…PNC’s bets
The PNC received a powerful punch to their solar plexus with the judgements of Chief Justice Roxane George on the three cases filed with the High Court on the NCM. But it wasn’t a sucker punch as some of their partisans are squealing!! It’s just they expected the CJ would suspend her professionalism – earned over decades, first in the DPP office and then on the bench – because of “kith and kin” calls!! But the good Judge is obviously possessed of the requisite qualities for a “fit and proper” Judge – ironically articulated by no other than President Granger – “impartiality, integrity and intelligence”!!
And she impartially skittled all the arguments thrown up by the PNC lawyers with such intelligence that most Guyanese were blown away by her bravura performance that emphasised integrity and fidelity to the rule of law!! The bottom line was clearly stated without any ambiguity: the Cabinet should’ve resigned immediately on December 21, 2018, at the successful passage of the NCM and elections scheduled three months later, hence – March 19, 2019!!
AG Basil Williams, however, immediately signalled that the Government would appeal in an obvious bid to delay the inevitable, since only 43 days remained out of the three-month stipulation for holding elections. He ignored the point that the CJ didn’t rely on any arcane and abstruse legal hermeneutics of legal maxims to reach her decisions – but merely looked at the evidence presented and made the obvious conclusions. Half bodies!! Really??!! What’s to appeal?
But it would appear that the rest of the Government partners – especially the PNC – have learnt their lesson on listening to Basil Williams’ advice!! The man has the worst record in the history of Guyanese Attorney Generals – going all the way back to the first one, the late great Sir Fenton Ramsahoye!! His support of the “dual citizenship” case against Charrandas Persaud has backfired, since some of the biggest names from his “side” wouldn’t be eligible for nominations as candidates for the National Assembly!
So suddenly, preparations for elections abound from their camp. A “Campaign Committee” was launched with PNC Leader, President Granger and all his APNU baby parties in attendance. Suddenly, the Ministers are leaving their snug, refurbished and air-conditioned offices in Georgetown in “fan out” exercises across the country!! Even Moses Nagamootoo was persuaded to visit rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast, to sell his snake oil!! At least he was wise enough not to venture into Berbice where his snake oil promises on sugar resulted in 7000 workers being fired!!
But it doesn’t appear the message has reached the PNC machinery in GECOM.
The chair and CEO are still passing the buck to each other to delay the CJ’s timelines!!
…on AFC and Nagamootoo
AFC leader Raphael Trotman has come out in support of Moses Nagamootoo being the Prime Ministerial Candidate with Granger as the Presidential one on behalf of the coalition at the upcoming polls. Can you believe this arrogance?? Or is it self-interest and spite to deny Khemraj Ramjattan his shot at the PM slot?? Remember back in 2011 when Trotman refused to go along with the “rotating” presidential nod from the AFC that would have pushed Ramjattan??
Nagamootoo’s entry into the AFC settled that pouting by Trotman – but he refused to campaign, claiming some mysterious “serious” illness. Which was miraculously cured when the PNC selected him ahead of Nagamootoo to be the Speaker of the House. Power has been called a powerful “aphrodisiac”, so maybe this was Trotman’s “illness”?
Anyhow, isn’t all this talk about the AFC nominating the PM candidate just spinning wheels? Why would the PNC want to place a discredited, old, blowhard to pick up those crossover votes they need in the Indo community?
Your Eyewitness thinks they’ll go with a younger version!! Ramjattan?
…on courts
We shouldn’t think Basil Williams is the only one from the Govt benches advocating continued tilting at appellate windmills.
Ronald Bulkan has joined him, like Sancho Panza on his donkey Rucio!!