Dear Editor,
As we celebrate our 47th year of independence, which was fought for in the people’s quest for self-determination, the nation needs to be reminded that 26th May 1966 represents the beginning of government by the people for the people as we seek to determine our individual and collective well-being. No longer must the notion of ‘rulership’ exist since this independent era of governance speaks to people’s representation captured in our constitution and informing the day-to-day management of our affairs. This is a struggle our forebears fought for and gave their lives to achieve, starting from the Amerindians resisting enslavement, Africans fighting against slavery, and the indentured labourers fighting the conditions of indentureship, and the citizenry resisting colonial domination.
Today to be told by those who were elected and sent to parliament by the citizens that they are there to dictate and give instructions within the political realm that speaks to the people’s involvement in the decision-making process, is saying to this nation that many who have offered themselves to serve the people do not understand what service means. No president, no politician, no government official should conceive in his/her mind that he/she can dictate to the citizenry in a representative government. The recent letter from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force is indicative that the authors of this letter understand the intent of Article 13 of our constitution, which speaks to an inclusive democracy, even as those elected to represent us are prepared to deny us the benefit of the intent and purpose of this constitution.
Those who are today denying the people their rights under the constitution are the children, grandchildren and descendants of those who fought brutal slavery, indentureship and colonialism. This nation is coming full circle rather than progressing along a continuum. Those who have benefited from the struggles of those who preceded us have now become the dictators. The children of the freedom fighters have become the oppressors 47 years into our historical colonial political independence. Workers are abused, oppressed, suppressed, victimised and marginalised. It is time for the workers of this era, the youth of this era, for each of us to stand up, define and protect what our forebears fought for. This is necessary since what is given to us as governance falls woefully short of what our forebears and framers of our constitution fought for. Instead of a representative government of the people we have an elected dictatorship trampling on the rights of the workers/citizens. Excuses about a president being above the constitution, or an executive that will continue to do whatever it wants regardless of what the people say, is no justification for poor performance. For the parliamentarians are paid to represent the interests of society. Excuses for good governance are no longer acceptable regardless of whether they come from the executive, the opposition, the judicial or the legislative branches of government. All must be held accountable. The opposition should not be deterred by the antics of the executive since it has a responsibility to hold the executive accountable. The executive must know that while their appointment is at the behest of the majority party, their responsibility is to serve the entire society using the resources that belong to all.
The idea that is perpetuated by some that the president is above the parliament and in some cases above the constitution is no more than a myth peddled to undermine a previous regime and present a narrative of hopelessness to hold the regime head accountable. This myth presented as fact is recently exposed as the President made an appeal to the National Assembly to support a Bill. There is no total power in the Office of the President. The power of the land is distributed to ensure checks and balances, each holding each accountable and not one riding roughshod over the other.
Even while the President was appealing to parliamentarians, Gail Teixeira the executive point person on governance sought to continue the misrepresentation of the role of the president and cast aspersions to demean the opposition political leaders because they took a position in representing the interest of the people, consistent with the spirit and intent of the constitution.
The issue of governance has consistently been discussed in this society and the time has come for us to seriously address concerns and deficiencies as we seek to move this society forward. The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act is put back for continued discussion on 12th June. Other bills that address areas for improvement of governance emanating from the opposition have been vetoed for no other reason than to advance a partisan political agenda. This is presidential lawlessness and against the grain of the constitution and good governance. Those who deny the people must be held accountable by the people in the spirit of a democracy and hard-fought for independence from colonial powers.
This is what the 26th May 1966 set out to achieve and we, the people, must insist on holding the president and parliament to working together for our collective wellbeing. The children of freedom fighters must not be allowed to become the representation of those whom their parents fought against.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
