The best opportunity in 60 years to break with political and racial divisiveness

Dear Editor,

I wish to make this appeal to my fellow Guyanese citizens.

May 11th 2015. Is a decisive day for Guyanese. The elections which are slated to be held on that day will either open the path for a new Guyana or propel the nation backwards, for the next 25 years.

How we cast our votes as a people will also demonstrate to the world our true character and our sense of purpose or lack of it. These elections provide the people of this country with the best opportunity we have had in 60 years (1) to break with the negative past of political and racial divisiveness; and (2) embrace unity and the common goal of saving our country. We have to take back Guyana from the band of PPP/C political rulers who have used political office for their self enrichment and that of their cronies.

Our history of elections is characterized by mixed blessings. We achieved nationhood, but failed to develop a prosperous nation, instead of being an instrument of liberation elections became an instrument for oppression and domination. Our winner take all type elections has divided the country politically and racially. It has consumed three generations. In the process many Guyanese patriots saw their dreams and aspirations for a just and prosperous country consumed by senseless and reckless political and racial considerations. Political oppression, economic and social stagnation, resulted in protracted periods of mass migration of our people to foreign lands. Today there are more Guyanese living abroad than those residing in the land of their birth. Guyana is still one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, something the rulers should be ashamed of given their 23 years in charge of the government. But they have no shame.

As I reflect on these elections I am keenly aware that many of the issues today are the same when I began my involvement in politics 46 years ago. In many areas of national life instead of making progress we have retrogressed. On the issue of corruption we have developed great tolerance of this social evil. It has now become a way of life. We have experienced the rise of the criminal state, and in spite of the warnings by Professor Clive Thomas of the WPA, we were incapable of neutralizing this retrogression in a sufficient and timely manner. The rulers’ culpability in the drug trade, gold smuggling and human trafficking contribute to the spiraling rise in crime in the society. We have experienced an unprecedented rise in domestic violence and violence against women and children. Murder and suicide have reached heights that are unknown in the modern history of the country. On both issues we are among nations of the world with very high death rates.

Our present situation condemns us as a people. We need to be self-critical. In the process of a profound self-examination of our behaviour in these times we have to at the least, take some blame for our failure to act as decisively as the situation demanded.

Guyana is blessed. We are a large country with an abundance of natural resources and a small population. However, we have allowed internal divisions and external manipulations to make us poor and corrupt, and we are now prisoners of racial insecurity. Instead of being the masters of our own destiny we have become prisoners of ideas and ideals that are not akin to our self-interests. Sadly, the possibility for change that is before us is not the product of our collective intelligence, and this fact speaks volumes. We are victims of circumstance, but on this occasion in a positive way. The very politics that destroyed us over the last 60 years has created new realities that are driving the country to change. Demographic changes have undermined the effectiveness of race voting. No party, and by extension, no race group, can win the elections simply on the race vote. Parties need to attract votes outside of their historical constituency. Young people have become the largest voting bloc. They are between 60 to 65% of the electoral roll. A large number of these voters will be voting for the first time and the only government this group knows is the PPP regime. These voters are likely to view the situation in the country based on their own experiences and are likely to vote against PPP.

In short, change will come more from widespread national frustrations than our collective intellectual savageness. The APNU+AFC coalition is making effective use of the mandate they received from the people in the 2011 elections, when for the first time in our electoral history the combined opposition won the majority and had control of the national assembly and the minority party, the executive. After demonstrating its intention to pass a no confidence motion against the PPP/C government, President Ramotar then proceeded to throw the elected representatives of the people out of the parliament thereby creating an unprecedented political crisis. This action of the President turned the positive electoral development into a democratic disaster.

APNU+AFC coalition is seeking to end the national political crisis and stop economic and social stagnation, in the country. We are attempting to transform the character of our elections from an instrument of division, to one of unity and liberation. The leadership has created the organization and the political environment for this to be done. It is now left to the people to do their part by casting their vote for the coalition. Let us have a people’s rebellion against the rulers, by voting in a new government on May 11. 2015. Let us make a reality the slogan raised on WPA 1992 elections Campaign at the Kitty Market Square on the eve of the elections when the multi racial crowd of thousands sang “when WPA wins all races win” – May 12 must be a celebration of a people’s victory – we owe it to ourselves as a nation.

Yours faithfully,
Tacuma Ogunseye