No happiness living in a divided, backward and corrupt country
…lets fight against PPP, not ourselves- Granger tells congress
By Abena Rockcliffe The oxymoron ‘bitter sweet’ is what characterized the atmosphere yesterday at Congress place as hundreds gathered for the opening ceremony of the 18th Biennial Delegates’ Congress of the People’s National Congress Reform.
PNCR leaders hold up their candles during the congress to give Guyana light to find its way back
Even though most of the attendees took up seating inside, small pockets of people gathered at different points in the compound conversing on issues relating to the event. But nevertheless, the show went on. The event is being held under the theme “PNCR For National Unity, Good Governance and Development.” Aubrey Norton, who is running for party leadership, spent most of his time outside while Sharma Solomon sat inside with the Linden delegation. Incumbent leader, David Granger delivered his speech in his capacity as is traditional at the event. The politician centered his address on the dream of Guyana being “one nation” as the motto suggests. Granger explained that the dream of National Unity is not a new one. He said that PNC entered government as part of a coalition administration in December 1964 and started the transformation of colonial Guyana into modern statehood. Granger reminded that the PNC led Guyana to Independence 18 months later, on 26th May 1966, under the national motto – One People, One Nation, One Destiny. He said that his party remains committed to making the motto a reality, but noted that “We cannot become One Nation if we are divided.” Granger said that the idea of having one nation was the vision of founder leader Forbes Burnham. He said that Burnham started talks with the People’s Progressive Party – PPP – in 1976 and resumed talks in 1984 to establish a government of national unity. The politician added that it was the party’s second leader Desmond Hoyte who invited members of civil society into the party and succeeded in changing its name to PNC/ Reform. “His aim was to promote national unity through shared governance,” Granger added. According to Granger, that vision was shared by the party’s third leader Robert Corbin who forged the PNC/R-One Guyana alliance. “It is with that vision that, today, as the fourth leader of our party, I am proud to continue the PNCR’s tradition of leadership in advancing the One Nation project and in reaffirming A Partnership for National Unity’s commitment to that objective,” said Granger. He told the gathering that his mission is to lead the PNCR and APNU into the next elections and establish a government of national unity. Granger said that the results of the 28th November 2011 General and Regional elections should have made it clear that the majority of Guyanese want an ‘inclusionary democracy’ in order to promote national unity. He noted that Guyanese, increasingly, are calling on the PPP to abandon its “winner-takes-all” attitude to governance and work with the majority to build ‘One Nation.’ He added that the current ‘dispensation’ in the National Assembly requires consultation and cooperation between the Legislative and Executive branches of government instead of the current “convention of confrontation favoured by the PPP.” The party leader pointed out that the PNC/R is an integral part of APNU and said that “We will together continue to fulfill our obligation to the nation both through the legislative process in the National Assembly and in the country at large.” He said the party and the coalition will continue to work with the major sections of society – including other political parties; trade unions; private sector and civil society – to realize a common quest for consensus on a broad national programme to move the country forward. Among many other things, Granger said that the PNCR will continue the struggle to ensure that Municipal and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils which have been damaged or dismantled by the PPP are restored. He said that the Party will continue to battle against poverty, to establish working people’s economic independence and to improve their livelihood. As he pointed out all that is wrong with the country, Granger said that Guyana is definitely in a crisis. He said that the PPPC’s dismal 21-year record has ensured that Guyana remains an unequal and poor society in which a few people enjoy an extremely high income while most endure an extremely small income. He said that four out of ten Guyanese are classified as poor of which three are considered to be extremely poor. Granger said that Guyana is most definitely a corrupt country. He cited the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index 2013, which ranked Guyana 136th out of 177 countries – 121 places behind Barbados. Granger said that growth is hampered by extensive corruption and lack of economic and employment opportunities. Granger then moved to address the notion that Guyana is an “unequal society.” He said that the PPPC’s attitudes and policies are harming social cohesion, undermining the sense of solidarity, impoverishing a large section of the population, alienating the hinterland regions and gradually creating ‘two nations’ instead of cementing One Nation. Addressing what he dubbed the “government crisis,” Granger said that this is because of PPPC’s reluctance to acknowledge its minority status in the National Assembly and to join the majority in the movement towards establishing a government of national unity. The politician said that the President’s refusal to assent to certain Bills passed by the Assembly has stuck like a bone in the throat of the Opposition. He added that the Minister of Finance’s management of the nation’s assets has been a major source of political contention and noted, “We shall soon settle that!” Granger said that President Donald Ramotar had the opportunity at the PPP’s first congress (the party’s 30th congress) in five years to drop his party’s time-worn, winner-takes-all approach and adopt an inclusionary approach to governance. But, “He lost it. He went instead on an unapologetic and uncompromising offensive against the Opposition in the National Assembly and the independent media.” Granger reminded that Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman had to warn the Executive of the danger of a constitutional crisis and said that Ramotar precipitated this crisis. “He declared publicly, since 13th June 2012, that he had no intention of supporting any Bill piloted by the Opposition. This is not democracy at all. It is autocracy.” Granger told his people that the PPP/C has undermined local democracy for the past 20 years. He said that has led to the imposition of the worst form of colonial-era direct rule. The politician added that this has paralyzed the entire local government system and undermined the economic development of many municipalities and neighbourhoods. He said that progress has been impeded, most of all, by the PPP/C’s failure to conduct Local Government elections under reformed legislation and thereby allow the people themselves to take decisions that affect the development of their communities. Granger spoke as well about the “Hinterland crisis, Public security crisis and the Social protection crisis. He said that the only end to the overall state of crisis Guyana has found itself in is the “One Nation solution.” He said however that, “We cannot become ‘One Nation’ if gross disparities persist between the hinterland and the coastland and between the educated and a mass of semi-literates. Dark forces – poverty, oppression and hatred – threaten to pull us apart. A united nation ought to be one in which cooperation prevails over confrontation and national integration over communal disintegration.” According to Granger, such a change inevitably, must be based on recognition of the authority and autonomy of the National Assembly. He added that there must be respectful relations between the Executive and Legislative branches of government and reverence for the institutions of the state. Granger put forward that the President and the PPP/C must understand that the way out of the crisis is to promote national unity, ensure human safety and foster economic development. He said that the PNCR’s ‘One Nation’ approach could be the main means of combining the talents of a wider constituency and of creating the conditions for social cooperation and economic progress. He noted that the three-fold purpose of such a project would be to reach a broad consensus on the goals of national development, to establish a sustainable institutional architecture and to create effective policy instruments for the achievement of the common objectives. According to the leader, “Our resilient and resourceful people and communities are eager to play their part in rebuilding our country as One Nation.” He said that the big question facing Congress is “…are you happy living in Guyana today?” He described Guyana as a divided, backward, corrupt, PPP one party, narco country and asked those gathered if they are happy living in such a county. The response was a resounding “No”. Granger said, “Come with me; let us fight the PPP not one another. Let us keep the pressure up to push the PPP out of office, elect a government of national unity and give the Guyanese people the good life that they deserve. May God bless you. May God bless the PNC/R. May God bless Guyana!”
