Dear Editor,
In March 2020, Guyanese will cast their votes to decide which party will govern us as we become an oil producing nation. This has huge implications for all of us, as it is pivotal we choose leaders who will put aside partisan differences and make prudent decisions that will be beneficial for all.
I want to encourage my fellow citizens to explore governance options outside of the PPP and PNC. There are several new political formations who intend to contest for leadership, and each of these groups was born out of frustration with the way our country’s governance has been shaped by the two major forces who have governed post-Independence. I’ve lived in Guyana all my life, and am yet to see transformative change happen.
Sure, we have had moments when a few new roads have been built, schools commissioned and other endeavours undertaken to improve our quality of life, but we must ask ourselves the direct question: ‘Have I seen holistic development, constitutional reform and consistent policies that have really improved my circumstances?’ Partisanship and racial divisions have littered our journey to 2020, and this is because we, the people, have allowed ourselves to ‘play it safe’ and vote for what we are accustomed to instead of what we deserve.
There are many who view the formation of new political parties as opportunistic moves to position and cash in on our incumbent oil revenue, and while I understand the skepticism, I would like to point out that this is the first time in our country’s history that we are positioned for oil. Many of the new groups have come about because their core membership understands how important the next election is, and we can ill afford to continue chasing our tail as a nation.
I encourage my fellow Guyanese to take their time, listen to the new groups and ask hard questions. There is no obligation to vote for anyone, including the traditional giants. We should however feel obligated to invest our votes wisely to ensure we have competent minds untainted by partisan history leading our country into new horizons.
We have the power to hire and fire our leaders, let’s ensure we shop around smart. Go to the community outreaches, public meetings and other campaign activity, and ask as many questions as you can about what the new groups want to do and how they intend to do it. We must vote for leaders who have a plan and are able to walk us through their vision so we can see the endgame as being beneficial for us all.
It will take courage, patriotism, pragmatism and an open mind for our country to install the leadership necessary to realize our potential as a progressive, inclusive and wonderful nation of proud people. You can do it, we can do it.
Yours faithfully,
Shazaam Ally
The Citizenship Initiative
