Last week I argued that to be successful, the opposition coalition must be bolstered by a creative strategy in which the first order of business must be the establishment of a comprehensive and properly focused programmatic platform.
Here, I begin this general discussion with the following programmatic suggestions that were developed by a few of us and delivered to APNU before the beginning of the negotiations to form the coalition.
These ideas rest upon certain assumptions but more importantly at this stage, they are some precise time-bound commitments of the type I believe is essential if the intention is to maximize sectoral support, fulfill the promises the individual parties have routinely made to the Guyanese people and if the coalition is to be held accountable.
A 20/20 vision for Guyana
(Suggested basic programme to be undertaken by a successor government)
Our government will not be engaging in any form of witch hunting, but on the contrary will pursue national and political reconciliation. In this context, legal, political and economic improprieties will be dealt with within the framework of the rule of law.
- Within 1 month, establish and operationalise a Constitutional Reform Commission consisting of all stakeholders: the private sector, trade unions, religious, youth, professional and other organisations, to make our constitution more relevant to the needs of our type of society.
Within this context, the separation of powers, executive inclusiveness, strong checks and balances to prevent executive abuse and enforce constitutional and legal requirements, independence of the media, etc., will be established and/or enhanced. The constitutional changes must be enacted within 20 months of the government assuming office and new elections held within 3 years.
- Within 2 weeks, with the support of national and international stakeholders, establish a stakeholder committee with the aim of developing a comprehensive plan intended to significantly reduce the criminal activities that have plagued our lives. This plan should focus on the prevention and the causes of crime and must be completed and implementation begin within 3 months.
- Within 2 weeks, begin a process intended to return Georgetown to its former glory. There is absolutely no need to justify the urgency of this task. With the help of a stakeholder group, a comprehensive plan to achieve this goal will be completed within 3 months and implementation will begin immediately thereafter.
- Immediately, begin to properly implement the agreement reached between the people of Linden and the government of Guyana after the wanton killing of three protesters by the police in July 2012. One of the most despicable practices of the PPP regime has been its tendency to make agreements and unilaterally refuse to implement them. This is not the first agreement the regime has reached with the people of Linden that it has not implemented and we will review these to assess their continued relevance.
- Within 1 month, put together an essentially Amerindian stakeholder group with the necessary institutional support to develop a comprehensive and integrated development plan with a view to bringing equitable and timely development to the hinterland regions. For too long our indigenous people have remained the poorest sector of the population open to political manipulation by politicians from the coast. The group will report and implementation will begin within 6 months.
- Immediately, return the local government bills to which the president refused to assent, to the National Assembly and sign them into law. Local government elections will be held within 9 months of our coming to government.
- Within 1 month, in this decade of African descent, based on some work that has already been done, establish a stakeholder group to devise a plan for the decade and with the aid of this group, a plan to bring closure to the age-old issue of African ancestral lands will be completed and implementation begin within 3 months.
- Within 4 months, with the involvement of institutional and individual stakeholders, including NGOs representing the aged and religious and youth organisations, devise a plan to gradually increase the old age pension towards the minimum wage. The way our senior citizens are at present treated is scandalous.
- Within 2 months, assemble an expert multidisciplinary group to review, analyze and recommend within 3 months the way forward for the sugar cane industry and how the significant capital infrastructure might be optimally utilised, and thereafter create the institutional arrangements to give effect to the plan.
- Within 1 month, assemble an expert multidisciplinary group to review, analyze and recommend within 3 months a path to the provision of renewable energy. This should include a detailed socio- economic evaluation of the options, including hydropower development, and the creation of the institutional arrangements to give effect to the plan.
- Within 2 months, approve a plan for universalising a programme of technical and vocational training throughout the country with a view of giving every Guyanese the opportunity to gain a marketable qualification. Too many of our young people (more than 60% each year) are leaving the formal education system without any marketable qualification and thus cannot properly contribute to national development, with many turning to crime.
- Within 1 month, assemble knowledgeable persons from relevant stakeholder groups to review, investigate and make recommendations within 4 months on the way forward for the University of Guyana.
- Within 1 month, establish a stakeholder committee in which the private sector will have the most significant role to consider the nature of and ways of enhancing fair economic competition in Guyana. The private sector is the engine of growth and policies must be put in place to prevent the unfair miniaturising of Guyanese private investors.
- Immediately, enforce the principles of the International Labour Organisation and national laws as they relate to collective bargaining, and after discussion with stakeholders, strengthen the constitutional and legal requirement for collective bargaining in the public and private sectors.
- During the constitutional review, seek to establish an independent constitutional salaries review commission, which at designated periods, e.g. every two years, will review the salaries and terms of condition of service of top positions in the public sector. As in Trinidad and Tobago, the offices may include the president, judges, ombudsman, members of parliament, top managers in the public, protective and defence services and the judicial and legal services. It is a travesty that the president at present is allowed to increase his and his government’s remuneration from the public purse.
- Immediately, insist that Guyanese must be employed in all projects in Guyana, and within 6 months establish a committee to review the status of implementation of this intent. All labour laws and regulations relating to this issue will be reformed as necessary.
- Immediately, remove government and party control of the state media, and within 3 months, with the help of a stakeholder group to include the government, political parties, trade unions, private sector, university and youth organisations, devise and implement a plan to institutionalise national media independence.
- Immediately, adhere to the spirit of freedom of information in the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act and establish a stakeholder committee to suggest such legal changes that will enhance its functioning in a democratic environment. Within 1 month, with the aid of a group of knowledgeable and responsible stakeholders, review and implement a programme intended to achieve economically beneficial and equitable access to the information spectrum.
- Immediately, with a view to relieving the economic conditions of the poor and encourage economic growth and development, establish an independent expert and stakeholders commission to review our tax regime, including Value Added Tax, and report within 4 months.
- Immediately, reform the state planning secretariat as a major stakeholder forum mandated to devise and monitor the implementation of the medium and long term plans of the country. It will be empowered to urgently – within 6 months – identify viable economic projects that could improve the social conditions of rural Guyana and aid the planning and implementation efforts of the indigenous peoples mentioned above.
henryjeffrey@yahoo.com
