Promoting Negative Consequences Frankly Speaking........... by A.A. Fenty Stabroek News April 9, 1999 Or Perpetrating National Crises. Fans and foes and critics will, by now, appreciate my penchant for playing with words - and abbreviations. So it's obvious what I came up with this week. More "PNC". To the chagrin of many. There goes another forty former friends (?). It is because I feel that this is a good time, an appropriate period, to review where PNC politics - at times justified - have taken us. First, we had elections in December, 1997. Beginning with the over-delayed announcement of results for Region Number Four, many controversies were created to doubt and reject the entire conduct and culmination of the poll. Our sad history of contemporary politics records the consequences of PNC rejection. Street demonstrations and cover for criminal thuggery. Something called the Herdmanston Accord which, to my mind and to many people's dis-belief, conspired to squeeze all types of concessions from the PPP/Civic. But the PPP/C signed it and agreed to shorten the normal five-year term and have early elections after Constitutional Reform. Where else, except in authoritarian, dictatorship-type societies, does that happen? I say, for the umpteenth time, great political points, PNC! But wait, the Herdmanston Accord agreed to the PNC's demand for a Forensic Audit of the results - another first in a country in which the PNC perfected and could have exported the art, skills and science of electoral rigging. Early in June, of course, the same PNC rejected the findings of the Audit team headed by persons they agreed to - including poor Justice Ulric Cross. All the while, the pot was kept boiling through protests and demonstrations. Stability was undermined, political uncertainty and societal insecurity and fear ruled our national roost. From the police force to the high court, national institutions were assaulted. False cries of something called "re-con-cilia-ation" filled the putrid air as too many of the silent majority held their tongues. Around July 1998, effective PNC manoeuvrings caused Caricom Leaders to invite the PNC leader to little St Lucia to sign another fashioned Agreement. This time, someone designated a Facilitator was foisted upon the nation. Of course, our "leaders" both signed. But you and I know who benefited. Poor facilitator. Deep down, even he must have felt unnecessary. No Irish Good Friday or Bosnian Brokerage here. Dialogue my no teeth! Where are we? You judge. From Elections to protests, to beatings, to Herdmanston, to Audit, to St Lucia Agreement, to Facilitator and Dialogue. Tell me my people, is this fair? I didn't mention the Elections Petition in court because of the nature of the proceedings. However, shouldn't someone be explaining that, whatever the court finds, new elections are due only after new constitutional arrangements? Where are there elections without flaws and discrepancies? I am told that our salvation lies in another something called - through a new constitution - "power sharing". Want to bet? Some people - especially opposition politicians anywhere - don't want to share power. They simply want power. Period. I submit that we are where we are because of the Promotion of Negative Circumstances (PNC) and the Perpetuation of National Crises (PNC). You don't agree? I'll defend your right not to. Response to a "PPP" - and an elder I received sufficient feedback - by various means - to assure me of the more than reasonable popularity, and effect of this consistent column. You don't have to agree with a thing written here. You need to read on. I have never claimed learned scholarship or academic achievement. I leave lofty analysis to those "trained" in the "sciences" Now the offering of Friday March 19 last titled "On Deflection and Deception" - provoked interesting reaction. To my mild surprise. At a Umana Yana reception, four-five PPP/Civic types told me it made them consider the shortcomings of their government's and party's public relations efforts. Others "liked" what I wrote. Not so elder Eusi Kwayana and Mr Tony VCT Vieira! So today I feel it necessary to respond. First "Tony Vieira, publisher, The Evening News". This gentleman whom I never met or spoke with, was extremely caustic, insulting and inaccurate in his criticism of my point of view. I wrote: "Media mischief is shrouded by pre-emptive attacks on any planned legislation to regulate cowboy broadcasting or incendiary journalism." This so annoyed Mr Vieira that he mentioned my PNC past - something I do most weeks - replete with inaccuracies about rigging. I state this, Sir. I pay tribute to your role in assisting the development of television here. Yes, I was with the Ministry of Information. I know that while the government dithered, TV entered Guyana through the backdoor. Ask young Enrico. You were a pioneer in Back Track TV. A real PPP! (Principal Pioneering Pirate). Everything from satellites. Nothing local. I admired how you protected your investment wisely and sensibly. By Scrambling and Publishing defaulters' names! Then came the underground Guyanese technicians who broke the Black Box codes! But your pioneering efforts can never be erased from local broadcasting history. And even I love your bitterness - though you yourself are not poor or uncomfortable - expressed in your letter to Stabroek of this Tuesday. Ignoring my right to change my party or mind, you call me "political chameleon". Incorrectly you connected me with PNC rigging and wrongly stated that "Fenty fell out of grace with the PNC in 1992". I'll let all of that pass - for now. For I know how aggrieved you must be, because you're not really political (?) With only two top PNC communicators attached to your VCT outfit, you can't have a political agenda. With Cabinet recently facilitating someone close to you - no discrimination - and with wonderful concessional advertising for your soap opera from you-know-who, I can't really see you as "political". As a good Roman Catholic who attended Trinidad's Mount St Benedict and UG; who served Bookers and Guysuco, I'll never accept that those professional qualifications - a top Agronomist - will allow you to be bitterly hostile all the time. Your time will come - not that your contribution shouldn't be accommodated now - it will come when Mr Hoyte "wins". So if you - all by yourself - actually wrote those irrelevancies, addressing your angry self to me, I find it easily possible to forgive and forget. After all, I'm a prime advocate of the pro-PNC Evening News - And New Elections. Whenever. Elder Eusi... Now I've arrived here, I have to leave the gist of my response to the respected Elder 'til next week. Brother Kwayana had responded to what he disliked by way of personal correspondence to me. I should respond in a similar manner - in defence to common courtesy. But I must take up your permission to be somewhat public - next week. Promise. Until... 1) So tell me Stanley Singh. Are we on our way to the compilation of an up-to-date registration and voters' list? Why can't this be done. Please report. Don't allow them to have you wait 'til they are ready. Again you'll be blamed! Report Stanley! 2) Would Professor Clive Thomas ever dare to become a Minister of Finance? Like Justice/Chancellor Massiah became a Minister and Attorney General? 3) Minister Jagdeo, why can't you be really novel and innovative with conditions for government workers? Why can't you attend to teachers, nurses and policemen separately? 4) Interesting letter about Judges not working full hours in the Sunday Stabroek, April 4 last. Question is - who dares to "trouble" any of the few judges around? 5) West Indian Cricket fan on Wednesday afternoon: "Leh them keep de Trophy. We win de Kyar!" `till next week!!