Dear Editor,
I extend my gratitude to Stabroek News for publishing my initial letter on the First Pick System—a governance model designed to foster political stability, trust, and economic fairness in Guyana by ensuring that all major political groups have a stake in governance. The robust public response to this proposal underscores the urgency of reforming our current winner-takes-all system, which has, for decades, deepened ethnic divisions and hindered national unity.
For too long, our beloved nation has been locked in a cycle of blame, resentment, and division. Every election, every political transition, and every national debate is clouded by the ghosts of our past. Indo-Guyanese point to the alleged vote-rigging and exclusion under the Burnham era, while Afro-Guyanese point to the alleged extrajudicial killings and corruption under the post-Jagan and Jagdeo administrations. Each side sees itself as the victim of injustice, and each side fears domination by the other.
But where has this taken us? What has it gained us? For decades, our politics has been a zero-sum game, where one group’s victory feels like the other’s defeat. And yet, despite all the political battles fought and won, despite all the changes in government, the fundamental problem remains: a deep ethnic divide that keeps us from building a shared future.
It is time to bury the hatchet.
We must recognize a simple truth: no group is without sin. Both Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese have suffered injustices, and both have also held power and made mistakes. If we continue to weaponize history against each other, we will only ensure that future generations inherit the same bitterness, mistrust, and division that have held us back for over 50 years.
Guyana, stands at a crossroads. With our newfound oil wealth, we have the opportunity to transform our nation into a prosperous, modern democracy. But prosperity will mean nothing if half the country always feels left out of power. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. This is why the First Pick System is bold, imaginative, and necessary at this stage in our history.
The First Pick System: A Path to Unity
The First Pick System offers a new model of governance based on fairness, cooperation, and shared responsibility. Instead of the winner-takes-all approach that has fueled our ethnic divisions, it ensures that both major political parties—and by extension, both major ethnic groups—have a stake in the governance of the nation.
However, it is important to emphasize that the First Pick System, as outlined in the initial letter, is an envisioned conceptual framework. Its final structure and implementation will require broad consultation and discussion at all levels of society—including political leaders, civil society, business groups, and the ordinary citizens whose lives will be most affected. This is not a rigid blueprint but a starting point for a national conversation on governance reform.
To move this vision forward, a Roadmap needs to be developed to outline the necessary steps toward achieving this new governance model. This roadmap will identify key areas for consultation, legal reforms, and institutional adjustments, ensuring that any transition to a new system is both democratic and inclusive.
Addressing the criticisms
Some have dismissed this proposal as “just another DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiative.” This is a misrepresentation. The First Pick System is not about tokenism, quotas, or political correctness—it is about national survival. It is a pragmatic solution to a deeply entrenched problem, one that ensures no group feels permanently excluded from power. Governance is about stability, and a system that allows both major groups to have a voice will bring the political trust necessary to move the country forward. Others argue that “Indo-Guyanese must remain on top” or that any change to the current structure would disadvantage one group. This mindset is precisely what has kept Guyana in a state of political instability for decades. No group, no matter its numbers or political strength, can govern successfully if half the nation feels alienated. The First Pick System does not remove any group from power—it ensures that power is fairly distributed so that governance can be stable, inclusive, and productive.
Some critics have said, “We have had this constitution for 60 years, why change it?” The reality is that the constitutions of many former colonies, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, had to evolve after independence because their inherited frameworks did not address the complexities of self-rule. Similarly, countries like Northern Ireland, Belgium, and Switzerland have successfully implemented power-sharing models to accommodate ethnic and linguistic divisions, ensuring stable governance. Guyana’s constitution was crafted for a different era and has not resolved our deepest national problem. If something has failed for 60 years, is it not time to rethink our approach?
A Call for National Dialogue
We must ask ourselves:
• Do we want to keep living in the past, or do we want to create a new future together?
• Do we want our children to inherit the same ethnic grievances, or do we want them to inherit a country that is strong, united, and fair?
• Do we want to be remembered as a generation that clung to division, or as a generation that had the courage to heal our nation?
South Africa, for example, made the bold choice to break the cycle of racial division and build a new nation based on inclusion. Now, it is Guyana’s time to do the same.
Let us acknowledge the past but refuse to let it define our future. Let us step forward together—not as Indo-Guyanese or Afro-Guyanese, but as one people, one nation, with one destiny.
A new Guyana is possible—but only if we dare to build it together.
Sincerely,
Charles Cambridge PhD
Professor Emeritus of Management
