Democracy in reverse

Mar 08, 2019 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

The fate of the nation hangs in the balance. No agreement was reached in Wednesday’s meeting between the President and the Leader of the Opposition.
The meeting should not have been held. Why does the Leader of the Opposition have to be summoned to the Ministry of the Presidency, only to be told that there is no date for elections as the President has to meet with GECOM?
It is a waste of the time of the Leader of the Opposition and of the people of Guyana who were waiting with bated breath, hoping desperately that a solution would have emerged from that meeting. No solution could have emerged because there was no timeline available as to the actual date on which elections will be held. No useful purpose could have been served by that meeting.
There was no need for that meeting. The communication about the need for the President to meet or to consult with GECOM should have been done through emissaries.
This is how things are done internationally. The leaders do not need to engage over the fine print. These negotiations are done by emissaries who enjoy the confidence or at least the ear of both sides and therefore can more easily hammer out an agreement which can then be endorsed by the leaders. This behind- the-scenes talks and negotiations by representatives is what was needed that the leaders can then meet and resolve what cannot be resolved by their emissaries.
Unfortunately, power has become so centralized at the level of the state and, regrettably, within the political parties that leaders are having to meet to discuss issues that should be resolved by their emissaries.
As such, the public is becoming frustrated. They are blaming the leaders for the failure to reach agreement and for what is perceived to be stubbornness or an unwillingness to be reasonable.
The nation was riveted on Wednesday to their social media platforms, hoping to learn what would be the outcome of the meeting between the President and the Leader of the Opposition. The people were hoping for a solution to the impending crisis because it is people who bear the brunt of the problems which emerge when there is a political crisis.
The meeting was a failure. Not even a joint statement could have been issued.
The people were in suspense, hoping that their leaders would reach an understanding. It shows how disconnected the people are from the system of democracy which exists. Instead of the people being in control of the situation, it is the people who are at the mercy of their politicians. This is democracy in reverse.
A constitute+onal crisis will result unless elections are held. The actions of the government after March 21, 2018 will be unlawful unless these actions are legitimized by the National Assembly. And in order to do this, there has to be a constitutional amendment to extend the life of the government. Such an extension requires bipartisan support. The doctrine of necessity cannot by itself ensure legitimacy; it is the only legal argument which is used to justify the constitutional amendment necessary for legitimacy.
The consequences of a constitutional crisis after March 21, 2019 can only be resolved by the holding of elections. But there is a bigger problem with elections. Not only is GECOM divided internally over elections but its actions, since December 21, 2018, have generated public mistrust.
And Guyanese are well aware of the problems which have resulted from mistrust over elections. Guyana is therefore not just headed towards a constitutional crisis. It is also headed straight towards political turmoil.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News