When the government fails the people, the elected representatives have to be held to account, says Liberal and Justice Party (LJP) founder Lenox Shuman, who hailed AFC MP Charrandas Persaud’s defection from the government benches to vote for a PPP/C no-confidence motion that triggered the fall of the APNU+AFC government on Friday night.
“Mr Persaud’s dissent…should be a (peek) into the future of Guyana, and what the country is more in need of. He had (has) a right to depart from his party lines and I will not lament the failures of both the PNC and PPP,” Shuman, who launches his party on January 12, said in a statement on Saturday.
He said that one of the fundamental tenets of a democratic society is that when the government fails the people, the elected representatives have to be held to account.
“In his parting words, Mr Persaud expressed everything that was/is wrong with the political landscape of Guyana and how absolute power corrupts absolutely without a check,” Shuman said, while adding that Persaud showed that he was the check. “The AFC no doubt relinquished, just as every other party of the coalition government, their ability and capacity to represent the people when they got subsumed by the PNC,” he said. Shuman congratulated Persaud’s “bravery” in “executing his duty to the people who voted for his party.” According to Shuman, what was displayed demonstrated what Guyana’s democracy should witness more often. He also expressed concern at the reaction that Persaud’s defection garnered.
“What is also appalling is the fact that so much anger is directed in the Honourable MP’s direction. It should be viewed that there is only one person in the history of Guyana who dared to represent principles and break the mould of politics in Guyana. Mr Persaud, departing from party politics, should be praised for clearly demonstrating to all of us, the failure of our politically appointed and elected representatives,” Shuman said.
Alluding to the “historic” day, Shuman said that having witnessed the display in and around parliament, it is incumbent on all to execute their daily activities with calm and realise that the events that unfolded are not beyond recompense. He said that it is important that disruptive and partisan behaviour be avoided “as our neighbour is watchful as reflected in their intrusion into our territorial waters…” The reference to the watchful neighbour was with regards to Venezuela’s interception of an ExxonMobil sub-contracted research ship on Saturday in Guyana’s waters.
Meantime, Shuman said that in light of the unfolding events, the LJP will be launched on January 12 at a venue and time to be confirmed. He extended an invitation to all to join the launch of the new political movement.
Shuman announced the formation of a party in June this year prior to the holding of the National Toshaos’ Conference.
