The electoral system is flawed but it’s in the interest of the PPP to change it

Mar 21, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
When Freddie Kissoon use the term elected dictatorship, I personally felt it was too harsh since one cannot become an elected dictator unless they are rigged elections, and as far as I am aware since 1992, elections are better than what it was before in Guyana. The current Chairman of the Elections Commission is not known to be a PPP man, the Elections Commission machinery are not generally pro-PPP people, so when an elections is conducted, the PPP is at a disadvantage; institutionally.
However, because of covert racism in Guyana, some parties feel more secure than others and that is not something that will evolve easily. This guarantee majority for some and has led to a government acting like a dictatorship; albeit it was elected democratically.
This is not the same as an elected dictatorship ala Freddie definition. Yes the electoral system is flawed in Guyana, but it is not in the vested interest of the PPP to change it. If the system delivers victories after victories, why would they want to change it?
That is why it is extremely important that the parliamentary opposition and civil society must bring pressure to bear to ensure that the system is changed to give more power to the people.
The current system allows someone like Bibi Shadick to make a statement like “so be it” in her response to the criticism that the final meeting Select Committee on the contentious Court of Appeal (Amendment) Bill was brief and was hurried to exclude the opposition.
“So be it”! This is the way to treat your colleagues in the National Assembly because they are the minority?
Well this does not reconcile with President Jagdeo message of “enhance cooperation” that he signalled in his new framework for cooperation with the minority parties in Guyana.
The President is on the record of saying that “we need to work closer at the national level.” Well it appears that the hearing aids of some MPs were turned off when President Jagdeo made that speech.
However, this parliamentary profanity coming out of the mouth of a former Minister can also expose a fundamental truth in the art of governance in Guyana – “Say one thing but do another.” Ms Shaddick has clearly demonstrated she is just a creature and avid student of this poorly constructed philosophy.
If President Jagdeo really means what he said earlier in the year about enhance cooperation with all stakeholders, then he needs to reprimand these soldiers of division, if not he can easily be accused of saying one thing and doing another and tolerating this philosophy.
He runs the risk of not being listened to in the future by the majority of the Guyanese population if his words have no meaning or substance.
There is still time; albeit little time.
Sasenarine Singh

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The electoral system is flawed but it’s in the interest of the PPP to change it

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