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Empower the People
Aug 05, 2015 Letters
DEAR EDITOR,
The coalition campaigned on a promise of power sharing. But that promise has turned out to be mere rhetoric.
Ten weeks after the controversial election, there is no discussion on power sharing. Worse, the coalition has been removing government employees who are suspected of being sympathetic to or supportive of the de facto opposition PPP.
During the campaign as well as the formation of the coalition government, the leaders of both the APNU (PNC) and AFC stated that they wanted to form a national unity government, inclusive of the PPP.
But there is no movement in this regard. And in fact, the two leaders seem to have lost interest in it, pursuing instead vengeful politics.
Guyana cannot be governed by one race or political party. There is need for multi-party governance. One-party government that began in 1953 has failed the nation. It has not only institutionalized political division, but it has reinforced ethnic division as well.
There have been frequent parliamentary boycotts and incessant agitations since 1955 because of the battle for one-party (one-race) dominance.
The political instability has impacted development. The constitution that promotes one-party dominance must be dumped so that every party and ethnic group shares in governance.
Virtually everyone I spoke with in Guyana and the diaspora wants a new Constitution, in which one party or race will not be dominant.
The country needs to frame a new Constitution to address the issues relating to its ethnic conflict. Once there is a new Constitution that shares power among the representatives of the political parties or ethnic groups, people will feel comforted that issues affecting them will be addressed by their political leaders. They will be at ease in investing in the economy.
The fraudulent Burnham Constitution has outlived its period. A new Constitution must address electoral reforms, corruption, right to information, public procurement, decentralization of political power, local preference to contracts where practical, and sharing of power (cabinet, ministries, state corporations, Regional Councils, etc.) based on percentage of votes achieved. It is about the only way to reduce ethnic and political tension in the society.
Vishnu Bisram
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