TODAY, the largest political party will officially launch its bid for a second term in office. The People’s Progressive Party will put on a high-energy and electrifying launch that Guyanese have never seen before. This launch will place its policies, plans and people at the forefront of the campaign this year.
PPP/C leaders will be having a serious discourse with their supporters about the political climate, and their vision for leading the country. Bold, courageous and talented speakers will mount the stage in Kitty, Georgetown, to speak on their experiences with the PPP/C, and urge the electorate to vote solidly for the party.
From all indications, youth and diversity will be a main theme of the launch, as it will send a strong message to the opposing parties that the PPP/C is the only multi-ethnic party there is in Guyana. The public awaits the political giants who will be delivering featured remarks at the launch. They also await the verbal beating that will be delivered to the opposition camp, responding to all unjustified criticisms of the party.
The assembly there will disperse early, orderly, and quietly to prepare for the next day, which is Nomination Day. This brings us to the focus of the remainder of this column.
Recently, General Secretary of the PPP, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo criticised the We Invest in Nationhood (WIIN) party and its leader, Azruddin Mohamed, for playing the victim and trying to influence public support by way of sympathy and money. He criticised WIIN for shielding Mohamed from answering the difficult and unpopular questions which he anticipates the media will ask at a press conference or party launch. He believes that Mohamed is hiding from the scrutiny of the public, only moving through the cracks in the country.
He then said Nomination Day will expose the WIIN party and all of its backers to the public. He has taken note of the murky and hostile attitudes of some of WIIN’s supporters towards the PPP and its supporters who resist and refuse acknowledgement because they are cognisant of the threats to their safety and security if they associate with the Mohameds.
Dr. Jagdeo masterfully articulated his belief that a vote for Mohamed is a vote for the PNC’s Aubrey Norton and the AFC’s Nigel Hughes, as they are one and the same, even though they are apart.
Firstly, Dr. Jagdeo has hit the nail on the head. Mohamed is part of the opposition’s plan to covertly weaken the PPP/C’s chance of getting into office on September 1. The AFC has been having secret meetings with the Mohameds to iron out his involvement in the grand plan. And, while there is no record publicly available that the Mohameds and Norton have met, emissaries say that they are in contact through other people in Norton’s circle.
The opposition camp is trying to get into office through the back door, quietly and easily, through Mohamed. While the PNC is cautious about the threat of the Mohameds, it is still not speaking against them and their many transgressions; transgressions the party has boldly spoken out against in the past.
Mohamed is not only a US-sanctioned businessman facing multiple charges for tax evasion, but he has also shown himself to be bitter and vengeful towards the PPP/C after its leaders refused to shield him from US authorities. As a result, he’s aligned himself with the AFC and PNCR in an attempt to block the PPP/C from returning to office.
So, the plan is to stay campaigning largely in the hinterland and Amerindian villages of Guyana. Mohamed is trying hard to sway the Amerindian people’s vote with money and sports gifts. He will fail to make a dent in the PPP/C’s strength in the hinterland, riverine and remote Amerindian communities because he does not comprehend the politics and mood of the people. They will take his money, promises and gifts, and still vote for the PPP/C.
That was the AFC’s main reason for frustrating the PNC’s coalition talks. The PNC knew from Day One something was “not right in the buttermilk”, but it still played along until it was clear.
Secondly, the plot has the PNC/APNU and AFC playing politics and campaigning in the urban regions. This is not to say that they are not campaigning in all areas, but they will have a difficult time getting any new supporters and voters. This is because the youth, women, and men are disillusioned, and not impressed with Norton or Hughes, compared with the bright, sharp and electrifying personality of Dr. Irfaan Ali, who has managed to attract many new faces, voters, and people from their camp.
So, the APNU and AFC are going to end up splitting the votes that the opposition commanded, as opposed to attracting new people. Nomination Day will be a test to see if they can bring a large gathering to rally behind their individual bid for office.
But already, they are splitting the vote. The Move Guyana Forward Party and the Assembly of the People are just wasting their time; they will not have any support, and will matter less at the polls. As for Nomination Day, the other small parties will fizzle away, as many of them will fail to reach and pass the benchmark.
Thirdly, the political plot will see a possible rush to form alliances and a coalition of convenience to meet GECOM’s deadlines after tomorrow’s proceedings. Whether this happens or not, the PPP/C has to guard the rails and maintain its battle lines, because the desperation of the opposition knows no boundaries. They will cheat and rig the elections in plain sight, arm wrestling their way into office.
The party must remain vigilant and avoid complacency, especially in monitoring any troubling patterns in the opposition’s behaviour. All information, particularly if leaked from Congress Place, should be treated as valuable. The threat posed by Mohamed must not be underestimated; he appears willing to collaborate with APNU and the AFC, even to the extent of electoral manipulation, if it means unseating the PPP/C.
As such, the party must strengthen its public-relations machinery, and swiftly counter misinformation and lies. This is essential to increasing the party’s chances of continuing its dominance of politics and government.
Finally, in the plot of the opposition, Mohamed is the cheap political prostitute. He will go to anyone who will have him and be associated. He is desperate and dangerous. The AFC and PNCR are using a willing participation to get back at the PPP.DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.