A new political culture of competency is required

Dear Editor,
The focus of Eustace Harlequinn’s letter to Kaieteur News (Jan 5), captioned ‘Is Van West Charles trying to become Leader of the PNCR?’  is on leadership succession politics at a time when we need to get  rid of the vicious political culture of murder, intimidation and the trampling of human rights, within and without political parties.  Kaieteur News is aware of my analysis of our degenerate political culture and of my proposals for resuscitating a disintegrating PNCR.  I have asked the editors of Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and Chronicle to publish my proposals in serial form so that Guyanese can have an alternative view of politics and governance other than the depressing scenarios which face them every day.

The editors have so far not published my views and prefer to have Guyanese wallow in the mud of gutter politics.  That the editors bury my ideas and prefer the scandals surrounding the death of Mr Burnham, says a lot about the minds of our leading thinkers.

Guyana’s politics has remained undeveloped largely because of the preoccupation to acquire political power by any means possible.  Rigging elections has suppressed the more enlightened arguments related to political ideology and to income and wealth distribution policies.  The crudity of rigging has degenerated into widespread murder as evidenced in extra-judicial killings.  Guyanese have migrated in thousands to escape the misery of everyday life.  At present, the inability to control water is leading to the need to kill livestock prematurely and to the widespread loss of crops.

A new political culture of competency is required.  Mr Corbin knows what is required but has so far been silent on a bold vision to lift us out of the morass.  Until he outlines a new vision, we will be mired in the views of Mr Harlequinn.
Yours sincerely,
Clarence F. Ellis.