Dear Editor,
Why is it that we can’t speak plainly on the mess our country is in? We went through some 15 years of a criminalized state. Most of us were complicit, or silenced by fear. Many of us emigrated. Many more are in despair, with no clear view of how we allowed our own plight to come about.
The coalition promised us change from the economic decline and social inequality resulting from misgovernment. They never mentioned changing the root causes. For nine months they have grappled ineffectively with the legacy they found, of past corruption wide and deep, misuse and inefficiency of government systems and almost an entire culture of dishonesty. The new government still haven’t spoken out enough, let alone taken action, against rank illegalities in previous regimes.
They are evidently constrained by written law, and by a judicial system which is neither well-endowed nor innocent of political loyalties. But beyond that, we get little but high-sounding declarations and promises. If some in our new government are not enmeshed in what became over the years the Guyanese way of making a living, then they need to be reminded of their responsibility to improve the opportunities of all the people.
By our complicity and silence we all share the blame for our common degradation. Only our own combined efforts can redeem the country’s prospects. We have maybe three or four years to be convinced that we can trust in the coalition government’s competence and honesty. Even if we believe them, they can’t bring back a decent Guyana without our real cooperation and common agreement to turn our backs upon the past.
But we can start now to take a more direct part in the way we are governed. First, we can take an active interest in the process. We can look more closely at statements from both sides of Parliament, to see through the deceit and rabble-rousing that are distracting us and impeding those leaders who mean us well. Discuss with those around us, on a regular basis, how government decisions will affect us. Spread the notion of accountability. We can raise our voices, in so many different ways, short of bullhorns, to show we are no longer easy prey to tricky exploitation.
Secondly, we have starting soon a great opportunity to take the grassroots governance process into our local hands. After the local government elections, we can give all the new councillors a message, week by week and month by month throughout their tenure, that they are at the service of local residents, with the job of improving our living conditions, whether they promised that or not. But we have to be willing to contribute our own direct community service, as well as pay rates and taxes fairly imposed. We need to scrutinize the spending of council revenues to eliminate corruption and misspending.
Maybe few Guyanese are as yet prepared for the stress and effort involved in taking on these matters. But if enough of us think and feel for our future and our children’s future, we have solutions in our hands for all our complaints. Once people at the grassroots take their rightful place in the country’s governance, we can lead the cabinet in directions of our common choosing. We will have to organise forums for discussing options and getting consensus, but surely Guyanese can even now find the motivation to work together.
There’s a saying some old heads may recognise, that may need to be aimed at our parliament, our cabinet and our public service national and local. “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” But only if the Guyanese people care enough about their common future can we hope to lead our leaders in directions we all agree on.
Yours faithfully,
Gordon Forte
