Reject any attempt to split, segregate, or separate us

Feb 11, 2018 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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On January 19, 2018, an important event took place. On that date, the second annual meeting of the National Regional Development Consultative Committee (NRDCC) was held at the Marriott Hotel. One may ask, what exactly is the NRDCC, and why is it important to every citizen, and how will it help to improve our lives?
At the last NRDCC meeting, President Granger outlined how Guyana came to be divided into ten regions. His Excellency said, “The colony of British Guiana was divided into three counties – Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice – which adopted the geographical and historical contours of the original Dutch colonies. They were not functional or developmental from an economic or administrative point of view.
“These counties, by the middle of the last century, were sub-divided into nine districts . . . which evolved, largely, into the ten administrative ‘regions’ which exist today.” We may therefore, think of the regions as geographic divisions.
President Granger said, “A rich country cannot be built on poor regions.” It follows, that regional administrations must co-operate among themselves to ensure that they are working towards common goals. In other words, the ten regions of Guyana, each having diverse resources, must work together to develop themselves and the country as a whole.
There is too, the ethnic division which came about as a result of historical realities. Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, who also delivered remarks at the event, spoke about this. He said that this racial divide is ripe for exploitation by politicians, much to the detriment of Guyana’s peoples. The Minister said, “The lack of social cohesion is what has largely contributed to our under-development.”
He underscored that the NRDCC, as its name makes clear, is intended to foster regional development, which will naturally, result in national development.
A Partnership for National Unity- Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration is committed to Guyana’s development. This development will not be measured by how many tall buildings we have or how many fancy vehicles are on the road. Instead, the administration views development as a personal thing. When we talk about development, we mean the betterment of the quality of life of all citizens.
To us, development means that Guyanese are moving forward: having greater access to quality services such as healthcare, education, security, justice, communications, and job options and prospects. Access to the aforementioned and other opportunities must be the same for everyone, no matter where they live. In other words, there must be equity and equality. If you are from Tiger Pond in the Rupununi or from Orealla in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region, you should have the same chance to live a good life as a person living in Georgetown.
This administration sees development as the improvement of the standard of living beginning with each citizen, and expanding to include neighbourhoods, communities, regions, and finally, the whole country. And this is where the NRDCC becomes important, vital, and essential.
The goal of the NRDCC is to empower citizens through their regional representatives, to formulate initiatives, develop plans, and implement programmes that will foster better lives for all citizens through regional empowerment within a collaborative framework of a comprehensive national agenda. We are talking now about governance.
Good governance is a necessary prerequisite to development. Such governance – locally, regionally, and nationally – is mandated by Guyana’s Constitution. Good governance encompasses such concepts as inclusion, transparency, accountability, planning, co-operation, and collaboration.
It is essential, therefore, that elected regional councillors place the interests of their regional constituents ahead of political affiliation, and co-operate with each other. It is in the interest of citizens to urge regional representatives to participate fully in the work of the NRDCC. A region cannot go it alone. For real national development to take place, each region needs the co-operation of every other region.
At the last meeting of the NRDCC, it was noted that several Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) regional councillors participated. It later became known that Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Leader of the Opposition, had ordered PPP representatives not to attend the forum. The PPP councillors who came to the meeting, therefore, were brave enough to stand up for the interests of their people in defiance of Mr. Jagdeo.
The APNU+AFC welcomes all participants, including the PPP representatives. The coalition applauds their willingness to stand up for what is right, and salutes their rejection of Mr. Jagdeo’s policies of incitement and political division.
Further, the coalition urges all Guyanese to put aside differences. We encourage all citizens to reject any attempt to split, segregate, or separate us one from another. Instead, the APNU+AFC encourages all Guyanese to work together in the spirit of unity. We ask that citizens work to heal our nation and endeavour to forge a united national identity. After all, we are all Guyanese.

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