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THE ABILITY TO LEAD

Jan 29, 2017 Editorial, Features / Columnists

In Guyana the onus is on the media, institutions and the general public to constrain the unfettered exercise of executive power by a ruling party. The other real prospect of limiting the exercise of executive power is losing it through an election.
The Parliament, independent institutions, public opinion and the media, especially the print media have indeed provided an effective check on the reckless exercise of power by the previous administration.
The citizens may recall the 28 years of unbroken rule by the People’s National Congress (PNC) between 1964 and 1992, followed by 23 years of uninterrupted rule of the PPP from 1992 to 2015. Both parties were considered to be corrupt, and partisan. They made little attempt at diversifying the economy and improve the well-being of the masses.
The last administration was crude and vulgar, as a result, it was voted out of office in 2015. The new government should grab the opportunity and diversify the economy and reform the constitution in order to preserve the rudiments of democracy.
Given the present economic situation, high unemployment, the crime rate, and the high-level of poverty among other issues, the challenge for the government is formidable. It has to revisit its vision for the society, reach out to the people outside its core support base and pursue its objective of change, building alliances, unity, develop the economy and provide a better life for all.
However, it seems that the current leadership in government has not done a good job at inspiring the people, especially the youths. The government has remained silent to the almost daily vicious attacks by the opposition while its base of support in the City is being torn apart by senior officials at City Hall who continue to mistreat the vendors.
So far, the government has not formulated any credible policies and has not been communicating effectively with the people. Neither has it been proactive nor has it used the media efficiently to inform the people of its plans.
The health of the nation’s democracy depends on the government undertaking its responsibility to govern in the interest of all. The last administration did not rise to the occasion. There are questions as to whether this government has risen to the challenge to solve the country’s problems. Others are concerned that mismanagement of the economy, corruption and the lack of discipline would prevent the development of the country and truly move it into the 21st century.
During the 2015 election campaign, the current leadership embraced the principles of good governance which involves transparency and accountability. In office for 20 months, it has been pursuing this course albeit in the face of distractions by the opposition. Even measures to bring the tax dodgers to book are being seen in a political light. In fact, every effort to correct a flawed economic system and to remove cronies of the previous administration is dubbed attacks on supporters of the political opposition. It is as if every business enterprise is owned by supporters of the opposition.
But the government is not advertising its work. Its lack of communication with the public has led to a decline in popularity.
The same wave of discontent from the last administration is now confronting the government and there seems to be no solutions in sight. The success of the nation depends on the policies developed and advanced by the government, its accessibility to the print media to inform the public, and its tenacious resolve to solve problems. It has the ability to lead and it must do so urgently.

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