Corbin loosing further grip of PNC

Guyana's Opposition and PNCR leader, Mr. Robert Corbin, today directed his "PNCR North America" group to attack me personally for CGID's statement of fact that he has been "ineffective as opposition leader, and seems to lack a vision for the country." They did not address the substance of our contention but, instead, sought to reduce a discussion on verifiable determinations to an exercise in personal vilification.

It is not my desire to descend with them into the cesspool of gutter politics to hurl filth, as it is beneath my dignity. People who are bankrupt and cannot compete in the arena of ideas and lack vision, do so best. I must note however, that I have never seen as much as a letter to the press, from this so-called "PNCR of North America" group, condemning the PPP government's racism and constitutional violations. I am therefore happy that they have fired up their engines to attack me. I hope that they can overcome their smarting and personal vendetta, and direct their misplaced fire and nascent enthusiasm to the condemnation of the myriad injustices that plague our beloved homeland.

I am amused that Mr. Corbin could mobilize his few supporters in North America to attack me but cannot mobilize ten people for a street march in Guyana. I am even further amused that he could not muster the courage to attack and mobilize against Head of the Presidential Secretariat in Guyana, Dr. Roger Luncheon, who recently referred to him as a fool. He remained as quiet as a church mouse then but has now galvanized his obsequious minions to attack me. That not withstanding, his machiavellian politics cannot intimidate me.

Their response is bereft of substance and is symptomatic of a hollow leadership. It's school-boyish, infantile platitudes are infradig. They claim that "Rickford Burke was eager to ingratiate himself to President Jagdeo during last year's (2007) Folk Festival in Brooklyn." Even if this were true, what has is to do with the price of cheese in Scotland or Mr. Corbin being an incompetent leader? It is a desperate and pitiful stringing together of a clumsy lie, by an idle mind, to spawn a mendacious cocktail of vitriol. But it is cowardly and laughable.

Their statement also foolishly claimed that I asked for a photo opportunity with Jagdeo at the Folk Festival; another blatant lie. I was at the event with a New York State Supreme Court Judge, a State Senator and an Assemblyman and was introducing them to the event organizers when Jagdeo came by and photographers asked for a group photo. In any event, even if I had asked for a photo of the President, what is its relevance to a discussion about Corbin's competence as opposition leader? This is an amateurish diversion.

Corbin's so-called North America group also suggested that I emigrated from Guyana while he (Corbin) remained. How imbecilic can they be? This contention would have been slightly credible and less ridiculous and hypocritical, had Corbin not asked his supporters, who have themselves emigrated from Guyana, to make this charge. Furthermore, their attack on me for emigrating is an insult to all Guyanese immigrants in New York. If this is how Mr. Corbin truly feels about us, then why come to us for financial donations?

Mr. Corbin group also asked? "If, indeed, Mr. Burke is interested in the removal of the Jagdeo regime, as he so robustly proclaims, perhaps he should explain why he was so eager to ingratiate himself to President Jagdeo?" I don't know what this question is expected to achieve as I have never "ingratiated" myself to Jagdeo or attempted to (or intend to attempt) to remove his regime. Mr. Corbin and his supporters seem confused. CGID is not the political opposition and is certainly not in the business of "removing regimes." If Mr. Corbin intends to continue to hope that others will do his job for him, then he should look elsewhere. The removal of the "Jagdeo regime" might be his agenda but it is certainly not an expressed objective of ours. I hope that his so-called North America group can actually contribute his agenda. They need not worry about ours.

As we have said before, we all criticize the PPP government for its ineptitude but the truth is that Corbin and the rest of the leadership of the political opposition are in lockstep with this paralysis of incompetence that permeates Guyana's governance and political culture.

I have also argued that "Mr. Corbin appears to be nonplussed, like a deaf man amidst a sonic boom, as the state collapses; unmoved by events and circumstances. Citizens are murdered everyday and the Police conducts no investigations. The Chief Magistrate has been removed from office for no legitimate reason, the government commits crimes against humanity; including torture and extra-judicial killing, people are executed by death squads with alarming frequency, there is massive corruption in government, including law enforcement and the judiciary, and the country is overrun by drug-lords, with full complicity of the government. Amidst all of this, all Mr. Corbin's does is "talk" at a press conferences. Is this all he can do?

I hold firm to the above views and make no apologies. I will however "talk half and lef half." (Did Adam Harris help write this)