PATRONAGE POSES A MORAL DILEMMA

Sep 02, 2015 Editorial

Since the beginning of adult suffrage in Guyana, patronage has become the trademark of party politics. The patronage system also known as the spoils system is the practice in which a political party, after winning an election gives government jobs to its relatives, friends and supporters as a reward for their hard work during the election campaign.
The job is also an incentive to keep working for the party.
This is the opposite of the merit system where positions and promotions are based on qualifications and experience. Patronage is derived from the idiom ‘to the victor belongs the spoils.’ It has become a moral dilemma to the nation as both parties have been involved in the process.
The spoil system has the propensity for corrupt practices. This type of abuse and excesses by the political parties has become the dirty side of politics in Guyana; it has benefited only a few and not the masses.
Like a necessary evil, it begins largely with election campaigns where party leaders would seek candidates and supporters to finance campaign and develop policies to help steer the party to victory. It has and continues to be a boldfaced practice by both parties with no end in sight.
Equally important is the fact that supporters, friends and relatives who worked for political parties during elections are expected to be rewarded if their party wins the elections. So in politics, nothing is free.
This is actually the give and take nature of party politics in Guyana’s multi-racial society where the vast majority of people cast their votes along racial lines thus making it very difficult for a party to win elections on ideas alone.
The patronage system and racial voting have over the years helped to keep both political parties alive and relevant. The two-party system makes it difficult for third parties to survive for any length of time; most die a natural death after two or three election cycles. But what is good for the political parties is not necessarily good for country.
In fact, general elections tell a lot about the ability of the people to separate ideas from racial voting. Racial voting has its own morality and has attracted its own type of hypocrisy and loyalty.
The abuses and excesses of political patronage led to the loss of trust and confidence in the former government. However, patronage is not a simple matter of blaming one party or another or their leaders. Given the dynamics of party politics, the leaders are put under heavy pressure to make jobs available to their members and supporters. Every party in Guyana has been, in one way or another, involved in patronage appointments. The Granger/Nagamootoo led APNU+AFC government is no exception.
While in opposition, the present government had accused the former PPP regime of providing jobs to friends and relatives, but since assuming office three months ago, the coalition government has done the same thing. It is like the African Proverb: Hand washes hand makes hand comes clean. However, constitutional reforms could end patronage in Guyana but only if the politicians agreed to do so.
Despite criticisms from the media and the public, political parties continue to indulge in patronage because the leaders do not have the courage and integrity to resist it even though they are aware that it will erode the public trust and confidence in politicians.
Patronage breeds inefficiency and blocks the progression of those with merit. This is rather unfortunate because education and merit are essential to advance economic and human development in the country.
Truth be told, neither the governing APNU+AFC coalition nor the opposition PPP can survive without patronage. The reason is that patronage continues to serve the interests of the party and supporters. It has supported ethnic voting and the division of the country along racial lines. Thus patronage is indeed a moral dilemma to the nation.

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