APNU Committed to Coalition – We are Better Together

May 27, 2018 APNU Column, Exchange Rates

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is committed to Coalition government.
Our ten partners, Associate Members and Affiliate Members came together in 2011 with a single vision and common mission. We were then and remain now, committed to giving full meaning to our national Constitution by creating an inclusionary democracy.
Our Constitution enjoins: The principal objective of the political system of the state is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the state.
Recognising that the tide of ideas in Guyanese politics had turned, APNU brought a new politics into being. We expressed our commitment to ending ‘winner-take-all’ politics and building inclusive, responsive and accountable governance. This we believe will ensure that our multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society succeed through respect for the diversity, hard work, thrift and sacrifice of all of our citizens.
The pillars upon, which this commitment rest is strong. Several of our Partners and Affiliate members were part of coalition arrangements or have always articulated this form of governance.
The Peoples National Congress (PNC), the largest political party in the Partnership, entered government as part of a coalition administration in December 1964 and started the transformation of colonial Guyana into modern statehood.
The PNC led Guyana to Independence 18 months later, on 26th May 1966, under the inspirational national motto – One People, One Nation, One Destiny.
The PNCR today is the heir of those who fought for national Independence. On numerous occasions, the Party has stated unequivocally its commitment to actualise the vision of our nation’s founders by continuing their work to make Guyana ‘OneNation.’
It was with that commitment and vision that Forbes Burnham, the first leader of the PNC, started talks with the People’s Progressive Party – PPP – in 1976 and resumed talks in 1984. His aim was to establish a government of national unity.
It was with that commitment and vision that the second leader Desmond Hoyte invited members of civil society into the PNC, resulting in the Party’s name being changed to PNC Reform. His aim was to promote national unity through shared governance.
It was with that vision that the third leader Robert Corbin toiled to bring the joint opposition political parties together and to forge the PNCR-One Guyana alliance. His aim was to create a coalition that would promote national unity.
It is with that commitment and vision that, today the fourth leader of the PNC,
David Granger, proudly continues the PNCR’s tradition of leadership in advancing the One Nation programme and in reaffirming A Partnership for National Unity’s commitment to Coalition governance.

The Partnership subscribes to six core principles:

1. Active promotion of a healthy political and democratic culture in the workplace, places of worship and recreation and in organisations;
2. Consensus in decision-making and respect for dissenting views;
3. Steadfast rejection of discrimination in all forms;
4. Commitment to defend the sovereignty of Guyana at all times;
5. Commitment to the reasoned and peaceful resolution of conflicts and rejection of all forms of violence as a means for the settlement of disputes; and
6. Open membership to all Guyanese parties, organisations and citizens who subscribe to these core principles and to its social, political and economic programme.

It was with this rich legacy of commitment to advancing the One Nation programme and respect for our core principles that representatives of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change (AFC) signed the historic ‘Cummingsburg Accord’ which combined the energies of six political parties in a pre-election coalition for the first time in Guyana’s political history.
In a message on the formation of this historic coalition, Chairman of APNU Brigadier David Granger said “we- the Alliance for Change; Guyana Action Party; Justice For All Party; National Front Alliance; Peoples National Congress Reform and Working People’s Alliance, shall together lead the majority of citizens who struggle daily against disunity and against a dictatorial government (the then ruling Peoples Progressive Party-PPP), and who seek a good life in this, the land of their birth….
“The APNU+AFC Coalition is the boldest step taken in six decades to replace political hostility with unity; confrontation with cooperation; dictatorship with democracy. The Coalition has chosen hope over despair and faith over fear…
The APNU+AFC Coalition is actually more than six parties. It has already become a national movement for transformation. The whole is Greater than the sum of all its parts. The momentum that the Coalition has generated is evidence of the people’s satisfaction and their desire for change. United, we stand a better chance to fulfil our destiny. Divided, we fall victims to the tactics of the PPP which could return to office.”
Perhaps nothing is more important to Coalition governance than being a change agent for healing and reconciliation in our beloved Guyana. Since the beginning of our recorded history, we have known conflict and strife, most notably in the deliberate manipulation of the races by our colonial rulers to ensure that, until today, we remain distrustful, disrespectful and disdainful of each other.
Thankfully, most Guyanese are committed to working towards a unified Guyana, they know and like APNU they believe – we are better together.