Dear Editor,
During the past six weeks several letters by Mr Hydar Ally give the impression that the contributor is very concerned about social issues, and has great compassion for the oppressed and the working poor. If these letters represent an expression of genuine empathy, they are not only most welcome, but extremely pertinent to the economic and social realities in Guyana. I would, therefore, seize the opportunity to urge this well credentialled spokesman to walk the talk, and use his good offices to bring some measure of relief to the oppressed and working poor in Guyana.
Mr Ally has held some very important positions: Permanent Secretary/Chief Executive Officer in the Ministries of Education and Health, and Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet. I am made to understand that he is a member of the Central Committee of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), and also the Editor of the Party’s organ, the Mirror. As a consequence of his several experiences and present responsibilities, he is uniquely positioned to assist in the improvement of the quality of life in Guyana. Even as his contributions draw our attention to issues in distant places, I have no doubt that he would be in complete agreement with the principle that ‘charity begins at home,’ and that it is foolhardy to think globally unless one is prepared to act locally.
In Guyana economic and social conditions are dire for scores of thousands (probably, grossly underestimated), of Guyanese. Economic growth (4% plus) is touted, but it is skewed towards the conspicuous consumption of a small elite, and the building sector (the huge mansions of the new rich), but there is hardly any development. Development implies relatively uniform growth, and improvements in the quality of life throughout all areas of the society. Could you imagine what you would look like if your arms or head continued to grow at a much faster rate than the rest of your body?
The result would be grotesque – a monstrosity! This is exactly what has been taking place in Guyana for the longest while. The grossly unequal distribution of wealth has led to widespread hardship and unhappiness.
In most failed states, there is abundant evidence in advance that the state is in trouble. In Guyana this evidence has been going unheeded far too long. It is critical to the survival of our emerging democracy and our future development as a nation, that Guyana takes heed now and recognises the impending threats, understands the full implications of those threats, and comes up with appropriate and adequate alternatives in the conduct of our affairs.
As people are well aware, learning disabilities in children can have the most tragic consequences. They are no less tragic in communities and societies. As a consequence the Government of Guyana should make every effort to become a learning organisation as quickly as is humanly possible.
Recall that one of the PPP’s campaign promises in 1992, was the return of democracy. For present purposes, democracy is defined as “that system of community government in which, by and large, the members of a community participate, or may participate, directly or indirectly, in the making of decisions which affect them all.” Participation is the key notion in the definition.
Despite the claim by many that the PPP has returned democracy to Guyana, in reality our democracy is still a work in progress. There is still much more to be achieved before full or complete democracy can be attained. In addition to the breadth of democracy (for example, one man, one vote), and the ‘sanctity’ of the polls, attention needs to be given to both the ‘depth’, and the ‘range’ of democracy.
No one who is knowledgeable about the history of the working class struggles in Guyana would deny the exceedingly important leadership roles of the late Dr Cheddi Jagan and his wife, the late Ms Janet Jagan in the late 1940s and ’50s.
The PPP needs to reclaim the original vision of the Jagans for a free and democratic Guyana, in which every Guyanese, not just self-appointed elites, would freely be able to participate in decisions which affect all of us, in order that we can be happy and enjoy a satisfactory quality of life. But, this has to take place first within the PPP itself, before it can become manifest in the wider Guyanese society.
Within recent years Dr Jagan’s vision for Guyanese workers has been hijacked, and the ‘hijackers’ have imposed structural limitations upon the ‘breadth’ and ‘depth’ of democracy within the PPP. When a portion of the regular PPP membership feels intimidated in making decisions that concern all, then democracy within the party is structurally imperfect. This, in all probability, explains the government’s penchant for the imposition of Interim Management Committees (IMCs). I am sure that Mr Hydar Ally, a member of the PPP’s Central Committee, and Mirror Editor, is in a unique position to assist the PPP in becoming a more democratic organisation.
When grass-roots democracy, that is, full and active participation by the working class, is restored within the Peoples’ Progressive Party, then, and only then, will the PPP be equipped to facilitate the development of true democracy in Guyana.
Yours faithfully
Clarence O Perry
