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Let’s not destroy Guyana any further

Jan 16, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
Are all those who are asking for shared government really want to share the government in the interest of the people or for their personal benefit?
In the fifties and sixties the PPP had been calling for shared government when they were in power but the PNC was not interested in that because they were assured by the USA and England that they will get rid of the PPP by any means whatsoever, even if they had to kill the PPP leadership.
In July, 1964 the Venezuela government who wanted backing from the USA on their claim over Guyana reported that the Venezuela government was ready to provide financial support to Burnham when the time is ripe for the Jagan overthrow.
On December 11, 1962 Dr Jagan wrote to Mr. Burnham for the two parties to form a coalition. Mr. Burnham’s reply was that, “your statement that your party has always advocated a coalition government between the two parties has been noted. The PNC believes that a coalition is not the only vehicle needed for achieving the needed national consensus.”
In June, 1964 the PPP suggested a coalition where the PPP and the PNC will have an equal number of ministers – five each with the leader of the PPP being the Premier and the leader of the PNC being the Deputy Premier and the leader of the legislative assembly.
This too was not accepted by the PNC because they were assured of power by the USA and Britain.
In the seventies, the PPP again called for a national front government and again this was rejected by the PNC.
In the late eighties GUARD came but was dismantled before it became effective. They wanted full power.
PCD was formed and each party wanted their leader to be the presidential candidate.
Prior to the 1992 election there was never any talk about shared government or inclusive government from the PNC because they were sure to win the election by some means. When the result show that they lost, Mr. Hoyte did not want to give up power but Mr. Carter told him that he will have to go.
Mr. Hoyte for one did not believe in inclusive or shared government but was forced upon him by his party because they said that they cannot win an election anymore.
Now the PNC is talking about shared government on their terms.
The PPP maintains that to have shared government there must be trust on both sides.
The PNC is not showing any of that.
In the 1964 election, the PR system was forced upon the Guyanese people and we all know what a disaster it brought upon the people. If another kind of system is forced upon the people again a disaster is there in the waiting.
There are a few countries that have coalition governments, but this is where one party doesn’t have a majority to form the government e.g. India. In Canada the past two governments were minorities and they did not form a coalition; now there is a call for a coalition between the three opposition parties. In Canada, the opposition ideology is almost the same, while in Guyana the PPP is different from the rest of the opposition.
Don’t destroy Guyana again with something which we do not know about.
Jagessar Sukhraj

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