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WPA ramps up conditions for continuing with coalition
The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) will be heading to the polls with the coalition but on several conditions. This is according to WPA Executive Member, Dr. David Hinds.
During an interview with Kaieteur News, Dr. Hinds was asked about the outcome of the meeting that was supposed to be held by the WPA on whether it would be going to the General and Regional Elections with its coalition partners.
Dr. Hinds said that a meeting was held with the People’s National Congress/ Reform (PNC/R) and they were briefed on what was done regarding the Government’s response to the No-Confidence Motion. He said that a more substantive meeting is expected to be held with President, David Granger.
WPA Executive Member, Dr. David Hinds
“In relation to the WPA and the coalition, we would be part of the coalition but with some conditions. We are in the process of discussing those conditions and once confirmed, we will discuss it with them.
“We will go with them in principle. But we don’t want some of the errors being made in 2015 and post 2015 being made again. Our concern is strengthening the coalition and learning from our mistakes.”
Going forward, Dr. Hinds said that he believes the coalition needs to apologize to its support base and the country at large for not living up to the promises enshrined in its manifesto of 2015. He added that there needs to be broadened leadership within the coalition.
“I would argue that one such person to take more of a leadership role in the Party is Foreign Affairs Minister and Vice President, Carl Greenidge..,” expressed the WPA Member.
Dr. Hinds has also lamented the fact that the Working People’s Alliance was taken for granted by its other coalition partners, particularly the People’s National Congress. He even bemoaned the fact that the WPA’s role in government is minimal.
He said, “We have one Minister, one Presidential Advisor and Chairs of Boards of two state institutions, NICIL and GuySuCo. In addition, Dr. Clive Thomas heads the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU).
“I think in each of those institutions, despite challenges, our representatives have been trying to bring to bear WPA’s larger praxis of fairness, justice for the poor and the powerless and transparency.”
Speaking to the performance of Professor Thomas thus far, Dr. Hinds commented that his presence in the policy-making set up at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) brought some common-sense to the sugar industry.
On the issue of State asset recovery, Dr. Hinds said that the SARU CEO has also led the way.
“I think he has singlehandedly placed the issue on the front burner and put us on the brink of a major breakthrough in that area of government fight against public corruption,” expressed the University Professor.
In the area of education, the political activist said that the Minister, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine has begun to move the education praxis in a more democratic direction whereby more emphasis is placed on the children at the bottom of the social ladder.
But with all that said, Dr. Hinds said that the WPA faces real challenges.
He said, “We are part of a coalition within a larger coalition, and given our lack of proximity to core decision making, our influence on the vision and direction of the government as a whole is muted. We also suffer from a simplistic view within the belly of the two bigger partners that since we did not ‘bring votes’ we should not be an influential player. That is a reality that we have no control over.”
Despite some positive movement in recent years, the political activist said that the deep suspicion between the PNC and the WPA still exists.
He said, “We have been taken for granted largely because our leadership has taken a conciliatory attitude to the government whereby in the interest of unity we have tempered our instinct to be more critical of government’s shortcomings. We have come under a lot of pressure from members and supporters for that approach which is seen as a departure from our core praxis.”
Towards this end, the Executive Member of the WPA said that the party is planning a general members meeting to address this and other burning issues, including morale among some of the members who have been shut out from participation in the government.
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