PRESIDENT CARTER,
A TRUE FRIEND OF GUYANA,
VISITS AGAIN.
By Ralph Ramkarran
It required the renowned stature and nuanced diplomatic skills of President Carter to negotiate the necessary concessions that would guarantee free and fair elections. President Carter’s name will remain forever associated with Guyana’s democracy.
After the 1992 elections
the Carter Centre
assisted in preparing
the National Development Strategy
(http://ndsguyana.org/more.asp 
http://www.sdnp.org.gy/nds/chapter1.pdf
which was launched by
President Jagan on January 6, 1997.
http://caribbean.eclac.org/con...development-strategy
In 2000
when Jagdeo became President he Cancelled
the Jagan/Carter Development Plan
Why Jagdeo scrap
De Jagan/Carter Plan
National Development Stratergy????
Jagdeo wanted to
Kill Transperancy in Govt
and Promote Thiefing.
2004
Having invested a great deal of time and money
to get the NDS prepared and accepted,
and having seen its abandonment after 2000
by a Crook & Thief,
may have contributed to
President Carter’s
negative assessment about Guyana
which he expressed in 2004.
In 2004
President Carter visited Guyana
for the last time at the invitation of President Jagdeo.
He had wide consultations
in an effort to resolve
the political problems confronting Guyana,
as so many have tried to do in the past.
On leaving Guyana, President Carter said:
“Instead of achieving this crucial goal
of inclusive and shared governance,
the Guyanese Government remains divided
with a winner-take-all concept
that continues to polarize
many aspects of the nation’s life…
There are only spasmodic meetings
between political leaders
and publicized agreements
between those rare and brief sessions
have not been fulfilled.”
He recommended substantive governance and
electoral reforms and
the formation of an independent civil society forum
to lead a structured discussion
on a vision of governance for Guyana
to promote reconciliation
in an ethnically divided landscape.
President Carter’s views found no favour
with the government or the PPP and
the Carter Centre thereafter disengaged from Guyana.
In 2010
the late Winston Murray, a PNCR leader and MP,
attempted to rescue the NDS from oblivion
and re-introduce it into the national discourse.
He tabled a motion in the National Assembly
for its revision by a Special Select Committee.
The Jagdeo Government rejected his argument
and amended the motion,
which was passed,
to refer the NDS to the Ministry of Finance for revision.
It was so referred and no one has since heard of it.
Jagdeo Claim
he is following
Cheddi Jagan's Plan....
President Carter & President Jagan
Developed the National Development Stratergy
Why Jagdeo scrap
De Jagan/Carter Plan
National Development Stratergy????
Jagdeo wanted to
Kill Transperancy in Govt
and Promote Thiefing.
2011
President Carter would be aware
of the deteriorating political realities in Guyana
after the 2011 elections.
The loss of the majority by the PPP
and the formation of a minority government,
which has tried to cling to office for three plus years,
have led to gridlock,
lack of progress and frustration.
Instead of forming a coalition government
which would have aided national unity
and result in much progress,
the government has steadfastly resisted
any such approach
and stubbornly held on to the winner-take-all policy,
about which President Carter complained.
2015 May 11th
With this background,
it is not known what President Carter
expects the outcome of his visit to be.
His engagement with Guyana
and the investment in time and money
that the Carter Centre has made,
suggest that his visit could involve a bit more
than mere observing of the elections.
It could well be that
he recognizes its uncertain outcome
and that he wishes to make an input
in restraining any negative reactions to the results,
whatever they are.
President Carter’s presence can also
potentially lead to new political realities,
whichever party wins.
His message of 2004
is still powerfully resonant today.
Hopefully, this true friend of Guyana
may still find a way,
without interfering,
about which he is always careful,
to reinforce that message.
AFC-APNU welcome
President Carter to Guyana