Securing Governance Systems Within the Guyana Government

Sep 06, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
It has become a matter of course that individuals’ professionalism and integrity hit low notes in the political arena. This has been demonstrated in other countries, and Guyana is no exception. In this context, I wish to touch briefly on the state of governance in Guyana and need for the wider society to become more involved in the operation of Government.
This has become necessary because we have had a political history that has flirted with socialism and government along the socialist model, and it is important that we do not return to such ideas. Socialism has demonstrated that it is inherently weak as a resource allocator both in the political and productive spheres. Politically, it fosters cronyism and corruption, and a stagnant ruling class which becomes a law unto itself, while the masses are destined to remain so, having no power to remove the ruling class.
Fortunately, we have shifted to a democratic model which is based on competition, the rule of law and free speech. Free speech and the rule of law are essential elements of a democratic system since these allow for discourse on matters in law and the adoption of appropriate models and systems to protect society and strengthen the operation of government.
The three essential elements to securing effective government are clearly articulated – transparency, accountability and governance systems. Guyana has suffered tremendously over the last generation because of the lack of these aspects in the management in our government affairs. We have yet to draft guidelines on transparency, accountability and governance systems which define and underpin government operations and protect our society from similar abuses of the past.
In the absence of these guidelines, the media, notably our daily newspapers, so often taken for granted, has played a vital role in exposing past abuses and shaping public opinion on our political and economic climate. Indeed, they have facilitated an energizing of our society by providing a vehicle for independent professional analysis across the various disciplines, all of which has worked towards better decisions from a more informed society. For this we are grateful and should render full support as they continue to hold government accountable and provoke and promote interest and solutions to our problems.
However, wider society needs to recognize the stakes involved in having a government devoid of accountability and become more proactive and involved both in keeping government in check, and pushing for the guidelines on transparency, accountability and governance to be drafted and integrated into our government systems. Government and its officials are not a power and law unto themselves. They were not elected as slave masters, but as public servants, to serve the will of the people.
Craig Sylvester.

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