Dear Editor,
My attention was drawn to a letter in S/N 20.5.’20 in the name of Havelock Brewster CCH (Former Ambassador of Guyana to the European Union, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands).
I know Havelock well. He succeeded a number of distinguished Ambassadors stationed at Brussels including Dr. James (Jimmy) Matheson and Dr. Kenneth King. He was succeeded first by Dr. Patrick Gomes and the current Ambassador, David Hales, former Director General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
I worked with every one of these extremely competent and knowledgeable men during my tenure first, as Minister of Foreign Affairs and later, as Minister of Foreign Trade and International Cooperation.
The first two sentences in paragraph two of Havelock’s letter made me blink twice and read again.
I say so because while Havelock is entitled to his own opinion, I’m sure he would agree that he is not entitled to his own facts.
Havelock was a very close friend of both Presidents Cheddi Jagan and Bharrat Jagdeo. He was a regular visitor to Guyana and therefore, must have been very knowledgeable of political, economic and social developments in Guyana while he served briefly as economic adviser to Dr. Jagan and later, as Ambassador to Brussels appointed by President Bharrat Jagdeo, both being very knowledgeable economists.
To say that “The PPP reneged on this understanding (constitutional reform, winner takes all and inclusive democratic governance) for the 23 years they were in power…” is at complete variance with the historical facts on all three counts.
Take for example the CIVIC component in the alliance with the PPP. Its views were reflected in the manifesto subscribed to by a CIVIC slate for the 1992 elections. The introduction to the manifesto reads inter alia:
“This new dimension (read CIVIC component) in Guyana’s politics brings together patriotic Guyanese of every walk of life, of every race, of every political view, of different religious backgrounds, to recreate once again the great momentum and hope engendered by a united people…”
This is clearly a living manifestation of inclusiveness that continues to this day.
As regards national unity, the PPP/C manifesto stated:
‘The PPP/CIVIC is convinced that the true interests of all Guyanese lie in working towards national unity and the eventual elimination of ethnic insecurity.
The proposal for a multi-ethnic, multi-class, broad-based national PPP/CIVIC list reflects the PPP’s unending search for ways and means to promote national unity. The commitment of the PPP/CIVIC to winner-does-not-take-all politics and to the formation of a government of national unity after winning elections attests to our belief that national unity and ethnic security form the cornerstone on which a truly democratic system will be built in Guyana.”
The relevance of that proposal in today’s context is generally settled.
As regards constitutional reform, a Special Select Committee on Constitu-tional Reform (CRC) was established on December 1, 1994 with the late Bernard DeSantos SC, as chairman.
In pursuit of the PPP/CIVIC’s manifesto commitments, the CRC followed four fundamental pillars; 1) preserving and strengthening where possible the Fundamental Rights Section of the constitution; 2) Reviewing the directive principles; 3) Reviewing and making more adequate and unambiguous the powers of the Elections Commission, and 4) Reducing the powers of both the President and office of the president, making both more accountable.
Fifty public hearings were held across the ten administrative regions during which both oral and written presentations were received.
President Jagan died on March 6, 1997 and fresh elections were held on December 25, 1997. The CRC was unable to complete its work having regard to the fact that the life of parliament came to an end on 29, October 1997.
Clearly this was an effort at, rather than reneging on commitment
Two years later, in early 1999, under the aegis of the Herdmanston Accord a Constitutional Reform Commission was established with Ralph Ramkarran as chairman.
That commission focused on a bicameral form of parliament, an executive versus a titular President with enhanced powers for the prime minister, and the establishment of an Inter-party Committee on Electoral Reform.
The Commission completed its work in July 1999.
Over two hundred oral and written recommendations were received and one hundred and eighty amendments incorporated in the 1980 constitution save and except those requiring a referendum.
Among the amendments incorporated were; expanding the powers of the National Assembly, increasing oversight of the Executive, presidential term limits and the establishment of a slew of Rights Committees.
For anyone to claim that the PPP/C reneged on its commitment to winner-does-not- take-all politics, inclusive democratic governance and constitutional reform over its twenty three years in government is to turn a Nelson’s eye on the PPP/CIVIC’s track record on these matters that are beyond compare in any other CARICOM member state.
Yours faithfully,
Clement J. Rohee
