Inclusive governance, a work in progress

Jun 19, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
Political mischief continues to drive lawlessness and irresponsibility in Guyana. The increasing use of mayhem to distort the work and achievements of the democratically-elected People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has long become the norm.
And use of the race card for some time now has turned out to be the mask for this unrelenting political mischief, especially articulated through the media. What is the reason for this mischief? Clearly, the raison d’être has to do with undermining this Government and rewrite the political history of this country.
We now hear from some regular letter writers that Guyana is a dictatorship, others say it is becoming a ‘creeping dictatorship’, and bedeviled by ethnic discrimination. It’s not surprising that some of these commentators who worked under the PNC regime failed to utilise these terms; not unexpected because they seem unable to distinguish between a dictatorship and a thriving democracy.
The evidence clearly shows that Guyana has a parliamentary democracy in both form and content, albeit, a fragile one.
This Government has a built-in public opposition, presents itself for election every five years with multi-party involvement, where there is an independent elections commission, where political power is not wielded by one person, where there are recognised limits to the Government’s authority, and where the Government does not even come close to regulating all aspects of people’s lives. And since 1993, the US-based Freedom House Survey has deemed Guyana as free, i.e., with political rights and civil liberties.
Advancing democracy requires expansion of inclusivity in governance. And constitutional amendments have now placed Guyana’s Constitution on the international stage as one of the most people-oriented, in relation to inclusivity and Opposition involvement in governance.
Constitutional amendments also have furthered inclusivity, contrary to the erroneous view that this Government has not amended the 1980 Constitution. Some amendments now follow.
The President’s powers were reduced, and his term of office now limited to two. Note the limits on the President’s powers through Articles 90, 180, and 182 of the Guyana Constitution.
And these Commissions are now in place: Ethnic Relations; Procurement; Rights of the Child and Integrity. Parliamentary Sectoral Committees now review Government’s policy in the social, economic, foreign, and natural resources sectors.
There are the Parliamentary Management Committee, and the Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform; this Parliamentary Committee System has membership drawn from both the Government and Opposition; inclusivity in action; shared governance!
Earlier, the Jagdeo-Hoyte dialogue drove inclusivity through these bi-partisan committees: Local Government Reform; Border & National Security; Distribution of Land & House lots; Resuscitation of the Bauxite Industry; Depressed Communities’ Needs; Broadcast & Radio Monopoly & Non-partisan Boards. And the post of Head of the Public Service was distinguished from the post of Head of the Presidential Secretariat.
In addition, State Boards and Commissions include PNCR and other Opposition representatives.
Notwithstanding that this list is not exhaustive, surely, this is a large arsenal of inclusivity; a huge reserve of shared governance.
The abundance of inclusivity certainly disavows the disingenuous arguments that Guyana’s social infrastructures have adopted dictatorial and racist practices.
This Government continues to deepen inclusivity, a process that is evolving. And the greater the inclusivity, the greater will be democracy and development.
Prem Misir

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