Dear Editor,
According to time-honoured principle every group has the right to identify its participants and this should be respected. The claim by the PPP that it will not engage in “national unity talks” with the government once Moses Nagamootoo is on the team is an affront to this principle. That being said, there are legitimate concerns that are deserving of clarification from our elected leaders. This nation needs to be advised about the intent of national unity talks and the guiding parameters for the engagement. Clarification is needed from the backdrop that:
- Our political system is competitive and has enshrined an opposition and government, both of which are members of the legislature.
- Article 13 of the constitution in outlining the ‘Principal Political Objective of the State,’ mandates inclusionary democracy built on the involvement of groups in the management and decision-making processes of the state that directly affect their wellbeing.
- Under the constitution the president and leader of the opposition are required to engage in meaningful consultation on specified matters;
- In Title 5 the leader of the opposition is identified under the executive. The opposition leader heads the parliamentary opposition. Parliament, which is the nation’s supreme organ of democratic power (Article 50), has responsibility for law-making and executive oversight. A member of the opposition heads the Public Accounts Committee which oversees the executive’s fiscal management of the nation. Parliament has the authority to bring before it any member of the public or anyone with expertise to aid its deliberations and decision-making. Members of Parliament (MPs) engage in public outreach in keeping with assigned parliamentary committees. The society expects MPs to be integrally involved with happenings in their constituency and to engage their constituents;
- Article 171 (1) allows for any member of the National Assembly to introduce any Bill, propose any motion for debate and petition the House and these ought to be treated consistent with the rules.
- The role of the opposition is to propose, support and oppose the government where necessary. A responsible opposition would strive to do so sensibly.
- Regional government allows for groups’ participation. Based on the proportionality of votes, seats are assigned on the Regional Democratic Councils. The chairman and vice chairman are elected from among the councilors.
- Local government allows for groups’ participation. Based on the proportionality of votes seats are assigned. The mayor, deputy mayor, chairman and vice chairman are elected from among the councilors.
- The division of seats in regional and local governments has been made more pronounced from 1992 onward. The 2015 election sees the PPP controlling seven regions and the APNU+AFC three. This nation awaits local government elections. Given the dynamics in the society it is expected the local authorities will have similar diverse composition.
- Article 75 and 76 allow for autonomy in the local democratic organs which includes the power to raise and dispose of revenue for the areas’ benefit and welfare. 35 years into this constitution where the initial caretaker position provided for in Article 77 requiring government funding of the projects of the local democratic organs, little has changed. No effort was made by the PPP in their 23 years in office to establish legislation that would have seen the deepening and strengthening of the devolution of power to the people.
The PPP had the longest stewardship under this constitution. Clearly, it was never their intent to make the constitution work. Instead, the government was comfortable misrepresenting this instrument and hiding behind widely held misperceptions as they trampled the citizens.
This nation is not witnessing an absence of national unity in the political structure. This nation is witnessing an absence of political will and commitment to make the system work, respect the will of the people and their right to association, and guarantee them the enshrined protection from discrimination for such association/identity consistent with Articles 147 and 149.
To disregard the spirit and intent of the constitutionally built-in competitive (checks and balances) structure is not only to disregard the laws, but moreso to create an environment where the politicians would gang up against the citizens. This would intensify their feeling that they are not answerable and accountable to the people in our representative democracy. Where lawlessness permeates all facets of this society, even moreso that by public officials (revelations unfold daily), the people will suffer.
Further, the PPP’s contention that national unity talks are “an attempt by the Coalition to throw dust in the eyes of the Guyanese people and at the same time push a commitment to fulfil a self-serving pre-electoral promise made to external forces” is deserving of attention. Let it be known, any external force that requires the society to discard the competitive, inclusionary and devolution principles which are characteristics of democracy and are similarly practised elsewhere, has no regard for our laws or theirs.
Regard for this nation’s laws, from which the base of national unity talks must spring, would encourage the politicians to take the needed time to understand the laws, the spirit and intent behind them and abide by them at all times, in totality. This is the best starting point for national unity talks and actions.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
