Limited alternatives

Sep 10, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists

After one of the most intense general elections in 2015, in which the PPP was narrowly defeated after 23 years in office, the problems associated with corruption, crime, unemployment and the social services remain far from being solved. And while the government struggles to come up with solutions, the opposition seems to be feeding on the frenzied activity, as it continues to be in election mode, poised and ready to go to the polls again. But 2020 is some time away.
The dynamics of governing Guyana have never been easy, given its land mass, diverse population and ethnic enclaves. One would surmise that the APNU+AFC government, although victorious at the last election, has kept its machinery oiled and fully functional to maintain its position. It has everything under its control, but must recognize that its position has changed significantly from being in opposition.
It is the belief of political scientists that governments change not necessarily because political parties actually win elections; in reality, political parties lose elections and for various reasons. One reason is because most of the promises made during election campaigns are not kept. Another reason is governments tend to neglect the wide-ranging social and economic issues affecting the people. A third reason is governments very seldom consult with the population after being elected. This weighs heavily against on the party in government.
In recent times, the APNU+AFC government, which has been in office for 16 months, has been constantly on the defensive as opposed to being on the offensive, due to several scandals. The worst of them being the recent drug bond contract in which a senior government official misled the House of Assembly and by extension the nation.
While there are defined policies, systems and procedures in place to deal with wrongdoing, they have not been used, or if so, not effectively. This has cast a dark shadow on the government which had been elected on a platform of accountability and transparency. Such neglect could erode the people’s trust and thus make it more difficult for it to hold onto power.
The odds are essentially stacked against the government, given the poor state of the economy and the high crime and youth unemployment rate, among others. When in opposition, the coalition had vowed to create jobs for the youths and reduce crime if given the chance to govern. Now in government for more than a year, unemployment among youths has risen substantially and the country is experiencing unsettling crime. And to make matters worse, there are quite a few senior government officials who are less than impressive in their respective portfolios.
There have been assertions that what the administration does over the next year will determine its political survival. But on the other hand the opposition is at this point considered relatively weak, and this has contributed somewhat to its declining attractiveness. It seems to still be recovering from its defeat at the polls.
Its leader has not won an election outright since 2006 and has since been losing credibility.He has put his personal ambition before his love for the country. What is most amazing is the self-righteousness of the opposition leader who, while in office, treated so many people with absolute disdain, and which today he is knowingly ignoring as having happened. The people have become paranoid from the tremendous abuse they have endured under his presidency. Many PPP supporters have been thoroughly disappointed with his modus operandi. It’s a classic case of the more things change, the more they remain the same. The current reality is that the country may not experience any noteworthy shifts in power, because the alternatives are limited and uninspiring.

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