Dear Editor,
Please provide me a space in your daily column to express what I perceive to be a political entropy that exists within the APNU + AFC Coalition. If those air bubbles are not got ridden off, air-locks will continue to hamper the free flow of energy through the Coalition’s distribution system and political machinery. It would also deny its membership of their good intention to catalyze a much-needed change to keep in contest with contemporary politics practiced in our country.
When the Granger administration was in the driver’s seat they failed in principle to tighten the screws and loop holes, both at the administration level and in their political network. Transparency and accountability were always key elements to reinforce and motivate their support base, since there were weak monitoring systems in place in our hinterland regions to overlook contractual obligations to the state. The AFC, in particular, never maintained a useful degree of responsiveness to service their support base, particularly in Region Nine where much needed attention was required for the political audiences in the various hinterland communities. An assessment should be carried out by the APNU + AFC membership to scout for political competence and influence to strengthen political socialization, hence, political recruitment in the very near future.
Meanwhile, as we advocate for a change in our beloved country, we must express our concerns and explore such questions as to what kind of relationship exists between the APNU + AFC, but more so, with the business community and the public at large, all of whom are players for dynamic changes in our society. There must also be a reflection on those appointed by the former Granger administration to serve in senior civil servants positions. Their overall leadership performance should be recorded in their official capacity, particularly in cases of misuse and abuse of authority, while in office. The manipulation for financial gains through favouritism and influencing in the awards of contracts to friends and questionable characters to their own advantage. While some of these practices were allowed to go unnoticed, it was most likely at a detriment to the APNU + AFC coalition government, which resulted in apathy, alienation and a very low degree of attachment. As a matter of fact, these practices would contribute to the futility of any government in power.
Editor, despite allegations being leveled against the present PPP/C administration, there have been evidently a number of important developmental initiatives launched at both the national and regional level. Some of these projects will be of great benefit to hinterland regions, with the president making every effort to ensure that projects earmarked for Indigenous communities are compatible. Apart from administration work, the PPP/C is very busy servicing their constituencies and strongholds in the Rupununi districts. Editor, psychology has been called the science of human behaviour and it deals with the complexities of human nature and personalities. If political science is the study of political behaviour, then psychology must be of great importance to the study of politics. Hence, there must be some serious introspection at the leadership level of the APNU + AFC coalition. In other words, we must take into account and be cognizant that any political party in power who cannot protect the interests of their members and is unable to bring in the voices of those who remain oppressed by their comrades, will most likely be abandoned for one that can.
Sincerely,
Mark Anthony Rodrigues
