…paymaster

So here we have it: will this salary rape never end? It’s obviously serial rape – rape of the public servants who’re on their knees with their 5%; rape of the senior citizens into whom they put in a thumb ($4000) and pulled out a plum ($5000 in electricity and water bills). And today, the rape of all the norms of Parliamentary checks and balances.

The growth of democracy has been all about the struggle of the people to prevent the government from raping them. Parliament was invented to prevent the King from doing the dirty and subsequently, the rule for the opposition to be heard, was to prevent the party winning elections from doing the same.

But look at what passes for democracy in Guyana today. We had a Cabinet vote itself a 50% pay raise. Now you’d think this should’ve been suggested by some independent body, no? Well, that’s how it’s done in Blighty and Stateside. But not in dear old Guyana. Cabinet knows best – especially when it has to do with filling their own pockets!

But hold it!! There’s Parliament, right? Charges to the Consolidated Funds have to be approved by the National Assembly… so here’s the “check and balance”. Well the Opposition thinks so, but according to the Cabinet – now backed by the Speaker – the Assembly’s just a rubber stamp. Its rules, if the Clerk’s to be believed, is if the Minister gives the “order” to raise salaries and it’s “gazetted” – then boat already “gone a watah!”

Yes… the Motion to raise the salaries will be debated – but what’s the point? – MP’s would already have been paid. Just because the Government have the votes the Opposition doesn’t have to be heard? And if the term “meaningful consultation” has been determined to mean just that – “meaningful” – shouldn’t the opinions of the Opposition be given some “meaning”?

But treating the Parliamentary regulations like “an ass” doesn’t stop there: the Opposition can’t even introduce a motion to object to the obscene increases. They have to wait – says the Clerk, because that’s what the rules say – until the Government “lays their motion to increase salaries”. Which raises, we must remember, have already been spent by the Ministers!

Now this is the reason why citizens through the ages have stormed the barricades (around Parliament?) to teach the Governors what democracy’s all about.

Let’s cut through all the crap – and that’s what these rules have to be if they allow this rape. Nobody can just up and decide to use taxpayers’ money to fill their pockets and not have it first vetted!

…and astrologer

The present Government – in the person of Minister of National Security – has interjected itself into the arcane field of Hindu astronomy and astrology, to “settle” the dispute between two Hindu bodies as to when Diwali should be celebrated. Now even though your Eyewitness might be mixing up metaphors here, this is a subject where even angels may fear to tread!

But as far as yours truly understands it, the Minister of National Security (and exactly how does this fall under “Security”?) can only declare when the Public Holiday – which is decreed by the state – is being granted so that folks can legally take the day off. As to which day the Deity’s to be actually worshipped, isn’t that a bit beyond the pay grade of a National Security Minister? (Augmented, as that pay grade might have recently been!)

But hold it!! Isn’t that “which NIGHT the Deity’s to be worshipped”? If it’s on the “darkest night” why does the Minister have to declare a “holi-DAY”.

Shouldn’t that be a “holi-NIGHT”?

…communications engineer

According to Nagamootoo, (who’s in charge of “state media” but had NOTHING to do with publishing Molly Hassan’s salary details) the “uplinking equipment” for NCN was “left to idle and rot”.

They’re making telecommunications equipment “biodegradable” nowadays?