Free and fair elections do not guarantee a democratic government. They are weddings; it is the marriage that counts. Approaching two years on, is this administration honouring its vows to all the people?
Certainly many projects included in the PPP/C manifesto, such as the new Demerara Harbour Bridge, the Diamond to Ogle Bypass Road (Edghill: “likely to commence by the end of 2020”) along with the promised reopening of the sugar estates are severely delayed.
The bridge will not be completed by the next (scheduled) elections as promised and this failure to deliver what is the country’s most important piece of infrastructure will have ramifications for the development of the Wales Industrial Estate, the Vreed en Hoop shorebase and for the region in general.
In the case of sugar it now is clear after the recent outreach to Region Six that the PPP/C’s promise to reopen the estates was based on politics in order to win the elections and was never achievable. It is hard to believe they did not know this given their intimate involvement with the industry. The process of using lands for other uses such as hemp, aquaculture and even wheat is apparently now the way forward. Never mind the technical skills for such brand new and complex ventures in Guyana are not available (unless ganja farmers take up the President’s bizarre offer to meet with them). It is also highly doubtful that even more promises of hotels and a deep water harbour in Berbice will come to fruition as part of the so called “massive trans-formation” for the region. But outreaches, hand-shakes, hampers and promises are important tools in placating supporters even if they see no material improvement in their everyday lives. As for the promised 50,000 jobs, are we to include the 4,600 part-time and temporary positions that are supposed to be created in Regions 2, 6 and 10? Exactly what these applicants are supposed to do, who will supervise them and how they will be classified within the public service is far from clear. But just like the 20,000 scholarships, maybe it is the number of job offerings rather than how many people take them up that will be counted.
However the primary concern regarding the first years of the PPP/C administration (Part II) surrounds the principles of inclusionary demo-cracy, accountability and transparency. On this there have been numerous failings:
The failure to pass a new Petroleum Commis-sion Bill goes against President Ali’s own words on August 2020 when he said the commission is to be established “to ensure that the oil and gas sector is not subjected to undue political inter-ference.” Instead 20 months later we have exactly that: no bill and an Oil Czar, with no experience in the sector, through whom all must pass. Even the Local Content Act – prioritised upon the urging of private sector allies – looks bungled and in contradiction with Guyana’s obligations to Cari-com, even as the hastily organised Local Content Secretariat is failing to process an avalanche of applications that were widely expected.
The mangling of the Natural Resource Fund Act was directly intended to diminish the powers and independence of the Accountability and Oversight Committee. And on the pretext of taking control of the fund out of the hands of the finance minister the Act now puts it squarely in the hands of the President and the private sector to the exclusion of everyone else. That such an important piece of legislation was not sent to a special select committee is just another indication of how resistant to inclusionary governance the PPP/C remains.
More examples: The Public Procurement Commission Act was passed in 2003 and it was not until 2016 the first PPC was constituted. It expired in October 2019 and is yet to be reformed despite billions in contracts having been awarded some of which look suspect. The Integrity Commission which Mr Jagdeo said the VICE reporter should ask about regarding his personal finances remains expired since February 2021. More than 19 months after the PPP/C took office it is yet to ensure the reappointment of the Judicial Service Commission delaying appointment of judges and magistrates and by extension denying justice to citizens. So too with the Teaching Service Commission which was dissolved in August 2021. The Ethnic Relations Commission also remains expired. The dissolution of the Police Service Commission is a special case and many would see the appointment of Clifton Hicken as acting Commissioner of Police as a deliberate provocation given his role in the shooting of Linden protesters in 2012.
Then there has been the dismissal of competent bureaucrats such as Dr Vincent Adams whose skills, work ethic and competence were good enough for the United States Government but apparently not for Guyana’s. The transfer of Dr Marlan Cole from the Food and Drug Department that he practically built over 19 years is another example and one which puts at risk the nation’s health. As for the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, one can only marvel at the brazen hypocrisy of dismissing Coordinator, Dr. Rudy Jadoopat on the basis that he hosted an AFC meeting seven years ago in New York, and substituting him with an individual not only unsuited for such a position but also a political hatchet man of the highest order. Combine this with the NRF manipulation and the government has successfully cut out any transparency needed to avoid corruption and the mismanagement of oil revenues.
The pattern is clear and was made even clearer by the Attorney General who declared that the government has no need to consult with anyone as Article 13 of the constitution is merely aspirational. Fine, but it begs the question why is it there and where is your aspiration?
For this we need to simply refer to a depressingly prescient editorial in August 2020 in which this paper observed, “The PPP/C has never been amenable to allowing any non-political organisation which they have not penetrated to flourish. It is the main reason why after 1992 civil society remained so attenuated. Their ministers in previous adminis-trations reflected this central theme, and one suspects that this time things will be no different.”
It will likely be much worse because as taxes are overtaken by oil revenues the citizen’s right to transparency and accountability for spending has been weakened. The government will likely rule with an impunity and a sense of entitlement not yet seen. “One Guyana”, the apparent new national motto, now emblazoned on red baseball caps, sounds more like “One Party Rule”.
