-as Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference opens
Speaking yesterday at the opening of the 46th Conference of the
Caribbean, the Americas, and the Atlantic Regions of the Common-wealth Parliamentary Association here, President Irfaan Ali stated that much more can be done to foster a culture of dialogue and inclusion as he stressed that modern parliaments must be protected.
Ali said that the foremost challenge in protecting parliamentary democracy is to ensure respect for free and fair elections, the very basis of representative governments and parliaments as he stressed that elections that are truly reflective of the people’s will are the cornerstone of any democratic society.
Emphasising the importance of protecting constitutional rights, Ali told the gathering at the Umana Yana that in Guyana when human rights are violated, when freedoms are curtailed and when the rule of law is subverted, democracy is not only undermined, but is put at a risk of collapse.
He then noted that institutions of governance must be strengthened as strong, independent institutions are the backbone of a healthy democracy since they ensure accountability, transparency and the rule of law.
As such he noted, that parliaments as the representative bodies of the people, must lead by example in maintaining through robust oversight the inte-grity of public institutions.
According to Ali, in most jurisdictions, there is an adversarial system of parliamentary democracy; one side is the government that proposes, and on the other side an opposition that mainly opposes. How-ever, he said that the fact that they embrace an adversarial system of parliamentary democracy does not mean that they must be enemies or there must be an absence of inclusion.
Guyana, he said has crafted mechanisms within the constitution to ensure a greater role for the parliamentary opposition explaining that within the National Assembly, there are a number of oversight bodies in the opposition.
He pointed out that the Public Accounts Commit-tee is chaired by the Opposition who also utilize the mechanism of select committees to achieve greater consensus on legislation, noting that there are sectoral committees that allow for contributions from across the political aisle, and the country continues to incorporate in legislation representation of the opposition and civil society on statutory bodies.
Further, he pointed to the appointments to key public offices, such as that of the Chancellor and the Chief Justice of the Judiciary which requires the consent of the Leader of the Opposition. Con-tending that this consensual mechanism, however, had led to gridlock and frustrated appointments he said there’s a lesson to be learned from that as you cannot always legislate political inclusion, cooperation or consensus.
President Ali said that was why he believes that much more can and should be done to foster a culture of dialogue and inclusion as he stressed to those gathered that democracy thrives in an environment where diverse voices are heard, and where differences are respected.
In the increasingly polarized world, it is more important than ever that dialogue and understanding, both within parliaments and within societies, are promoted, he noted.
The President has been accused of stymying the substantive appointments of the Chancellor and Chief Justice by ignoring a proposal by the Opposition Leader.
Modern parliaments
The President pointed out that in today’s world modern parliaments face many challenges that threaten the health of their democracy. From the spread of misinformation and the manipulation of electoral processes to the weakening of institutions and the rise of populist movements that seek to undermine democratic norms, he said that the obstacles are many and varied. However, these challenges are not insurmountable, he said.
According to him, in light of the diverse threats facing parliamentary democracy today, it’s imperative that great efforts to insulate and protect modern parliaments are made. He stressed that parliaments must be equipped to resist these threats, whether it be misinformation, ideology and guard against erosion of democratic norms and values.
In terms of misinformation, he asserted that this poses a significant threat to parliamentary democracy, especially in the age of social media, where false or misleading information can spread rapidly and widely.
Ali noted that social media platforms provide unprecedented reach, allowing misinformation to be disseminated quickly to millions of people, often without verification for accuracy. This, he said, can disturb public perception, erode trust in democratic institutions and manipulate voter behaviour, leading to the polarization of societies and undermining the legitimacy of elected representatives.
Extreme ideologies
He then stated that the rise of extreme ideologies such as right- or left-wing nationalism and extreme populism also pose a significant threat to democracy by undermining the foundational principles of pluralism, tolerance and inclusive governance.
These ideologies often promote exclusionary narratives putting different segments of society against each other and scapegoating minorities or marginalized groups such as immigrants. This is a major challenge that the global system is faced with, he noted.
According to Ali, extreme populist leaders sometimes find it useful to undermine democratic institutions, however he stressed that democracy is not a convenient tool bur rather it is a fixed part of that equation of national life that cannot be toyed with.
Meanwhile, the Presi-dent also stated that Guyana was an important venue to host the parliamentary conference on democracy, not because “we are a strong democracy alone and we uphold democratic principles” but “because perhaps we are the only country in the region, this region that gathered together, that has had the greatest threats, challenges and open attack on democracy and the undermining of democracy, and as a result, we have had to work with our regional partners and that is why I so happy that you are meeting as a region, because it is our regional partners, it is CARICOM, and CARICOM’s principled position that was part of the process in ensuring that our democracy remain strong and alive today.”
He stated that the UK and the EU also played an important role as well as the Commonwealth Secre-tary General and the Commonwealth itself in ensuring democracy was secured in Guyana.
Stating that the conference assembles some of the finest minds and dedicated practitioners of parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean, the Ameri-cas and Atlantic region, he said, “I want to challenge you to come up with an action plan that is implementable and one that we can all commit to.”
He said that he was confident that their deliberations will do justice to the timely and relevant theme chosen for this conference, which is Democracy: Challenges for Modern Parliaments.
He stressed that democracy transcends every aspect of life as he stated that sometimes he smiles at organizations talking about democracy, “and when you examine those organizations, for decades, they never had elections. In electing their leaders, one person runs organizations, and then we take their word as the truth bearer on democracy.
“So, we can beat ourselves up all the time as government and parliament but how are we going to address these inherent dangers to democracy in our society. These inherent bodies that speak of democracy when they don’t practice democratic principles? Democracy is about a society. It is about a country. It’s about every walk of life. It’s about civil society. It is about the private sector. It is about government. Every aspect of societal life must uphold the value system of democracy. But what is that value system? How is that value system defined as different countries and different regions are conveniently designing what the value system and the definition of democracy is…”
He asserted that Guy-ana, given its political history, is more than a useful experiment or a useful case study for examining the challenges to parliaments posed by threats to democracy.
Meanwhile, Opposition Parliamentarian, Ganesh Mahipaul stated that this year’s theme, “Democracy: Challenges Facing Modern Parliaments,” is both timely and critical as the complexities and opportunities are navigated.
“As representatives of the people, we are entrusted with the sacred duty of shaping the future of our nations. In parliaments across the world that I have had the opportunity to observe during my years as a politician, I have seen the crucial role that forward thinking and responsible governance plays in the development of a nation. The challenges facing modern parliaments are many, but they also present us with opportunities to build stronger, more resilient democracies.”
He stressed, that democracy has long been heralded as the most inclusive and representative form of governance, giving voice to the people and ensuring that those in power remain accountable. However, in today’s rapidly evolving world, parliaments, the very institutions that are the bedrock of democratic governance are facing unprecedented challenges, Mahipaul pointed out.
“These challenges not only test the resilience of democratic systems but also compel us to reconsider how we can strengthen and adapt our parliaments to better serve the people in an increasingly complex global landscape”, he said.
According to him, one of the most significant challenges facing modern parliaments is the erosion of public trust. “Scandals, corruption, and the perception that elected officials are more interested in self-preservation than public service have contributed to widespread cynicism.”
He said, “This loss of faith in parliamentary institutions undermines the legitimacy of democracy itself. When people feel that their voices are not being heard or that their representatives are disconnected from their realities, voter apathy increases, and the very fabric of democracy begins to fray.”
To address this, he opined that parliaments must embrace transparency and accountability “not as buzzwords” but as guiding principles.
“Parliamentary proceedings should be accessible, and decision-making processes must be clear and open to scrutiny. By fostering a culture of honesty and integrity, parliaments can begin to rebuild the trust that is so vital to the functioning of democracy”, he posited.
The conference concludes on September 7th.
