The Declaration of Vreed-en-Hoop - The way forward for the PNCR

The Declaration of Vreed-en-Hoop – The way forward for the PNCR

Aug 19, 2012 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

The People’s National Congress is preparing to celebrate its 55th anniversary on 5th October this year. The Party is also preparing a policy review to enable it to respond to the demands of the changing political environment in Guyana.
The Party, for five and a half decades, has been driven by a consistent commitment to citizens’ fundamental rights. It has, within the past two years, participated in three democratic processes – internal primary elections to choose a presidential candidate on 26th February 2011; general and regional elections as a member of A Partnership for National Unity on 28th November 2011 and the election of a new party leader at its 17th biennial congress on 29th July 2012.
Brigadier David Granger, the newly-elected party Leader, explained that the experiences of these three events – together with his personal interactions with Party members and his appreciation of the aspirations of the people whom he had been meeting over the last two years – have contributed to the evolution of ideas to move the party forward.
Dubbed the “Declaration of Vreed-en-Hoop” because he outlined those ideas in that West Demerara community, the Leader put forward several points for the Party’s progress. He intends, after further consultations among grass-root members, to present proposals to the party’s Central Executive Committee and the General Council for further deliberation, modification and adoption.
Granger called on party members to rekindle pride in the many accomplishments of the PNC in government and not to allow the prejudicial views of others to make them ashamed to speak out. He reminded members that it was the PNC while in government that had reconstructed sea defences and the coastal roads network and constructed the Soesdyke-Linden highway, river bridges on the Canje and Demerara, the international airport at Timehri, the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary agricultural development scheme, the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus and other infrastructural projects.
The PNCR Leader called on members to embark on a massive membership drive to strengthen the Party and to broaden its base. He set an ambitious target of doubling registered membership by the 18th biennial congress due to be held by August 2014. He also encouraged the Party’s arms – the National Congress of Women and the Guyana Youth and Student Movement – to conduct countrywide recruitment campaigns.
Granger added that, as recruitment increased, institutional measures for internal Party democracy will be strengthened. These measures will see senior-level leaders being elected only after the presentation of their candidature to local group members.
The PNCR leader reminded members that “All politics is local,” emphasising that many matters villagers raised had to be resolved within the regions. He said that part of the solution to some of rural and agrarian problems lay in intensifying villagers’ participation in Neighbourhood Democratic Councils. These councils, unfortunately, were now being dismantled by the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration. The Party had to be ready to fortify grass-roots democracy by playing a greater role in local government, countrywide.
The Leader reiterated the Party’s absolute commitment to ensuring equality for all and protecting citizens’ fundamental rights. He called to mind the ongoing brutish treatment of Lindeners at the hands of the PPPC administration and the Police Force. He recalled, also, the inadequate communication and education infrastructure in some hinterland and coastal areas which hindered the development of many citizens.
The Leader emphasised that the party should define itself as an advocate for social justice and the “defender of fundamental rights” in Guyana. He pointed out that, at present, it is a citizen’s birthright to have his or her basic needs met. The PNCR, therefore, must continue its assault on inequality of opportunity and must remove impediments to equal access to public services.
He reminded members of the importance of rebuilding the PNCR’s historic relationships with trade unions. The People’s Progressive Party Civic administration, over the past two decades, had gravely undermined the bargaining power of the larger public sector unions. The PNCR now had the responsibility to restore the integrity and viability of working people’s organisations.
Brigadier Granger called on members to expand economic production in the country. He agreed with residents that adverse conditions had to be improved. The People’s Progressive Party Civic administration had damaged the rural economy of several regions. Complaints about unsatisfactory drainage and irrigation, poor infrastructure, youth unemployment, land tenure and shrinking economic opportunities – especially in crop farming and animal husbandry – in many rural regions, all pointed to the need for the PNCR to pay greater attention to the economy.
The Leader encouraged Party members to seek economic independence to improve their livelihood. He told members that the PNCR’s policy was to find ways to increase wealth…not to perpetuate poverty. He called on Party members to become more enterprising, saying “you have to become businessmen and women; you have to produce more; you have to be educated and ensure that your children are educated so that they could find gainful employment…”
Granger said that the Party is committed totally to achieving national unity and will continue to build bridges to all communities and interest groups. He promised to work towards promoting inclusionary democracy in A Partnership for National Unity. He said, “we must be able to sit down as Guyanese, setting aside ethnic prejudices”.
The electorate on 28th November 2011 indicated that it was fed up with the PPPC’s style of ‘winner-takes-all’ politics. APNU had already brought about a ‘sea-change’ in the local landscape. Clearly, the Partnership represents the future configuration of politics in Guyana.