Country drifting away from its democratic principles- Sir Shridath Ramphal
Former Commonwealth Secretary- General, Sir Shridath Ramphal, is of the firm belief that Guyana is drifting away from its democratic principles and what the country needs to take it forward is a national coalition.
Sir Shridath made these assertions, among others, during an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News at a luncheon held by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) at the Pegasus Hotel last week.
At that forum, Presidential Candidate for the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), David Granger, provided to members of the business community, the Opposition’s plan to promote the diversification and improvement of the Guyana economy.
Mr Ramphal, who attended that meeting, was subsequently asked to give his take on democracy in Guyana and if he feels, based on his observations, that it is being undermined.
He said that democracy is above everything else, a state of mind and it is, of course, enforced by strong institutions.
“But what we need is a state of mind in the whole country among the politicians, the parties and the people. We must have a country in which there is freedom of thought, expression and freedom to act and pay respect to the rights of others and to make that a kind of credo where we really believe it and act it out.
That is the foundation of any democratic state and Guyana has been drifting away from that from all sides. The recipe for the restoration for democracy, I will say that it has to start with changing the mindset that currently prevails,” the distinguished Guyanese scholar added.
Speaking to the way forward in that regard Sir Shridath said that as the nation gears for the May 11 elections, it is important that the process of changing the mindset begins during the election process.
He also said that it must be done in a manner that does not see the nation descending further into the state it is in. Rather, he said, the country for its advancement at all levels must rise to a higher level of thinking.
On the note of corruption in Guyana and even globally, the former Foreign Affairs Minister said that it is indeed corrosive and any new government in tackling corruption will have to take some institutional steps that rid the population of that disease which affects everyone.
Granger at the forum had spoken to the end of the “winner takes all” politics in Guyana.
On that particular point, Sir Shridath said that while the concept is an unfortunate one, it was actually inherited from the British but emphasized that it is clear that it does not work for everyone.
“Britain has elevated itself as the motherhood of democracies… It has been a homogenous society; it is changing and already Britain has had to enter coalition politics. Guyana’s constitution has itself moved away from the initial Constitution which I drafted. But when I left Guyana in 1975 the Constitution was changed and part of the processes of change, I am afraid, enhanced the winner takes all style,” the former co-chair of the Commission on Global Governance asserted.
He emphasized that the winner of the upcoming General and Regional Elections must make moves to “rethink a lot of things” in the Constitution. Additionally, Sir Shridath said that the political system is in fact making changes of its own and that is in the form of coalition politics.
“And a national coalition is the direction in which the country has to go,” he added.
In terms of economic security, Mr Ramphal said that Guyana has to transition into a climate of development through foreign investment and local entrepreneurship and rise out of its present condition to one of prosperity.
He asserted that Guyana’s natural resources are enormous but there is a serious need to have an economic and political environment where the nation can rise to that level of success for all.
The academic sought to add, “We don’t have that right now.”
Sir Shridath concluded that while there are a whole range of things to be done by the next government to achieve the points raised, he said that if it is one thing Guyana seriously needs now, “is a larger voice for the people.”