THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE

Jan 23, 2010 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

There is now the strong likelihood of local government elections being held this year. And there is a possibility that the government will use the occasion of these elections to ask the electorate to decide on whether term limits should be abolished.
There is no reason for the government not to use the holding of local government elections to insert a referendum on terms limits. This is perfectly acceptable and legal. If the people answer yes, then it means that the government can amend the constitution and have the term limits banished. If the people answer no then one would expect that this will put an end to the question once and for all.
In recent times, term limits have come under serious scrutiny. In many countries, the electorate has been asked to roll back this hindrance. Ultimately, it is for the people to decide. This is far more democratic than having an arrangement whereby a group of politicians and their financial backers make a decision for the whole nation.
The essence of democracy is for the people to decide rather than for a political deal to emerge between the government and the opposition. Once the people decide via a referendum, there is no need for the will of the people to be overturned by any political agreement.
Therefore, if the people say no, then it would be in contempt of the will of the people for the powerful financial backers of the government to try to circumvent this will.
Right now there is a growing feeling that powerful business magnates, some who have major investments at stake in Guyana, are about to push the idea of an abolition of term limits. They know that they will however not get past the main opposition unless there is a power sharing deal and therefore they may be willing to propose such a deal in order to secure this third term arrangement which will be helpful toward protecting and expanding their investments in the country.
The ruling PPP is however not likely to go along. There are many presidential hopefuls in waiting in Freedom House but what they feel may not matter, given the power and influence of those behind the third term idea. The backers of a third term may feel confident that they can sew up the support of the ruling party for a constitutional amendment.
If however the opposition does not go along, then the only option is for the people and this is a far more difficult proposition because there is no certainty as to how the people will vote.
While a particular person may be highly popular, it is not automatic that this will translate to support for a third term since people have seen what has happened during this term of the government and may not wish for an abolition of term limits.
So how is this referendum likely to pan out? It is not clear at this time. Will the powerful business elite behind the third term proposal seek to place the future of the presidency of Guyana in the hands of the people? Are they willing to run the risk?
If the people answer yes, then it will be a major victory for the third term backers. If the people say no, the implications are not just about whether there will be a third term. Such an answer may be interpreted by the opposition as not just a rejection of the need for a third term but as vote of no confidence in the government. So is this a risk that the powerful backs of the third term initiative are willing to take. Or as they prepared to simply dump the idea once it is not seen as viable.
One of the lasting lessons of Guyanese history is the fickleness of loyalties when it comes to the powerful business class. The question therefore is whether this class, knowing that failure of the third term idea can leave them on the periphery of political influence, willing to take the risk in pushing for a third term knowing there is a high probability of failure?
This is the question that must be uppermost in the minds of those supportive of the idea. But how willing are they to stick with it, even to the point of failure, and how much confidence do they have that the people will see things their way?
How willing are they to put this to the test? As one Caribbean Prime Minister said, “Let the people decide.” Will the backers of the third term idea give the people that option?

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