Dear Editor,
There have been a lot of expressions in your letter section about a united coalition opposition or ‘big tent,’ but no one has postulated the basis for unity which such a coalition should begin with and hold onto with its every breath. The basis for such a coalition has to be a document which is public and signed, sealed and delivered to the citizens of Guyana with a commitment from each member of such a coalition to abide, to the last breath, by what they signed.
Editor, a 15-point basic agreement is a good place to start and if you would permit me to give a rudimentary list for a common cause, then here goes:
1. To abolish the executive presidency and to have as head of the government and answerable in Parliament, a prime minister. The president would be a person (probably outside of party politics) dedicated to serving Guyana (without executive power, as in Trinidad).
2. Separation of powers between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary (as in the USA); much more say and power to the Parliament (National Assembly).
3. Ministers should not sit in the Parliament; let the prime minister answer any questions . Ministers should be too busy getting the job at hand done
4. Ministers, judges or heads of public and private firms operating in Guyana, should appear and be subject to questioning (and prosecution) by select committees of the Parliament.
5. Decentralization of the central government with much more power and fluidity to local government , answerable always to the citizens. Therefore no need for a minister of local government.
6. Limit the Cabinet to 12 ministries to be agreed on.
7. Rebuild the Police Force with definite external help and assistance (ABC countries?).
8. Term limits for everyone holding governmental positions, including CEOs of public corporations.
9. Campaign finance reform to deny monied interests the opportunity to influence elections in this country; no more influence peddling.
10. Scrap the VAT tax as it is unfair to the working citizens of Guyana.
11. Commitment to help all those Guyanese from the diaspora to repatriate back to Guyana; embrace their skills and capital which would benefit all of us.
12. Independent judiciary – all judges and magistrates nominated by the National Assembly with open public hearings in the Assembly where each potential appointee would be questioned by parliamentarians.
13. Limit on the national debt – external and local; government must be rational and careful with the citizens’ finances.
14. With less than a million people, we need to commit to the influx of migrants here in Guyana to increase our capacity for production and export. Citizenship and the right to vote should be debated and settled on.
15. Constitutional and election reform where a hybrid system of true representation can replace the old worn-out system we have; for example, elections should be held on a particular day every five years. Constituency representation has to be more prominent, replacing the party list system which is shameful for a fledging democracy.
Editor, the basis for a coalition of opposition forces is yearned for by the citizens of Guyana, and what can make such a political scenario possible , except principles we can all stand for in changing things around for the betterment of our country. These 15 points are not immutable and can be adjusted by one and all, but I think they are a good starting point for coalition politics in Guyana at a time when coalitions are sweeping the planet. It is the politics of compromise, accommodation and working together which can bring a whole new beginning for the citizens of our country.
Yours faithfully,
Cheddi (Joey) Jagan (Jr)
