naturally, there are bound to be disagreements from time to time. In home, school, workplace, clubs, anywhere, everywhere and when internal mechanisms or usual interpersonal discussion fail, person’s aggrieved look towards arbitrators, senior managers of grievance – or the law courts. Many are the reasons that groups take to the street or specific venues to publicise strongly–held concerns. Often, these concerns are industrial – work- related strikes and/or political – demonstrations for public sympathy for specific or general causes.
These days it’s never too difficult to discover and detect the more hidden, ulterior motives for certain protests held in public view and spaces.
****
The right to protest, oppose, exposure…
Besides workers’ pure and legitimate protests – those demonstrations on the street, in front of workplaces and deemed “industrial action” – many of today’s protests in Guyana are political in nature.
Poor Cheddi Jagan, when he and his People’s Progressive Party (PPP) were shut out for 28 years via top-class electoral engineering at elections, spoke of his party’s right to oppose, expose and depose. Burnham, a political nemesis he Cheddi had helped to create, probably giggled at the “depose” element; confident in his army, police and political apparatus.
Today’s generation here should be aware of how aggrieved losers tend to manipulate public political protests. Members, loyalists, casual supporters are motivated to take to public places aggressively. Catchy slogans are chanted, certain colours paraded, disruptions of traffic and peaceful business organised, sustained. Even violence against opponents and peaceful, indifferent citizens sometimes attend these “peaceful” lawful protests.
And indeed peaceful protests are legal and constitutionally guaranteed to interested Guyanese. See Articles
The glorious vocations of non-political teaching
146 to 148 of our constitution. All the “guarantees” of the freedom of expression, assembly and demonstration etc are there to be violated by those who use protest to block public roads and attack peaceful persons. You are now invited to check out the next protest coming soon near you. Who are the organisers? Against or for what? How will the police react? What are the real objectives of the protest(s)? Who are the surrogate - fronts?
****
Small parties – like peas…
It is political parties I mean. But one can be excused for thinking birthday, celebration or dance parties in our historical, even current context.
How I loved the PNC’s Brigadier-Leader’s description as he chose his parliamentarians last August September (2020). Mr. Granger spoke of “cardboard” parties as he accurately described some artificial, pretentious, fake groupings even amongst his own APNU “partnership”.
Then he promptly let me down earlier this year when he – suspiciously – accepted two brand-new paper “parties – the two latest “cardboard groupings” – the Equal Rights and Justice Party (ERJP) of Sharma and SaraboHalley’s Guyana Nation Builders Movement (GNBM).
Of course in all societies – Europe, Latin America, Asia especially – some political parties do start small. As political infants! But they develop; their leaders and programmes attract members disillusioned with bigger traditional behemoths. Small parties often become political spoilers powerful as brokers and coalition partners to assist in forming governments. (Note Germany right now.)
But frankly speaking, to me most of our smaller parties formed to confront the PPP and PNC were easily compromised or, in the old days, bound to “lose their deposits” at election time.
Until I return to attempt more in depth analysis soon here are the abbreviations/names of just twenty (20) small parties for the youth to examine: NDP•UDP•UF
•GAP•ROAR•Alliance For Guyana• Liberator Party
•WPVP •PDM• Peace, Equality and Prosperity Party• NLF• Guyana United Muslim Party• Justice Party• Guyana Democratic Party• Citizens Party• All Races Party• NIP•PDP•
The WPA, AFC and ANUG were relatively latter-day. Now, can those interested name seven (7) parties which contested the last General Elections (2020)?
***
Don’t taint teaching
Which is the most important job in the whole world? Being a doctor or nurse? An engineer or nuclear scientist? An aircraft pilot or agriculturist? A tailor, garbage collector or chef?
If you can read all this, thank a teacher! Because I was once a school teacher. I argue that teaching - by whatever name a teacher is known - is the most important “job”, vocation, in the world. Everyone had to be taught! Of course, the debate is endless. Doctors and cooks save mankind! Oh yes! But they all had teachers!
As you appreciate the above, I’m truly saddened when I hear/read of our teachers becoming political in activist manner. Sure, teacher as citizens can be voters with personal preferences. I’m praying that our teachers and their representatives stay more professional than partisan in the classrooms. Be sorry and strong for all Guyanese children’s sakes.
***
Ponder awhile…
• 1) How America is made to absorb! Hundreds of thousands of Afghans, Central Americans and Haitians are now knocking. Study why the Haitians should be considered. Find out about America in Haiti.
• ) Last week in New York, the Vice President was indeed like a shadow President.
• 3) I’m no fan of Mr Imran Khan’s AFC/PNC politics. But his plaintive plea from his COVID Hospital Bed last Saturday touched me emotionally. Let’s all do that is consistently appropriate to confront this pandemic. I wish Mr Khan only the very best. [Editor’s note: hours after the latter was submitted Mr Khan succumbed.
Mr Fenty extends condolences and urges all to find out all they need to know about vaccinations].