The Third Force already exists since 2006

Feb 21, 2020 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Those who misleadingly and mis-informatively call for a “Third Force” in Guyana’s politics are many moons late and are in self denial. The “Third Force” came into being in 2006, when <28,000 Guyanese gave the AFC their vote of confidence and 5 parliamentary seats.
This confidence by 10% of the electorate was sustained in 2011, and increased the parliamentary representation of the AFC to 7 seats.
Those who misleadingly argue that a Third Force will cause the traditional forces to work together in parliament, have either forgotten or deny the experience of the Tenth Parliament, which saw a minority PPP/C government use its executive authority to continue mal-governance of the Cooperative Republic. Third Forces in the Guyana context cannot force anything, except wield the threat of a motion of no confidence (NCM) as the AFC did in 2014. Third Forces in the Guyana Parliament are powerless to control or exert pressure on an executive.
The AFC as the Third Force held the promise of post-racial politics through which Article 13 of the Constitution of Guyana could be implemented. The AFC embodied that potential with its election in 2006, and solidified the fulfillment of that promise with its reelection in 2011 with increased parliamentary representation.
The AFC continued to fulfill the promise of post-racial politics and the tenets of Article 13, in a coalition with the APNU formation, thus allowing citizens freedom from fear of ethnic insecurities by political domination. This is evident in the body and representation of the AFC! More so, it has ensured that any individual citizen, can now express themselves politically without concern that their racial identity will limit their participation in the political arena. For confirmation of this important development, look at the candidates of the new parties of 2019-2020, especially female candidates of Indian racial identity, and consider if this would have been possible prior to 2006, without those individuals being targeted by PPP elements and accused of betraying their race. Post-racial politics is here to stay and the AFC as the Third Force made it possible, because the party’s appeal from its inception has been to allow for the coming together of all Guyanese in pursuit of the promise inherent in Article 13 of the constitution of Guyana.
The main lesson of the Tenth Parliament must never be forgotten, a minority government controlled the executive, and remained free to continue in its ineptitude, corruptive and corrosive style of governance until it was stopped by the threat of a motion of confidence. A coalition of patriotic and progressive forces had to be forged to return to the people, an ethical executive government. Therefore a coalition for the people, by the people, and doing the will of the people came into existence. The Third Force, that is the AFC, understood the wishes of its supporters and ensured the wishes of its supporters were enacted in creating a coalition which the people elected to run the affairs of Guyana. The Third Force is continuing to exert the mandate of the people and its supporters by being in the APNU+AFC coalition!
Those who talk about creating a third force today are blind, or are in self denial, and their objective has to be singularly selfish. The Third Force already exists, and is an integral part of running the affairs of the Cooperative Republic! The Third Force has already shown what the promise of a post-racial political and cooperative movement could win for Guyana towards the benefit of all its citizens without exception.

Ronnie White

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