Corbin told a news conference that the main opposition party “believes that in the interest of progress in Guyana a system of shared governance should be discussed among all stakeholders and implemented before the 2011 national and regional elections.” He stressed that this arrangement should not be seen as one between the PPP/C and the PNCR but would involve all political parties and various stakeholders. According to Corbin, his party will be engaging in a series of consultations with all stakeholders, including the PPP, with a view to ensuring that the issue is given priority.
He stressed that “this system is not, as some misguided persons have been advocating, an arrangement to determine the President and Prime Minister.” He added that there will be “no discussion of changing the constitution to extend presidential term limits.” He said that the centre of these discussions would be towards ensuring “constitutional changes that would eliminate the dictatorial tendencies that have resulted from the Westminster winner-take-all system and that have stultified development in Guyana.”
Quizzed about what had fuelled his optimism about share governance becoming a reality, Corbin said that as a leader of a major political party in the country he had “to be optimistic in pursuing programmes that will benefit the people of this country.” He said while there has been marked resistance, particularly from the PPP administration towards discussing shared governance, stakeholders, if united, can generate the type of activity and motivation to influence the administration to act favourably.
Meanwhile, with local government elections slated for later this year, Corbin said the party will be seeking to partner with individuals and civic groups. According to him, the PNCR is currently “consulting citizens who are not necessarily party members to be involved in the forthcoming elections.” He said “while the party will be identifying lists of candidates to contest, it will also support individuals and groups in areas where it is satisfied that those interested persons have the welfare of the citizens at heart.”
Corbin explained that the move is in keeping with the party’s embrace of shared governance, which he opined “can begin at the community level.” “The same approach will be adopted with the proposed 2011 elections,” he added.
The party leader explained that the approach was adopted for the last local government elections, held in 1994. Then, the PNCR only contested the elections in six towns as a party and supported various community groups to participate. “This approach,” Corbin said, “encouraged participation in community affairs by citizens who were not necessarily involved in any political party but who were concerned with the development of their community.”
But he said “the domineering and dictatorial approach by the Minister of Local Government frustrated many of these groups from implementing plans that they had developed…” He further contended that the prolonged delay in the holding of the elections also contributed to many of the councils becoming dysfunctional. He said that the party hopes that the reformed local government system “will motivate citizens, give meaning to a decentralised system of decision-making, and give meaning to Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution.”
Earlier this week, President Bharrat Jagdeo, while plugging his new overtures for political cooperation, denied ever shutting the door on dialogue but warned that some opposition members are unhappy with the prospect of working with government.
Recently, Jagdeo signalled his interest in a new framework for cooperation with the opposition, but his renewed proposal was greeted by scepticism: Corbin called for proof of good faith and AFC leader Raphael Trotman dubbed his posture to be “politically convenient” after he had said development would not be hinged on political cooperation just weeks prior.
Jagdeo, however, told reporters on Tuesday that while he said that the development of the country would not be put on hold for cooperation, it did not mean that he was uninterested in working with together. “…I can’t put the development of Guyana on hold until I get that cooperation because if it is not forthcoming, I will not be fulfilling my duties to the people of this country, he said, “I was elected by them to improve their lives so while cooperation is desirable, I can’t wait for it to come. So, that is very different from saying that I don’t want cooperation.”
He reiterated that his administration “is prepared to engage in healthy open discussion with the opposition,” focusing on closer cooperation. “But it must be based on respect, and what is good for Guyana,” he noted, adding “It must not come with baggages of the past and people seeing skeleton or phantom in every cupboard.”
At the same time, he suggested that there are members of opposition unhappy with the prospect of greater cooperation, seeing any engagement with the government as “selling out.” “But those people have dated life-spans-I don’t mean physically-mentally; they are out of tune with the time because it is only through engagement that you are going to have an arrangement where government and opposition will be working in an optimal fashion [for] the development of the country,” he said, adding “some of them still think that you could support criminals or bully people into going the route that they want them to.”
