Dear Editor,
The justified trepidation of the PPP/C winning another plurality at the May 11, 2015, general election has led to serious talk of an electoral alliance between the opposition parties. Much is unknown about the negotiations between the two political camps, APNU and the AFC, because of a non-disclosure term in the agreement controlling their discussions.
The AFC has made it clear that it wishes to lead the electoral combination, and has strongly suggested that its vice-chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, be the presidential candidate. One suspects that this particular proposal has been a roadblock to a final agreement. The obvious objection is that APNU with the larger national constituency should make that determination.
But many supporters of the ‘Nagamootoo edge’ contend that only he can induce enough Indian voters to vote for an APNU-AFC coalition in which the African-led PNC is the dominant player. The prevailing assumption is that Africans are far less likely to reject an Indian candidate, and would fall in line with Nagamootoo as the head of this racial collaboration.
Those who want Nagamootoo, an Indian, to be the presidential candidate, are fiddling with the direction of Guyana. These including Khemraj Ramjattan, Sase Narine and Nagamootoo, who speak glowingly about the need for a united country, but at the same time propagate the idea that Indians at this time cannot be a part of this national electoral combine unless that entity is led by an Indian. Guyanese Indians, they are suggesting, are still stuck in an immovable mind set of distrust.
These leaders are apparently unwilling to change this dangerous hindrance to the country’s development. Human progress in Guyana is inextricably linked to racial unity. The time to do so is not post May 11, 2015, when a convenient political alliance may have won the elections. It is now – and continues forever. Therefore, the narrative must change to encourage Indians to support a democratic movement that will support and protect everyone’s interest. That should be an essential part of the national campaign. If not, we are doomed to a perpetually divided Guyana and a permanently undeveloped country.
In a recent conversation, I said to a friend that I will change my political alliance to Republican the next day. We laughed. The point is that such a decision is made after long and thoughtful deliberation. It is not done overnight. Similarly, if Guyana is to become a country of One People, there must be a sustained and genuine effort to push the ideal and benefits of national unity to every racial, ethnic and religious group.
Without the change in narrative, it would be expected that only Indian ministers and officials will be qualified to speak to Indian constituents because African officials are not trusted to act on behalf of them. What type of dysfunctional society are we proposing?
None of those advocating the ‘Nagamootoo edge’ seems to realize that the underlying rationale is a sharp instrument for the PPP/C campaign since the concept can be deemed a gimmick solely to get the PNC back in power.
The ideological foundation of the alliance must be appealing, sound and transparent. Ideas are powerful and transformational. They have brought women out of the kitchen to the leadership of countries as in Jamaica and Trinidad, and Argentina and Germany. A new South Africa has been born out of the cauldron of racial hatred and tribal strife through the foresight and vision of wise leadership. The battle against AIDS is slowly being won because the world community is committed to managing and eliminating this scourge.
Good governance, equal justice and constitutional reform must be central themes of an effective electoral campaign. Racial harmony is indispensable to successful elections, and most importantly, to a stable, democratic and prosperous Guyana. It must be a dominant idea as elections approach.
An alliance built on this valuable idea can withstand any attack of ‘convenience’ and ‘expediency’ from the PPP/C or other detractors. It must be a guiding principle in these historic discussions.
Yours faithfully,
Derrick Arjune
