Alliance offers historic opportunity to achieve national unity –Dr. David Pollard

Feb 25, 2015 News

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By Kiana Wilburg
Executive Members of the Burnham Foundation on Friday, last, concluded a memorial symposium for the late Elvin McDavid, who served as Minister of Information and Culture from 1971 to 1972. The event was observed on the 92nd birth anniversary of the late President Forbes Burnham at the auditorium of Critchlow Labour College.

The seminar was chaired by GECOM Commissioner, Vincent Alexander. Ms. Nicole Cole, Vice Chairman of the Burnham Foundation, delivered a tribute to Mc David, while Retd. Brigadier David Granger paid respect on behalf of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR). His eulogy was read by Justice Brassington Reynolds to the McDavid family.
The occasion provided food for thought, not only on the life of the political activist, but also on attempts at national unity in Guyana.
On the latter topic, the political dissertation was deepened when physicist, Dr. David Pollard delivered a presentation which reflected on the number of attempts at partnerships between the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the People’s National Congress (PNC).
Dr. Pollard examined at length, the three periods when the attempts were made and some of the factors that might have led to their failure. Upon this premise, he then turned his attention to the fourth and what seems to be a most serious endeavour at a genuine alliance, between A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC).
The presenter spoke about the opportunities the current partnership holds, which were in keeping with the theme of the symposium; “Burnham and National Unity Government.”
He reiterated that there have been three failed attempts to a government of national unity, but in his opinion,

the APNU-AFC arrangement seems to have overcome certain hurdles which led to the breakdown of talks of alliance in the past.
Dr. Pollard also spoke about the importance of ensuring national unity given Guyana’s social, economic and political make-up, and stressed that the leaders of such a government should also strive to ensure that the ideals of national unity are not only maintained to remove oppressors, but to also maintain a certain environment that is imperative to ensuring the nation’s overall well-being.
He then placed the spotlight on several sections of the Cummingsburg Accord which was signed between AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan and Opposition Leader, David Granger. In doing so, he said that the parties involved were able to quickly discuss and get over the matter of allocation of posts and the dispensation of powers in that document. Dr. Pollard said that it is important to note that such a matter was a stumbling block to alliance talks of the past.
In giving more direct comments on the APNU-AFC partnership, Dr. Pollard said he would do so from two perspectives.
He said that this effort at national unity reminds one of the efforts by Burnham in pursuing the same and both parties have to be cognizant of the issues that arose at the time and what served to tarnish the talks which included the haggling of the dispensation of power in the previous mergers.
The physicist shared the view that the upcoming elections campaign period will provide AFC Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo and Granger with the much needed opportunities to work together and iron out any concerns, if any exist at all.
For the younger voting generation, he sought to deliver the message that the APNU-AFC alliance provides “a historic opportunity to achieve national unity out of the box…” He said that this time, most stakeholders can assist in helping to put it together and truly install a national party.
“If the two parties work together to build real consensus, we can have a government that will get Guyana in a position where its true potential can really be harnessed for the good of all,” he added.
At the end of his presentation, the Chairperson entertained two or three comments on the symposium from members of the audience. But before doing this, Alexander commented that the parties in the past which engaged in alliance or coalition talks, perhaps failed to be successful because, as they were engaged in a struggle for national unity, they were also in a struggle against each other for power.
The GECOM Commissioner said that it is fundamentally different this time, because APNU and the AFC have a broader vision in mind, and have already overcome that hurdle. He concluded that it is a critical difference to be noted.
Taking the floor were just a few others, one of whom was APNU’s Shadow Minster of Finance, Carl Greenidge who thanked those who were part of the symposium for their insightful presentations into the life of McDavid.
He too agreed that the APNU-AFC arrangement has an interesting series of antecedents, but nevertheless sought to emphasize that the conditions surrounding the recent partnership are rather different than those of the past.
On the life of McDavid, presenters said that the political activist shared a close relationship with Burnham. After the passing of the late President, it came as no surprise that Mc David went on to establish the FBF which is a registered non-governmental organization to commemorate the life of Burnham, and keep his legacy alive.
The former Culture Minister was also described as a “complex character” who gained the interest of Burnham in the 1960’s when he was a young student pursuing studies in London. It was noted that his activism as a ‘Burnhamite’ was birthed during that period.
On completion of his studies in Political Science, McDavid had returned home and almost immediately, embarked on a political career which saw him assuming many portfolios, all of which were political. He was also responsible for the establishment of the now obsolete Guyana National Service (GNS).
McDavid who passed away last year, was saluted by those who gathered for his foresight and fortitude in founding the Burnham Foundation, and there were pledges to keep his legacy, the foundation, alive and also to uphold its founding principles.

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