By Felicia Persaud
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Nov. 18, 2011: Come November 28th, voters in Guyana will go to the polls to elect a new government and hopefully take the chance to free themselves of the “Sword of Damocles” that’s installed itself over their heads since 1992.
Like the 19-year Forbes Burnham regime, the current government, the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic led by Bharrat Jagdeo, has become as rabid as Dionysius II, the fourth century BC tyrant of Syracuse, Italy, to whom the Damocles anecdote is attributed.
While Burnham starved the populace, promoted cronyism and racism, forced millions to flee, trampled on the right to free speech and the media, used goons when necessary, made popular the “Guy Line” phenomenon and installed himself as judge, jury and executioner, shutting down anyone who opposed him by any means necessary, Jadgeo and his minnows have shockingly followed along the same line of governance and dictatorship.
The population is not starved by the banning of essential food items but it’s being starved by the Jagdeo VAT system that has added huge taxes onto basic and even locally grown items. Jagdeo and his government have installed themselves as judge, jury and executioner, deciding cases in the legal system with many prisoners finding themselves at the mercy of the President’s pardon.
The media is hardly free and subjected to the verbal abuse of a President who sees nothing wrong with using his power of immunity to sue and slander those who dare criticize him. Sounds familiar?
The new goons are the drug lords and their hired help as well as the President’s own gun-toting ministers and information officers and supporters of the PPP/Civic.
Cronyism has reached a new high as the current government is accused of prostituting its powers by being in bed with drug lords and taking bribes.
And as the countdown to the election begins anew, racial politics continues to be pushed by the PPP/C, afraid of losing their position of power to accumulate more wealth.
But Guyanese voters must use the power of their vote to end this new dictatorship that has been allowed to run rampant for too long. The time is now to choose a national front government that has been bandied about but still remains an illusion.
Guyanese have a chance to make this a reality with the APNU come November 28th. It is unfortunate that the Alliance For Change refuses to see the bigger picture and remains focused on self-empowerment rather than a unity government that can surely send the PPP/C to the bone yard where they belong.
A united front is the magic formula that will melt away the “Sword of Damocles” and begin the process of returning Guyana to a country that can be respected and not one where Guyanese are forced to hang their heads in shame.
The embarrassment would be all too much to bear if the PPP/C and the likes of a Donald Ramotar administration is handed the powers to continue business as usual. Guyanese voters must not let that happen if the future of this nation is to be salvaged. The power is in the vote for change and for a national government that will send the PPP/C and the “Sword of Damocles” packing.
The writer is founder of NewsAmericasNow, CaribPR Wire and Hard Beat Communications.
