In reply to Emile Mervin’s letter in SN on February 9 (‘The people not the politicians should decide whether the shared governance experiment should be give a try’), I would like to point out that my position on the failings of the PPP government in many areas of governance still stands; however, Mr Mervin’s letter shows his ignorance of political matters in this country. I would not even try to deal with his nonsense about President Cheddi and his decisions as he neared death, except to say, here we go again as Mr Mervin tries to denigrate that great man. Those like Mr Mervin always attack the PPP by attacking Jagan who is not in any way a part of the cabal which leads the PPP. He sinks to a low level in writing about Jagan on his “death bed” and really, what does that have to do with his criticism of my statements about shared governance?
Mr Mervin’s letter fails to understand the points I made, and since he is an AFC supporter, what else can he say? Between the PNC and the PPP in the last elections in 2006, they got a combined 88% of the votes cast, so how can any concept of shared governance be achieved without those two entities? The point Mr Mervin makes about the AFC getting 5 seats and insinuating that they will do better in the next elections is all assumption; the AFC has failed to break into PPP support because Khemraj Ramjattan, whom they put as the point man to breach the PPP vote has proven to be impotent and can deliver nothing much to broaden AFC support.
My concept of shared coalition governance is one where, not only is there PPP/PNC involvement, but also that of other parties like the AFC, and a broad civic society involvement where the parameters of economic policy (the private sector as the real engine of growth), political policy (full democracy with the state intervention policies of the past being greatly reduced) and a new approach to cultural, religious and civic dispensations are agreed. Such shared governance has to ensure an end to corruption, mismanagement, ‘squandermania,’ currying favour and other disgraceful practices which have been our downfall as a nation, with constitutional changes at the top of the list.
Maybe shared governance is not possible, but it sure would solve a lot of our problems if the politicians would just love the people and our country more, and stop ‘jockeying’ for power less.
Yours faithfully,
Cheddi (Joey) Jagan (Jr)
