…for “we own”
Half of the PNC supporters live in Georgetown and its environs. And with politics in Guyana dominated by the doling out of patronage, the cash spigot of the City has always been seen as crucial to the party’s fortunes. But the handouts have never been so blatantly disbursed. Take that G$57 million that the PNC-at-the Centre gave to the PNC-at-City Hall to hand out as it pleases to its councillors to fund “projects” in their wards. The PPP’s complained this is nothing more than campaign funding for the upcoming Local Government elections. And, OF COURSE, it is…but so what?
How’s it different from the G$500 million the PNC-at-the-Centre doled out two years in a row to “spruce up” the City? Does anyone think the good burghers of our fair capital are in the least concerned that more than G$1billion was squandered to build that wood-ants Jubilee Stadium?? Workers from their ranks got a piece of the action!
Does anyone think those same burghers give a hoot about the daily revelations – via letters to the press – about the overseas junkets by City officials? Or their hiring of relatives to do jobs that are never done, but the payments are pocketed? Or of friends and relative getting to break all sorts of rules on vending etc?? Or the Auditor General’s revelations?
It’s “a-wee own”, dear readers. G/town’s a cash cow for the PNC folks, and the cow’s maintained by the party through YOUR taxes. That’s what the annual bailouts mean. But they don’t exhaust the gift that keeps on giving.
In addition to “bread,” there must also be “circuses” for the faithful…and those don’t come cheap. Take the Carnival that was just introduced – putatively by “private bodies”. Are you aware of the cost for just the Police protection provided for the wine-down? It took the Cricket folks months to negotiate players’ protection – but wasn’t even mentioned for the Carnival insiders!! It’s “a-wee own”!! And let’s not even mention the clean-up costs!!
But while you may not realise it, dear readers, the funding for the faithful in the City goes even beyond the legal channels. Take, for instance, the Stabroek Market Square, that’s been in the news recently for being a den of iniquity and all that. But it’s ALWAYS been so, hasn’t it?? “Marks” – especially from the countryside – have always been fleeced there. Even though the largest Police Station in the country is a block away, there’s a Police Outpost, and the City has hundreds of Constabulary in its employ!!
It’s just another way to ensure that loyalty to the PNC from its underclass is rewarded.
Who knows when they’ll be needed for another riot??
…for global leadership
For a while, BRICS was riding high. You remember them, don’t you, dear reader? Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa? They were the “emerging economies” that were going to step up to the crease of global leadership after the US and Europe stumbled into their financial meltdown in 2008. After all, they were literally the locomotive for global economic growth with their stellar GDP growth rates – and as the pundits said money talks and bullshit walks!!
Well, after a decade, it appears money doesn’t talk as loudly as everyone thought!! While the other members of BRICS might’ve slowed down, China and India are still leading in global growth rates, with the latter now taking the lead; but “global leadership”? Naah! Part of the problem is it wasn’t always “money” that delivered leadership. It was money BACKED by force…and if the money wasn’t there, force could move mountains!! Like Chairman Mao said, “Power comes out of the barrel of a gun!!”
The question is whether BRICS can project their guns globally!
…AFC’s survival
Granger and his PNC haven’t even deigned to speak to the “dead meat” AFC about whether they’ll prop up the latter at the upcoming LGE.
There isn’t even a word for “to raise from the dead”!! It’ll take The Second Coming!!