Dear Editor,
We would like to see Guyana transition towards a more participatory democratic culture. Two aspects which I find admirable in the democratic culture of the United States are: one, where ordinary citizens can register as Democrats, Republicans, and Independents and can openly identify as Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Where political leaders can call citizens and encourage them to go out to vote. This is a high level participatory democratic culture. The second aspect is the involvement of intellectuals, experts, specialists in the national discourse. This is a culture which promotes fact-based, science-based, as well as and sharing of opinions. Academics, former government experts and specialists are available to share their knowledge, expertise, and experience as part of that rich national discourse. Former government experts and specialists are recruited by media agencies to ensure high quality debates and information dissemination continues.
In the Guyana context, citizens get fired, harassed, for being members and supporters or even perceived supporters of political parties. Where are the professors, lecturers, other academics from the University of Guyana, other academic and technical institutions, and professional associations, to raise the level of narrative and discourse in the Guyanese society? We have gotten to a stage where citizens are afraid to share even their professional knowledge, opinions, etc., lest they are perceived as being political or criticizing the government. This PPP/C government from 2020 has gotten a thousand times more undemocratic than it was prior 2015.
The Commonwealth Charter under the section Democracy states, ‘Governments, political parties and civil society are responsible for upholding and promoting democratic culture and practices and are accountable to the public in this regard. Parliaments and representative local governments and other forms of governance are essential elements in the exercise of democratic governance.’ The CARICOM Charter of Civil Society under the section Political Rights states, ‘Every person shall have the right to: (a) form a political party or organisation; (b) join a political party or organisation of his or her choice; (c) attend public meetings of political parties or organisations; (d) participate in the activities of a political party or organisation; (e) give expression to his or her political beliefs in a peaceful manner; (f) make himself or herself available for nomination for and election to any public office for which he or she qualifies. Article 19 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights states that, ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers’.
One of my major difficulties with this PPP/C government is the preventing of citizens from participating in this so-called democracy. Citizens are members of a democracy and have roles and responsibilities and if the government prevents them from participating then the government is by virtue of that action, weakening the quality of the democracy. Take for example, GuySuCo managers under the APNU+AFC. They were perceived as government supporters but were more productive and professional than their successors. Let us examine the statistics. GuySuCo’s sugar production under the APNU+AFC government in 2016 was 183,615, [2017] 137,298, [2018] 104,641, [2019] 90,246, and in 2020 89,000 tonnes of sugar; however, in 2021 the total target was 58,995, [2022] 58,025, [2023] 60,204 and 6,737 tonnes for first crop 2024. How does the government justify its firing of GuySuCo’s managers in 2020, when the total 2016-2020 production was almost twice that of 2021-2023 production and multiple times that of the 2024 first crop?
For the PPP/C to win the next election, they will have to be more inclusive. These are some of the direct decisions and actions the government will have to take: confirm the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice; appoint representatives of the Opposition onto all or most state boards; allow the institutions more independence – the Guyana Police Force, the judiciary, the public sector, etc.; play its role of government by creating a conducive environment for both foreign and local business and investment, stop the racist and discriminatory approach to governance and apply a more inclusive approach; engage in substantial national, regional, and local planning; establish a Petroleum Commission that is accountable to the National Assembly; provide the public servants, including the teachers with adequate living wages and salaries, reevaluate its elitist bourgeois approach to governance and revisit Dr. Cheddi Jagan’s working class approach to address inequalities.
The Ethnic Relations Commission has launched a campaign to counter hate speech. The president and second Vice President should be very concerned about what is it that is happening under their leadership that has created the need for a national initiative to counter hate speech. Life is largely about stimulus and response, hate speech in this context could be seen as a response to some stimulus. The question must be asked, what is this initiative a response to? It is time for a government that operates out of the emotion of love.
Sincerely,
Audreyanna Thomas