“Interest and objectives are two sides of the same coin. They are closely related, yet being able to differentiate one from the other can often make all the difference during negotiations.” (Godefroy C & Luis Robert – 1991 – “The Outstanding Negotiator” Piatkus). Put so starkly, few of us will fail to see the importance of this differentiation, particularly since negotiating is a pervasive activity that touches most aspects of our lives. The book mentioned above is one of the first negotiation texts I acquired after the PPP/C took government in 1992 and it appears to me that the quoted observation is still very relevant in these combative political times.
A common feature of our public discourse is the tendency to explain and assess social policies from the standpoint of objectives. Indeed, we frequently tend to go a bit further along the continuum and focus on inputs rather than outputs and means rather than ends.
It is my contention that the task of building a happier and more prosperous Guyana would be better served if our