Declaring its intent to build good race relations in critical racially-sensitive spheres of society, the opposition PNCR yesterday pledged good governance and fairness in the allocation of state resources and opportunities among other measures.
In a statement to mark UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination being observed today, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) said that regardless of the political system in place (whether majoritarian or shared governance) fostering good race relations will still require good governance. In this light, it said that the Party’s emphasis will be on the good governance tenets of inclusion as per Article 13 of the constitution, transparency, responsiveness, and the rule of law.
Article 13 of the constitution says “The principal objective of the system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being.”
The party said that the distribution of state resources and opportunities such as land, licences, subventions, and local government budgets goes to the heart of discrimination and equality of opportunity in Guyana. It argued that citizens suffer such discrimination at several levels – as individuals, and as members of groups, communities, and regions and that the next PNCR-led government will stop this.
The PNCR, the largest component of the APNU+AFC coalition, added that public and private workplaces can positively or negatively affect race relations via their employment practices, how they serve the diverse public and as procurers of goods and services.
“These are major race relations hotspots. Accusations of government discrimination in procurement, for instance led to the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission. Other practical solutions are required in this sphere”, the party asserted.
The PNCR said that much of Guyana’s ethnic interactions play out at the community level. “Election tensions and disturbances, for instance, are mostly community-scale events. Here again, the PNCR will craft specific action plans that, for instance, encourage grass root peace initiatives and create early-warning and rapid-response systems to detect and defuse potential ethnic flash points”, the statement said.
Positing that schools provide an exceptional opportunity to nurture ethnic harmony, the PNCR said it will discuss introducing multi-ethnic studies in lower schools.
The party also addressed the question of elections. It said: “As the 2020 election showed, our elections remain a hotspot for racial hostility and poor ethnic relations. Irrespective of the political system in use, there will be elections, and these have to be managed to minimize any ethnic fallout. One proposal worth considering is the establishment of a permanent multi-stakeholder task force with a mandate to prevent and reduce open election-related hostilities and conflict”.
The party made no mention of the five-month election crisis in March 2020 during which a failed attempt was made to rig the election results in favour of APNU+AFC. Several election officials in addition to former PNCR Chair Volda Lawrence are before the court in relation to this matter.
Congress Place said that in Guyana, race relations continue to dominate social and political life: where we live, work, worship, and socialize; how we vote; and who gets what and how much, when and how often from the government. It added that race relations are strained by divisive politics, pervasive racial discrimination, racial bias and antagonisms, and perceived and actual inequality of opportunity.
“Our nation can and must reverse this. To do so will demand sweeping, sustained, and structured approaches. Lip service and sporadic actions will not work! Nor will the PPP’s two-Guyana scheme”, the party argued.
The party says the framework for the measures it will take rests on three principles enshrined in the constitution: the fostering of good ethnic relations, the elimination of racial discrimination and the promotion of equal opportunity.
Other measures it plans to take include research and polling and the up-sizing of the Ethnic Relations Commission and other commissions through greater funding, professionalizing, and the prompt (re)appointment of commissioners.
