Latest update January 19th, 2025 7:10 AM
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CRITICS SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED ENEMIES
Next month will be three years since the APNU+AFC parties assumed the reins of government, which is enough time for them to understand the use of power. This is important because how the government uses power determines its arrogance or trustworthiness with the people. Several studies have examined the relationship of how the use of power by governments has impacted the trust of people. 
One overarching conclusion found that people’s trust in government decreases relative to the extent to which the government is perceived to use power to advance its own interest, or become obsessed with it. Another conclusion reveals that the people’s trust in governments increases when it uses power to promote the interests of the country and the well-being of people.
Today, many of the promises made by the government during the last election have remained unfulfilled. This is not unique to this government, because most parties when in opposition would make promises, but in assuming office, they are likely to abandon or ignore them.
The government was elected by the people, which means that it does not have the right to do as it wishes or to pursue paths it choses in the face of strong opposition forces. The people’s trust in the government could diminish if crime, especially armed robbery and murder, continue to spiral out of control, corruption persists, and unemployment and poverty continues to rise.
The apparent tendency of the government to interpret the power at its disposal as a tool to be used to pursue its own interests, maintain the status quo and do as it wishes was evident in the unilateral appointment of the Guyana Elections Commissions and the sole-sourcing of several contracts.
Lest we forget, after the release of the oil contract more than a year after it was signed, the government went to great lengths to defend it in spite of the major flaws uncovered by many prominent and professional individuals. It was a colossal mistake by the government and despite calls for a public apology, the government has taken a position, however ill-advised it was and would not back down. Such action is unwise and is one of the most disqualifying qualities of good governance.
This type of behaviour suggests that those in authority are arrogant, have become corrupt with power, which according to Lord Acton, power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely. But Guyanese do not like arrogant and corrupt politicians.
While some have admired the collective mindset of the government, others have warned of the dangers of group-think, which is the tendency to follow the collective mindset and abandon independent, critical thinking. This is the worst kind of environment in which a government should operate. It is well advised to have people who will disagree.
This would encourage the people to have trust in the government. When people in relationships exercise trust in each other, they make themselves vulnerable to each other. But in relationships in which power is disproportionately held by the people and government, it juxtaposes the people’s hopes and aspirations with their deepest worries and fears.
The hope is that the government will use its power to enrich and nurture the development of the country or the well-being of the people. The fear is that the government would use the power to its advantage.
There is an urgent need for the government to consider the reality of the lack of the people’s trust and the ground that it will take to regain that trust.
Unless there is genuine acceptance by the government to accept constructive criticism and not act in a vindictive manner against its critics, Guyana could face grave dangers, especially in terms of improving its economy, advance its development and improve the lives of the people.
That fact that the government regards its critics as its enemies is dangerous, and that attitude could place our democracy in danger, stifle freedom of the press and the people’s right to express themselves freely.
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