A protracted period of uncertainty in its political arrangements is something that Guyana can ill afford at this time, according to former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, who said that if the country falters, the entire Caribbean community is worse off.
“Guyana’s leaders must rise above this. Too much is at stake. The private sector and the trade union movement must be prepared to constructively engage, grasp the big picture, and collaborate with the Government and Opposition toward a solution that will sustain confidence and stability and enable Guyana to get through this,” Golding wrote in the Jamaica Observer yesterday in reference to the “constitutional crisis” arising out of the passage of the no-confidence motion against the government on December 21.
He highlighted the growing oil sector here and the unprecedented development and prosperity it offers. With production expected to start next year, Guyana is in a position to become a significant oil producer – several times greater than Trinidad & Tobago – with tremendous benefit to its economy, its people and the region, if properly managed, Golding wrote. In such a scenario, political stability is a critical factor to ensure investor confidence not only in oil extraction but also in the wide range of downstream industries and enterprises that it would make possible, he said.
“A protracted period of uncertainty in its political arrangements is something that Guyana can ill afford, especially at this time…Up to now, public reaction to the stalemate has been measured, but it has all the ingredients to create a flashpoint that could roll back much of the advancement that Guyana has made in its political processes. Guyana has struggled to overcome deeply polarising instincts, and there is a worrying possibility that this issue could reignite them,” Golding, who served as Prime Minister of Jamaica from 2007 to 2011, wrote.
He said that Caricom must stand ready to offer assistance, if needed, in a way that is acceptable to both the Government and the Opposition. “Guyana cannot afford to falter at this time — not when it is on the cusp of a new horizon of hope and real possibilities. And if it falters, the entire Caribbean community is the worse off,” he said.
The December 21 vote saw former government MP Charrandass Persaud defecting and voting ‘yes’ to tip the scales 33-32 in favour of the no-confidence motion. While initially accepting the results, the government has since questioned the validity of the vote. Notwithstanding, the opposition PPP/C has called on the David Granger-led APNU+AFC coalition to resign in keeping with the provisions of the constitution.
However, on Friday, private citizen Compton Herbert Reid filed an action in the High Court questioning the validity of the vote and is seeking to have it set aside. January 15 has been fixed to hear the case.
