We have no physical space where citizens can meet to discuss and debate the issues of the day, preferably in an atmosphere of mutual respect and civility, to help build a national consensus. But in the age of the Internet, that may not be absolutely necessary.
Some might say that that is the role of the National Assembly, but some of us doubt whether there is a genuine willingness to listen to each other in that august chamber, much less foster a culture of dialogue and consensus-building. In any case, in the current constitutional configuration, our Parliament is little more than a rubber stamp for the party in power.
More critically, citizens have no recourse, as constituents, to directly elect representatives and so, there is some doubt as to whether parliamentarians, whatever their political stripe, really listen to the people and reflect the views of those they are supposed to represent by their actions and utterances.
In the meantime the people can only debate pressing political issues in the forums and media available to them, a virtual parliament of the people as it were.
Thus, as elections draw ever nearer, thoughtful voices are asking a variety of pertinent questions about our politics, our democracy and our development, in opinion pieces, letters to the editor, the social media and the blogosphere. And there is a strong body of opinion out there that, for too long in Guyana, political power has been about ruling in the interest of the majority and sitting atop the commanding heights of the economy. In short, politics, as practised here, is a zero-sum game and our democracy has not progressed beyond the ‘tyranny of the majority.‘
Ideally, democracy should not cater solely to the interests of the victors. Those elected have a duty to serve all the citizens of the country and not abuse their power by seeking to control or cow those who do not necessarily agree with their policies or means of implementing them. Power may be won at the ballot box, but is it sufficient or desirable to rule with the consent of the majority, without trying to earn the respect of the minority? Respect, after all, is not simply won and, in politics, it should be earned through the exercise of good governance and adherence to Abraham Lincoln’s famous principle of “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
No country can be satisfied with the quality of its democracy, if there is not mutual respect between those who govern and those who are governed. Respect, of course, is a two-way street. Leaders need to respect their people whether the latter agree with them or not. And the people will in turn respect their leaders if they perceive that their own opinions and aspirations matter, if they believe that they are being listened to and if they feel that there is a place for all in the development of their country. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Men are respectable only as they respect.”
As has been said before, democracy is not only about holding elections every five years; it is also about what happens in between. Democracy cannot flourish if there is not a climate in which better education, better health, equity and human security in all its dimensions are the prevailing benchmarks for everyone. In this regard, all citizens have a stake in the democratic process and people should feel free to speak their minds, to disagree, to criticise if needs be, without fear of victimisation or retribution.
This fundamental freedom, arguably, underpins all freedoms. There must be freedom of expression, without crossing the line of legality and decency. And there must be freedom of information and freedom of association. A government that is democratically elected has an obligation to practise and protect these freedoms through respect for the constitution, the separation of powers and the rights of its citizens. And it has an obligation to establish and nurture a culture of dialogue, in order to strengthen the democratic process to ensure progress for all. Let us therefore keep talking about democracy, lest our silence be taken for acceptance of all that is wrong with our politics and our society.
