Dear Editor,
President Medina of the Dominican Republic wants to ram through an amendment so that he can run for a third term. The Dominicans are against it. They lobbied the U.S. Government and Secretary of State Pompeo calls Medina – and delivers a gentle warning – gently nudging him to follow the principles of democracy. (SN July 12th).
I am an activist on behalf of Guyanese causes and an advocate of genuine democracy in a multiracial society. Naturally I commend this act of Secretary Pompeo – and wish the U.S. Govt – together with Britain’s and Canada’s and the EU’s – would perform an act of “enlightened mediation” between the PNC and PPP and “gently nudge” them towards the goal of drawing up a new constitution that will promote genuine democracy in a multi-racial society. I am of the firm belief that small (pop 800,000) multi-racial societies like Guyana’s – given all their racial divisions and structures that perpetuate those divisions – by themselves, of themselves, cannot work out systems of governance to achieve a peaceful, stable and prosperous democracy. They absolutely need the help of ABC and EU countries. And, ABC and EU should not, must not, be detached from what goes on in Guyana. They should be reminded that Guyana has a long tortured history (read: mostly a power struggle between two racial groups) that still threatens the peace and stability of this society.
Guyana is a “mess” (to use president Trump’s often-used word).
(1) There is an ongoing political struggle between two racial groups. No one needs to be told about the potential dangers of such a struggle. That’s why I have called ceaselessly for banning both the PPP and PNC from doing politics in Guyana. Both are practising a form of devious ethnic politics which only balkanizes Indian- and African-Guyanese into separate camps. Their window-dressing strategies fool no one in Guyana. Certainly not the Western diplomats based in Georgetown.
(2) NCM passed 7-months ago. The Constitution mandates an election within 3-months of passage. PNC (governing party) is still stalling – employing all the shenanigans and gimmickry to delay elections for another 6-months. First it was the Courts – that has run its course. Now it is about getting control of GECOM (putting a PNC crony in the Chair will give them control) and House-to-House registration to compile a new Voters’ List.
(3) FIRST OIL begins in 2020. Can the Guyanese people put their trust in the PNC govt which is manifesting all their dictatorial tendencies every day? (This is the same party that ran a dictatorship for 24-years (1968 -1992); its strategy then was massively rigged elections).
These compelling national issues cannot be resolved by the PPP and PNC – one has its hands on the levers of power, the other has none. This nation needs the “enlightened mediation” of the ABC and EU countries.
Yours faithfully,
Mike Persaud
