By Dr Bertrand Ramcharan
One sees the pointed exchanges by ethnic polemecists in the Guyanese media and one tells oneself that one must do one’s utmost to stay out of it. And then, in the same breath, one thinks that one has been nurtured by the Guyanese soil, Guyana’s waters, and the Guyanese air and that one must strive still to be of service to the Dear Land of Guyana. One has served the world and one has served Guyana also. And one asks: can the world experience be of use to Guyana?
One thinks of the quality of political leadership and one asks about world-class leaders who have helped heal their societies. Gandhi was one such leader, but even he could not prevent the mass slaughter that ensued after the partition of India. He did, however, give his life in service of the cause of unity among the people he loved.
One thinks of Nelson Mandela. One interacted with him in South Africa shortly after he came out of prison. What a unifying leader he was. One saw this magisterially when Morgan Freeman played him in the film Invictus. One thinks of the South African Constitution that he inspired, and which still holds the society together – for the time being.
And one asks: Where is the Gandhi, or the Nelson Mandela in Guyana? Without a doubt, the pre-eminent political actor in Guyana these past decades has been former President, now Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo. He has been successful at winning elections. Young still, can he now rise to the challenge of being a Statesman. Can our young President, Irfaan Ali, rise to such a challenge?
And then, where is the Gandhi or the Nelson Mandela on the PNC side? One has seen the current altercations about the leadership of the PNC. I have been following the ideas put forward from within the ranks of that party. I had the good fortune of interacting with Vincent Alexander when I was Chancellor of UG. I see in him, Elections Commission issues aside, a decent man seeking to promote fair opportunities for his people. I have never met Sherwood Lowe of UG, but I see in his writings good faith efforts to offer ideas that can help take a multi-racial society forward. The country needs such ideas and I had occasion once to support some of his ideas. Sherwood Lowe is arguing that the country must identify its core goals and seek to fulfil them with the resources at its disposal. The logic of this is impeccable. So is the logic of fulfilling basic economic, social and cultural rights.
But we are still left with the question: from where can we find the statesperson/s who can help the country to move forward in fairness? The Guyana Human Rights Association has been a source of ideas on national unity. Policy Forum Guyana has also played a useful role. But they have so far not seen political traction on their policy ideas.
The country is in dire need of healing national figures. I do not know the country well enough these days to identify potential Gandhis or Mandelas. Until not long ago, I owned a home in Fort Street, Kingston, and a property in Canal No. 1, both of which I had to let go because of the illness of a close one. I now spend my time between Geneva and New York. Pandemic conditions have not allowed me to visit the Dear Land recently. So, I admit that I am not in a position to identify healing national figures, female or male.
But I have sought to raise policy ideas for discussion that might possibly advance perceptions of fairness in Guyana. I do so without any pretensions or illusions. In my mind I have never left Guyana. In serving the United Nations I also served Guyana. I served as Chancellor of the University of Guyana. And I have written books on the Guyana Court of Appeal and on Guyana Strategic Public Policy. Ideas travel with the wind.
Guyana is in dire need of its Gandhis and its Mandelas – female or male. I think of individuals I have known, and whom I respect, and I ask myself if they might be able to play such a role. One of them, an experienced and respected political operative, writes frequently in the media.
The African Union has a highly successful institution: The Panel of the Wise. They go to countries in difficulties and try to steer them along the right jpath. I ask myself whether the different church organizations in Guyana might empanel and support a Panel of the Wise, women and men, to come up with ideas for taking Guyana forward with good governance and fairness towards the different population groups.
And then I think of experiences from other countries regarding institutions or arrangements that can help a multi-racial country to work together. I am convinced that an institution such as the South African Constitutional Court can be helpful in Guyana. I am also convinced that a vibrant national human rights institution, such as the South African Human Rights Commission, can help Guyana go forward with perceptions of fairness. The learned Attorney-General of Guyana, who has been engaged in worthwhile legislative initiatives, could do a great service to the country by examining these ideas.
I have seen exchanges in the media about the long periods of acting appointments of the Chancellor and the Chief Justice in Guyana. I would use this occasion to make a public appeal to President Irfaan Ali: engage in an act of statesmanship and confirm both of these appointees without delay – on your volition. You are magnanimous enough to do this. Please do it. Please change the tone of the conversation.
Our Dear Land needs examples of magnanimity on all sides: political parties, the Executive, and civil society. It was President Obama who said that the arc of history bends towards justice. In Guyana, justice will be served by perceptions of fairness. Let the arc of the future bend towards perceptions of fairness.
I have served Guyana and the World. I now seek to put ideas from the world in the service of Guyana. Ideas stand on their merits.
Dr Bertrand Ramcharan is Honorary Commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists and Eminent International Jurist of the Academy of the CCJ.
