.. in the capital
So here was your Eyewitness all ready for a nice, juicy show-and-tell drama in Parliament, and all that took place was the basic humdrum name-calling and aspersion- casting exercise we call “parliamentary sittings”.
We’re referring, of course, to the People’s National Congress (PNC), now A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) faithful, Volda Lawrence, clearing the mud and innuendoes that’ve been cast on her good name.
You remember? The poor woman took ill during the previous “sitting”. Now if you’ve ever been exposed to the parliamentary rigmarole you’ll appreciate its almost impossible not to get sick there. In fact, most visitors, like your Eyewitness, leave the chamber, sick to their stomachs for what passes for “debate”. They make your average fourth form debate team look like the Oxford Union in full flow.
After Volda took sick, she evidently became disoriented and couldn’t signal her votes properly. As a result, she didn’t toe the line along with the rest of her colleagues on a number of votes. Like the Specialty Hospital, on which APNU is doing some collegial back-scratching for the Alliance For Change (AFC).
Most PNC and APNU people would like to have the Specialty Hospital. They remember well when Comrade Robert Corbin had to be medivacked out of Guyana some time ago with a heart condition. They’re all getting on in years, and know that the bell may roll for them anytime.
But Khemraj Ramjattan’s client had lost out on the bid to build the hospital and you know you don’t become a “client” until money has changed hands. In some cases, we’re talking suitcases of money. So it’s not surprising that APNU’s horse-trading and back-scratching mightn’t have gone down well with all the old heads… who remember the PNC is supposed to talk development also.
But David Granger, ever determined to maintain discipline, insisted that Volda be “investigated”. He was in so many words saying Volda had been bought. Not by the AFC – they’d already bought APNU’s support as explained – but by the PPP/ C. Your Eyewitness had wondered how the heck Granger’s “investigation” would proceed.
The doctor in the house – a PNC one at that – had already affirmed that Volda’d been sick.
Were they going to pull her (manicured) nails out? Administer a truth serum, like in the Jason Bourne saga? Anyhow, Granger backed down and the official line was to ask the clerk to clarify why one of Volda’s silences had been interpreted as “yes”. On her hospital vote, all, including Granger, were silent.
… in natural resources
In the wake of the public hounding he’s been subjected to by the opposition and its media handmaidens – Stabber and Muckraker mainly – on the survey permit extended to Muri Brazil, Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud has come out swinging. Literally.
He threw out an open challenge to “any group, be it the media, environmental group or be it any political party… to enter into a public debate and let them set it up any place, any time with any one, on all the issues raised…” Now if there are any takers, with all the red herrings dragged into the issue, that’s going to be a long debate. There are the environmental claims.
Seems that in addition to former President Bharrat Jagdeo offering to have a fixed, minimal programme of deforestation – which is monitored by satellites – and the granting of Iwokrama, the largest forest reserve in the world by former President Desmond Hoyte, there are folks out there who believe we must leave the entire New River Triangle untouched! Then there’s the “security” concern… the imperative not to get big, bad Suriname riled up and of course, the elephant in the forest – claims that the minister lied to the parliamentary committee.
… by public servants
Public servants are the only ones who’ve demonstrated any appreciation for the Christmas spirit. For the protest march called by their union, less than 100 showed up, including officials. The others were busy making their black cakes and ginger beer.