Guyana’s governance politics on 46th Freedom Anniversary

Written by Rickey Singh 

Saturday, 26 May 2012 21:31

Source - Guyana Chronicle

ON its 46th Independence Anniversary yesterday, the reassuring messages from both the Head of State of this nation, Donald Ramotar, and the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) revealed an anxiety for dialogue and compromise in the national interest of this multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-religious nation of Guyana.

Such sentiments, however grudgingly and expediently expressed by the parliamentary parties, ought to be welcomed and reciprocated by representatives of the private

President Donald Ramotar

sector, labour movement and civil society organisations.

Talk, and political talk in particular, may be easy. Walking the talk is an entirely different ball game. And, as the saying goes, proof of the pudding rests with the eating.

Therefore, we await to learn how both the PPP/C-led administration of President Ramotar and the PNCR (dominant partner in APNU and currently  in the  process of a leadership change) will move to blend expressed sentiments with specific initiatives in the coming weeks and months.

Next week’s scheduled meeting of the 65-member National Assembly could well prove a significant occasion to assess how to square “good talk” with “good walk”.

It would be the parliamentary sitting at which the government is expected to submit a supplementary budget with provisions of some G$27M in

David Granger

expenditures affected by the combined APNU/AFC budget cuts of G$21B in the national budget as originally presented by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh.

Reaching out for a compromise and participating in good faith in tripartite discussions, instead of seeking to score political points based on narrow and opportunistic agendas, should be a commitment by both government and opposition.

This would require an understanding by the PPP/C administration of President Ramotar and the opposition-- APNU in particular-- to come to terms with the harsh reality that one hand can’t clap, which, in the context of the outcome of the November 28, 2011 verdict by the Guyanese electorate, means the necessity for meaningful dialogue in the NATIONAL

Robert Corbin

interest.

President/PNCR assurances
It is of interest to note here that in separate statements for the country’s 46th Independence anniversary, both President Ramotar and the PNCR reflected this encouraging thinking.

President Ramotar reaffirmed his commitment in his address to the nation for the traditional flag-raising ceremony at the National Park, to “work with all who would move the country forward…”

And in a press statement, the PNCR pledged to “work with all responsible and reliable forces whose aim is to forge a national consensus which can facilitate the resolution of the many

Raphael Trotman

known problems which have bedevilled Guyana and stymied its development…”

Now is not the moment to summon witnesses for those parties and individuals whose partisan, myopic agendas had contributed over the years—including gross abuse of state power and the politics of assassination and mob rule, and poor governance—that has so deeply affected this nation’s social and economic progress.
It has been said that to forget the past could result in a surrender of the future.  It is also true that forgiveness and reconciliation in politics are virtues that can promote transformational change in any nation honestly committed to basic human rights, democratic governance and accountability.

Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh

While, therefore, we must await to see what of significance, if not entirely different, emerges from the stated commitment by the Guyana Head of State and the PNCR, it is relevant to note here, ahead of next week’s sitting of parliament for that crucial supplementary budget, two related post-general election developments:

Some realities
First, that President Ramotar had initiated a creative tripartite process for dialogue with all three parliamentary parties—PPPC, APNU and AFC. Issues that were among those discussed, initially and later, included elections of a Speaker and Deputy Speaker and the

Chief Justice, Ian Chang

2012 national budget.

Well, readers may recall some of the starting posturing and developments to follow. Not only did the APNU/AFC opposition choose  to engage in the unprecedented move to capture both the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, but when the 2012 budget was presented they went on a chopping spree with the glee of children playing with toy guns.

That was after the government had pointed out the difference between consultation on the coming budget as distinct from facilitating the opposition parties apparent desire to be virtually involved in shaping the contours of budgetary expenditures. There is no precedent for this in Guyana or anywhere else.

Subsequently, the APNU component of the parliamentary opposition was to somersault, under pressure from the AFC on an agreement, as announced in the National Assembly, reached between Opposition Leader and APNU’s chairman David Granger, and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds in relation to proposed electricity rates for Linden.

It was not a good moment for Granger, yet it needs to be noted that he has since been demonstrating some encouraging examples of leadership qualities—when not bragging, that is, about opposition “pressures” on the government as if aware of the implications also for a still-on-the-table snap general election for the PNCR which he hopes to  lead at the party’s coming biennial congress.

For his part, President Ramotar would be expected to put more tangible substance to his appealing rhetoric on the quest for structured tripartite dialogues.

One such dialogue that needs to take place without, further delay, should deal with confirmation in their respective constitutional posts of the Chancellor of the Judiciary (Carl Singh) and the Chief Justice (Ian Chang); both have been acting for years due to failures in the required consultative process between former President Bharrat Jagdeo and then Opposition Leader Robert Corbin.

In the meantime, Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman seems to have his work cut out on how to promote understanding among Opposition MPs when to avoid passing motions (with their one-vote majority) in parliament without being able to go any further due to their evident inability to secure required legislation to give substance to such motions.

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 May 2012 23:31