Dear Editor,
Consensus politics is where we work together building trust, understanding and respect. We co-operate on issues as oppos-ed to continually bickering and acrimoniously fighting each other.
There can be a hundred reasons to suggest that consensus politics may not work. However, we just need one reason for it to work. It will bring peace and stability to Guyana.
There will be some people who will be against consensus politics and some who are unsure. While their views/objections are important, it must be remembered that sometimes people continue fighting when a war is over because they have no other outlet for their anger. So they may be acting out of sheer frustration and disillusionment.
For consensus politics to work the government and the opposition need to negotiate in good faith. This means that you do not get to pick and choose who to negotiate with.
If the government puts forward Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo for its side and the opposition puts forward Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo for its side then these negotiators need to take each other at face value and not ascribe ulterior motives to the other.
Building trust is a prerequisite for any form of unity government or power-sharing arrangement to work. Hence, the need for consensus politics.
Yours faithfully,
Sean Ori
