Coalition governments are the way of the future for Guyana

May 06, 2015 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
In more than a quarter of the world’s democracies, coalition governments are common and are considered the way of the future. Guyana had its first coalition government in 1964 when the PNC and the UF coalesced to defeat the PPP. That did not last too long. The reason for that arrangement was that neither the PNC nor the UF, by themselves, could have defeated the PPP at the polls in a winner-take-all political system.
Like most things in life, coalition governments have their ups and downs. The good thing is that they force the winners of elections to compromise on their plans, to work together for the common good and to create a broader basis of support in the population for government policies.
A downside seen in many countries with coalition governments is that voters would feel betrayed when they vote for a party and then to see that party compromise, sometimes even with the party they voted against. In a system of coalition government, everyone has to compromise and make sacrifices for the common good. The largest party cannot completely implement the platform it ran on, and if it does, it can disappoint and frustrate the voters. And in the worst case scenario, frustrated voters can lose faith in the democratic process all together.
Coalition governments are more democratic and fairer because they represent a much broader spectrum of public opinion than a government by one party alone. In almost all coalition governments, the views and interests of the citizens are represented in political decision-making. In this way, a more honest and dynamic political system is created which allows the voters a clearer choice at election time.
Coalition governments are the way of the future, because the greater number of political parties gives the voter a more honest choice and brings differences of opinion out into the open for debate. Coalitions also provide good governments because their decisions are made in the interests of a majority of the people and, because a wide consensus of opinion is involved, any policy will be debated thoroughly within the government before it is implemented.
Single-party government is much more likely to impose badly thought-out policies upon the people, perhaps for narrowly ideological and partisan reasons, as in the case of the PPP. When difficult decisions have to be taken, for example on a national issue, or over a major external policy, the consent of politicians representing a wide range of interests and opinion in the coalition is important in committing the country and its people to such difficult but necessary courses of action.
Coalition governments provide more continuity in administration. In countries without a tradition of coalition governments, parties can remain in government or opposition for long periods, and an adversarial political culture develops, as in the case of Guyana where the PPP has been in power for almost 23 years.
When a change does occur, the members of the new administration seldom have any experience of government to draw upon, and they often embark upon a wholesale reversal of the previous regime’s policies. The PPP administration has done exactly that. However, neither of these things is in the public interest.
Coalition governments provide a more consensual style of politics and allow for a more gradual and constructive shift of policy between administrations. They are the way of the future, especially for Guyana where the minority PPP regime has very seldom sought consensus from the people or the opposition. The APNU+AFC Coalition is just what this country needs at this critical juncture.
Dr. Asquith Rose

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