Dear Editor,
As the country celebrates its 50th year since the attainment of political independence, it is imperative that we use the occasion to do some serious introspection on how we performed as a nation.
Fifty years is a significant milestone in the life of any nation. During this period, the country experienced the political administration of the PNC which governed for twenty-eight years (1964-1992) and the PPP/C which governed for twenty-three years, from October 1992 to May 2015 when it lost power to the combined APNU+AFC.
Guyana, despite its enormous resources, has lagged behind in terms of economic growth and development and is still regarded as among the poorest in the western hemisphere. We experienced growth rates far below our potential for most of the post-independence years, more particularly during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s when the country recorded minimal and in some instances negative growth.
One consequence of such poor economic performance was a high debt burden and an overall decline in the quality of life of the Guyanese people. We were a demoralised people and hopelessness and despair had stalked the land which made a mockery of the very concept of freedom and independence.
There is that temptation to make comparisons as to which from among the two political administrations contributed most to our underdeveloped status but I will refrain from such comparisons especially at this time when the search for solutions is much more relevant.
What is needed is a clear and objective analysis on what are our strengths as a nation; our weaknesses; what opportunities are available to us to move this country forward and also the threats to our continued development. This is referred to in management theory as a SWOT analysis. To use a medical terminology, there is need for a ‘clinical’ diagnosis of what went wrong over the decades and what opportunities exist for us to overcome past challenges and move forward.
Two major challenges, in my view loom large before us. The first is one of growing the economy at a much more rapid pace than what we were accustomed to over the decades. The second, and no less important is how to regenerate and rekindle that spirit of trust and reconciliation especially among the two major political parties which for all practical purposes dominated political space since the 1950s. For too long the country has remained politically and by extension ethnically polarised as was unmistakably demonstrated in the recent national and local government elections. The adversarial political mode which characterised the greater part of our post-independence period has been a major drag on our national effort to create a just and cohesive society.
These two challenges to our development are by no means exclusive and if properly managed can be mutually reinforcing in terms of our development quest.
The fact is that there is a strong correlation between economic growth and a cohesive society. As the economic pie enlarges and more job opportunities become available, there will be a reduced propensity for race and ethnicity to be exploited for political ends. Voters and voting behaviour, will become more responsive to the imperatives of individual and perceived national good.
This may seem like wishful thinking but people do have a strong and vested interest in protecting their living standards. In an environment of high levels of growth, and opportunities to benefit from such growth, there is likely to be more rational and less ethno-centric voting behaviour
I recall the views of the late President Cheddi Jagan who said that while race is undoubtedly a factor in our politics, it should not be under-estimated nor should it be over-estimated. He took pains to remind us of the early 1950s when there was a convergence of race and class which led to a massive victory for the PPP in the elections of 1953, the first under universal adult suffrage.
Regrettably, that unity was ruptured in the split of the PPP in 1955, the scars of which continue to be felt up to this day.
I take this opportunity to urge our leaders and the rest of civil society to rise above narrow and partisan interests and try to find common ground on how to advance the overall good of this beautiful country of ours.
Yours faithfully,
Hydar Ally
