Dear Editor,
In doing a piece of research I am working on, I had cause to read the Stabroek News of February 5, 1991, and the headline in that newspaper was `Kwayana resigns from Parliament’. Interestingly enough, at the press conference held by the WPA to make that announcement, Dr. Clive Thomas was reported as calling the PNC manner of extending the life of the Parliament as “an act of repression” and he further stated that “the PNC was incapable of carrying out the reforms need to ensure free and fair elections”. The article further attributed to Dr. Thomas a statement that the PNC government has “subverted” the Parliament. Another WPA leader Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine said at that press conference that under the PNC, the parliament was “idle and underworked”.
What has changed on these issues since 1991? The methods are the same, only the attitude of mind of the players have changed. Today those same WPA actors are now the principal perpetrators of the “acts of repression” that have resulted in a year being stolen from the people after the majority of their representatives passed a no-confidence motion on the repressive government with a view of having elections within 3 months thereafter in compliance with the Constitution. Since December 2018, Guyana has had the most-idle and underworked Parliament ever in all of its post-colonial history, but you will not find Dr. Roopnaraine issuing a statement today. Rather, today these WPA players are dressing up their exploitive acts by calling the repressive coalition “the best vehicle for minimal transformation” as did another WPA leader. What hypocrisy from these people?
Today I call on both the PPP and PNC to reject these outdated ideas from these outdated people and embrace the future. I am calling on the PPP and PNC to engage in a 50:50 compact with the youths and let us break from the past with these outdated thinkers. In Guyana, 69% of the voters are under the age of 50 and that is why this 50:50 compact is a better deal; it is more representative but it will also bring fresh ideas to the table. My recommendation is that 50% of the slates should be populated by persons who are under 50 years of age. It is time to flush out all those historical failures who have only feathered their personal nest and left the nation with unfulfilled potentials.
While I respect my elders and value their wisdom, there is a time and place for everyone. The year 2020 is a perfect moment to move Guyana forward and to elect more youthful candidates into high office. It is time for these retirees to retire.
Yours faithfully,
Sasenarine Singh
