Dear Editor,
Recently I read somewhere in the media an observation by a writer, who claims that the PPP’s concept of democracy is limited to citizen participation solely at the time of elections.
For the purpose of the record anyone who is of that view is obviously not acquainted with the PPP’s concept of democracy or its modus operandi in respect to democratic practices internally within the party and when translated into practice at the level of government.
Since 1973, the PPP was the sole political force in this country fighting for free and fair elections. In fact, there was a period during the heyday of the Burnham dictatorship when no other force save the PPP had the ‘cohones’ to fight for free and fair elections in Guyana. Later this struggle was joined by the Working People’s Alliance and certain other marginal political and social forces.
It must be emphasized that even in those early days the Guyanese diaspora, organized principally through painstaking work done by Dr Cheddi Jagan, played a critical role in influencing public opinion in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom to support the struggle at home.
As the struggle intensified internally, the Committee in Defence of Democracy and later, the Patriotic Coalition for Democracy (PCD) as well as a number of civic minded persons emerged on the scene and waged pitched batter before the 1980 referendum and the 1992 elections. The main platform of these two bodies was to push for democracy and free and fair elections nationally and to win support for its demands internationally. This was done very successfully.
In an attempt to throw a spanner in the works, Mr. Hoyte had refused to meet with the PCD unless he was informed who was its leader (sic!).
Following the victory of the democratic forces led by the PPP/C at the 1992 elections, the PPP made sure from the very outset that it did not reduce the concept of democracy solely to citizen participation at the time of elections. PPP/C ministers established public days to facilitate weekly meetings with members of the public to listen to their complaints and requests for possible assistance in specific areas of interest to them.
Community Development Councils were established across the country which provided for greater and direct involvement of communities in the formulation and development of small development projects peculiar to their respective communities.
Cabinet outreach meetings were initiated on a regular basis thus bringing government ministers into constant contact with people at the grass-roots level.
At the same time, apart from collective cabinet outreach meetings, ministers on their own initiative would go out on a regular basis into communities to push their sectoral agendas and to ensure that the partnership with stakeholders at the grass-root level is maintained on a sustainable basis.
Through a quarterly ‘accountability framework’ facilitated by the Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, ministers of government are kept informed about matters affecting communities in each region. Ministers would take action on those areas specific to their sector with a view to bringing relief to those affected.
Whenever government launches a major initiative such as the National Development Strategy, the Poverty Reduction Strategy, budget measures and in the most recent case the Low Carbon Development Strategy, and the conversation about Guyana’s future development held recently at the Convention Centre, the practice has always been to reach out and touch the masses and to seek to inform them live and direct about the objective of the exercise, the content of the message and the ways and means by which the people will benefit from such programmes.
Experience has shown that people appreciate these efforts by government since it allows them to speak directly to ministers and to question them on the tough day-to-day issues of interest to them individually or as a community.
Side by side with what is done at the level of government, the ruling PPP/C keeps the adrenalin flowing through its organizational structure by ensuring that leaders of the party go out regularly to meet with members and supporters throughout the country with a view to keeping them informed about the party’s view in current social, political and economic issues.
The feedback received from these encounters helps the party to be aware of what is happening on the ground, thus enabling it to respond effectively to ensure that it continues to play the vanguard role.
Thus, to those who believe that the ruling PPP/C and government is far removed from the realities of our society and the problems affecting our people and their communities, they are sailing. Moreover, to those who hold the view that the PPP/C is solely an electioneering party and goes out to reach the people only at the time of elections, they will continue living in their own fantasy world.
Yours faithfully,
Clement J. Rohee
Member of the
Central Executive Committee
PPP
