The Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) of the Roman Catholic Church has called on President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to engage and agree on a programme of healing to counter the brokenness in Guyana.
In a statement issued yesterday, the JPC urged the leaders to work towards relieving “the nation of its pain and lead us to the promised land of trust in each other.” In addition, it called on citizens to “refuse to participate in political efforts to further divide us” and to hold political leaders more accountable.
Back in 2014, the JPC had undertaken research into Guyanese Catholic views on justice and peace in Guyana, and believed those views were shared by Guyanese at large.
The JPC noted that from its research, which was revealed in November last year, Guyana suffers increased levels of injustice and violence as a result of its people’s inability to reconcile from earlier pain, which was also political and social. A symptom of the brokenness, it said, was a reduced level of socio-political trust.
The JPC expressed concern over the growing threats to reconciliation and public trust at a political level. The statement said indicators that Guyana was on the wrong path include the Hamilton Green Pension Bill 2016; the D’Urban Park accountability scandal; the controversial rental of the Sussex Street pharmaceutical bond; audit reports including on Pradoville 2 and other allegations of the misuse of state resources for partisan and/or personal gain; massive salary increases for ministers and others; the ‘Baishanlin-gate;’ the melting down of GuySuCo; and the manner in which the Walter Rodney Commission was initiated and concluded.
But as much as these issues are cause for concern, the commission said what was more worrying was the tone of the disputes.
“Those who have attended Parliament will know of the undignified and unproductive manner in which the people’s business is conducted. While parliamentarians are obliged to listen and represent the views of their constituents, the inability to reconcile differences across the aisle serves to further alienate and frustrate the people. The common wish of the people for peaceful coexistence must not be ignored…,” the statement said.
Given the amount of taxpayers’ funds being spent on political, justice, security and other public systems, Guyana’s levels of suicide, migration, violence and corruption suggest a massive failure on the part of the nation’s leaders, it added.
Thus, it is the JCP’s belief that the onus lies squarely on the shoulders of the political leaders to address this situation comprehensively.
Furthermore, the commission said that the programme of healing it is advocating must include constitutional and political party reform, and improved social cohesion and ethnic relations.
“This hope for a new tomorrow is not unique to Christianity… JPC invites all people of faith, therefore, to pray for our nation and our leaders,” the statement said.
