‘Democracy’ as we know it is a fading concept in Guyana

Jun 29, 2010 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Global trends in political economy suggest that “democracy” as we know it, is a fading concept in Guyana. Arguably in Guyana, through the ruling class, their friends and cronies, democracy is something of a façade as it is.
However, we are entering into an era in which even the institutions and image of democracy are in retreat, and the slide back to Burnham’s totalitarianism seems inevitable.
The only element of democracy left in Guyana is one man one vote and there is no certainty that this situation will continue with high level discussion currently underway on how best to recommence overseas voting.
But one of the most important indicators of this slide towards totalitarianism is being manifested in the authority, responsibility and accountability of the domestic security forces.
The Guyana Police Force has never been more equipped than it is today, but yet the society is no safer. What is all this equipment being used for? To serve and protect the ruling class, their friends and cronies.
Once that mandate is served, then the police have no reason to account for their actions to the working class by serving and protecting the general population.
This abuse of authority has now evolved to suspected abuse of children, including allegations of murder and mutilation by serving members of the Guyana Police Force.
Here is a child who was allegedly mutilated on his private parts by officers of the law; a child who is in perpetual physical pains and these officers are walking the streets as free men on bail.
There is no reason whatsoever to not believe that their case will be postpone perpetually until it develops into a permanent pause – case dismissed for lack of evidence.
The police are also being used to spy on political opponents and harass them at every opportunity while allowing drug traffickers a free reign since drugs money is a key source of sustenance for many of the cronies of the ruling class (case in point Dr. Hinds, a decent professional who has close association with the WPA, was searched to the hilt at the Airport while drug lords and cronies of the ruling class are given free rein to load the planes whether in pink or yellow suitcases.)
Another feature of budding totalitarianism regime is the need to suppress any alternative thoughts and ideas. It has no natural limits and is bound by the aim to totally dominate everything and everyone.
They have now dominated the leadership of the Joint Services with naked and wanton bribery (Remember the case of the Head of one of the Joint Services who was caught with 5 state vehicles at his personal disposal, who had the audacity to order a 6th vehicle for his personal use at cost of G$24 million to the taxpayers and it was approved by the political directorate). They have dominated the leadership of the Public Service with the imposition of contract workers with no job security in key management positions to ensure that they can do the bidding of the regime without resistance.
They have dominated the media by buying out those that they can and for those who are not for sale; they use state advertisement as a tool of oppression.
They deny the people the Freedom of Information Act with un-kept promises after un-kept promises. (Remember President Jagdeo’s promise at the Summit of the America’s in April 2009 – Broadcast and Freedom of Information Legislation by October 2009. In Jagdeo tradition, October came and October went with no Legislation).
The veracity of most statement of this ruling class is subject to review for accuracy and plain truthfulness and even the world famous Economist Magazine is finding this out now.
But any budding totalitarian regime must recognise that they have one enemy – the working class.
Their attempt to stultify the independent media failed since the working class, bought one less Coca Cola and made “swank” instead to find the funds to pay more for the Independent Papers.
As a non-resident Guyanese, I am willing to pay to read the Kaieteur News and SN online.
This is our silent way of protesting against the naked aggression against the independent media by the regime. This resistance now has to move up one notch to wake up the ruling class.
Guyanese are God blessed and lucky people since we have the option of easy exit to Trinidad, Venezuela and now Suriname again to save our future and minds from the oppressors.
Those lucky enough, move further afield to enjoy freedom in the lands of the free. We did it in the past and we are doing it today. But this is not the solution, this is just the plaster.
The solution is using innovative actions locally to force movement back to basics. It is time to start the process of re-fashioning our developmental model with the working class in mind and the working class must demand this. Enough of this bourgeoisie style of Government, where only friends and cronies of the ruling class are the principle beneficiaries of the state’s largesse.
It is time to start the process again to reduce the divide between the rich and the poor in Guyana.
That means seriously relooking at the working class issues and how the state can facilitate an alleviation of their poverty issues.
The performance of the Jagdeo regime over the last 10 years remind me of George Orwell when he wrote “Power is not a means, it is an end.
One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.
The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power.”
Well the time has arrived to reverse all of the “Animal Farmism” that is alive and well in Guyana and the most practical mechanism to do this is by way of the Guyanese People’s Partnership against Oppression.
Sasenarine Singh

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