Liberal democracy – our guiding political principle

Feb 06, 2011 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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An abridged version of the address given by AFC’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Sheila Holder, MP on the occasion of the launching of the party’s campaign on January 29, 2011

You know as much as I do that we are at a critical juncture as people prepare to permanently break away from rewarding democratic centralism, paramouncy of the party, poor governance, unfair treatment, corruption, disrespect for the rule of law and more. After 45 years of independence, Guyana continues to be a graveyard of under-development with many talented people and natural resources being wasted and underutilized.
Recently the AFC released its Action Plan (AP) for Government, which outlines the general thrust of how the party intends to put this country on the road to becoming the Singapore of the Caribbean. I encourage you to read it carefully to better understand how different we are as a political party from the others. In this document, we offer you a fair understanding of our guiding political principle – liberal democracy. More importantly, this AP offers how our programs and style of governance seek genuine partnerships with all Guyanese to take this country to a higher level of governance.
We worked tirelessly on bringing this document into good shape in a true display of how the Diaspora, and those of us who remain here, could work together, selflessly volunteering talents to help rescue our motherland. This supplies the evidence that the AFC can find the people of competence, with the national conviction to manage the affairs of this country. You know as well as I do how reckless it would be, at this time, for us to unveil the names of these experts who are committed to working through the AFC to rescue Guyana, given the vindictiveness of some in this government. We are all doing this for a common purpose – the political, social and economic emancipation of our people.
You see, when a tragedy like the last 45 years of political logjams strikes a country, it is part of our nature to demand answers about how we allowed such hegemony in Government. While people tried to grapple with this senselessness they nonetheless sustained the two major political forces that offered so little; yet took so much from them.
Many Guyanese lived in the bubble that these dinosaur parties would have looked after their interest. The truth! These selfish political entities did not only discriminate against non-core supporters, but they also discriminated against their core supporters. Just walk the streets and dams like we do and ask the questions and you will find out that all our people are catching economic, political and social hell at the hands of this administration.
In contrast, the AFC will do for you in Government:
· Defend and increase civil liberties of the people against the violation from governments, institutions and powerful forces in society and move to change the constitution to strengthen independent institutions to guarantee all our people their basic civil rights. Under an AFC Government independent investigations will be done, people will be held accountable and compensation will be made to victims by the errant organizations.
· The AFC believes that Government is a regulator, not a competitor with the people. Institutions will be strengthened to function independent of politicians by following the rule of law. Gone will be the days when businessmen have to know a high-ranking government official to get a piece of land or a permit to complete an investment. The only criteria we have for business people is that they pay their fair share of taxes, follow the rule of law then we shall open all doors for them to grow, get wealthy and create the jobs for Guyanese;
· Increase the scope for religious, political and intellectual freedom of citizens. When the AFC wins Government, we will not be witch-hunting citizens because of their political, religious and intellectual persuasion. All we demand is respect for each other, that citizens live within the rule of law and be partners in this process to develop Guyana. There will be a place in the AFC Government at the highest levels for PNC and PPP members once they are technically competent and willing to work with us. So I encourage one and all, there is a home for you in the AFC.
· There will be no vested interest groups seeking special privileges. The AFC was very concerned when the laws of Guyana were changed after the fact to correct an illegality by the Government to satisfy the needs of a certain business entity. This is wrong and this is corruption of the highest order. Under an AFC Government, we will engage official bodies like the Trade Union Movement, the Private Sector Commission and wider Civil Society to continually amend the laws of the nation to improve our delivery of the wealth to more of our people, but all of it must be done openly and transparently. The AFC will not stand for back room deals that are shaped in sleaze and illegality. This is how we aim to be different.
· Develop a society open to talent and which rewards citizens on merit, rather than on rank, privilege or status. We aim to frame rules that maximize the well-being of all. This is why reforming the constitution is central to an AFC Government. We believe that the current constitution still has many flaws that must be corrected. One of our first acts in Government will be to commence the discussion on changing the constitution. We in the AFC believe that the functions of the Head of State (the Presidency) should be separated from that of the Head of Government (the Prime Minister). The AFC wants our President to be the Guardian of our Constitution and the Prime Minister answerable to the people’s representatives in Parliament and be held responsible for the Government’s agenda between elections.

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