ON May 11, 2015, when citizens went to the polls, were attention paid to their voices over the years, it would have been recognised that their ballot was a loud expression that they wanted a change, not merely in persons or group, but the manner in which governance is conducted.
The APNU+AFC won the people’s confidence to fulfil this expectation. This government came to office, riding on tremendous goodwill, given the PPP/C’s pillage of the economy and contempt for citizens. Society had become more divisive, and fear stalked the land.
Many felt it was safer to be silent or agree with the status quo to avoid risking the inevitable wrath that dissent or alternative view brought. This was a period of rampant corruption, death and Phantom Squads; a Minister of Home Affairs was fingered, and quoted as saying if he had to do it all over again, he would. Hundreds of dead bodies were dumped around the country, and the Coroner’s Act was not activated.
Georgetown, once proudly known as the Garden City, became the Garbage City. The City Council became pawn in an ugly political game that saw Central Government withholding its financial obligations. Then Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall boldly announced that he would be glad if the city were to suffer a health crisis. There was no regard for the structures or management of government.
Regional and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils not controlled by the PPP/C saw discrimination in budgetary allocation, and moves to undermine and break up the councils, or impose an Interim Management Committee.
Freedom of speech, including dissent and protest, and respect for the role of an independent media, were assaulted. Those who challenged or reported what was happening were targeted. For instance, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and its attendant arms suffered the withdrawal of its subventions; Stabroek News was deprived of State advertisements, and government officials used their influence to call on non-State actors to do likewise. Libel suits and incarcerations were part of the programme to silence the voices.
Agreements were made and never implemented, among them the 1999 Armstrong Tribunal Award; the 2001 Desmond Hoyte-Bharrat Jagdeo Agreement; the March 8, 2000 Agreement with the GTUC; and the August 21, 2012 Agreement with Region 10. Though the Guyana Constitution (Article 13) mandates that the nation’s political objective be one of “inclusionary democracy”, such was observed in the breach, as evidenced by the complaints of the political opposition, trade unions, and other stakeholders.
Rights and the Rule of Law were assailed. The trade union movement was at its lowest ever, having suffered a politically-engineered split in 1999; collective bargaining and the right to freedom of association challenged. The nation’s development programme was directed by the policies of the international financial institutions; the formal economy was compromised by corruption, the overwhelming presence of an underground economy, and cosy relationship between the government and underworld operators. International pressure was brought to bear on the government to put systems in place to rid the economy of corruption and illegal money.
Recalling the aforementioned scenarios is important in making an assessment of what citizens voted against; the challenges which confronted the ‘Coalition Government’, and how it has performed to date.
The instituting of forensic audits early in the administration sent a message that good governance would be its guiding principle, though this would only become meaningful when their recommendations are implemented, and persons, past and present, are held to account. The establishment of the long- awaited constitutional Public Procurement Commission is a plus, but where other constitutionally-required bodies are not established, it takes away.
Having campaigned on inclusionary democracy, where lip service continues to be given, it brings into question respect for citizens’ rights and the rule of law. Government shoulders greater responsibility to bring stakeholders to the table, political and non-political. Calls by the trade unions and private sector to have meaningful engagement consistent with their roles cannot be ignored.
Extrajudicial murders have vanished, which would go a far way in building relationship between the police and communities. Continuing the PPP/C’s hard-line position of alienating those who express alternative or dissenting views would not be reflective of what the people voted against. Government has to be mindful of the growing concern that it is discourteous, though some ministers take exception to this perception. There are many instances where correspondence and other forms of communication have reached them and are not being treated with deserving respect. Ours is a representative system of government, and elected officials are servants, not masters, of the people.
Credit is also in order for the return of Local Government Elections, environmental improvements (e.g. drainage and garbage collection), professionalising the Disciplined Forces, improved crime-fighting, passage of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill, expanding community broadcasting, professionalising of the Foreign Service, and rekindling patriotism. These are major improvements in governance, and stand to have Guyana seen as a credible and formidable member of the international community.
Source: https://issuu.com/guyanachroniclee-paper/docs/guyana_chronicle_epaper_16_05_2020