We need an inclusive think-tank to chart a course for the future

May 25, 2020 Letters

After the dust is settled and we have a government, whether legitimate or not, as only half the people in our country will agree that the results would have been fair, we need to ask ourselves, what now? We, the citizens of this country, need to demand change to the way government works, how we are managed. For too long, politicians and political parties have hijacked the will of the people with zero accountability. Politicians need to realize that while they may be put there by half the population of this country, their jobs are to look after the concerns of 100% of its citizens, not by lip service but by deeds, laws, actions and thought.
With our upcoming oil wealth, and once things return to near post Covid19 normal, there is absolutely no reason Guyana cannot become the envy of the world, surpassing Dubai and Singapore; all we need is the right people in the right places with a vision of where we want to go and a plan on how we achieve it.
This will involve persons outside the political parties participation, even in the short term I urge our leaders to fill the permanent secretary positions in all ministries with competent qualified persons and not party faithful, placed as rewards for loyalty and with no thought to the damage they are inflicting on the country. We need a central think tank of the best and brightest Guyanese from all walks of life and political persuasion, working together to chart the future of our country.
We should no longer exclude people because they are not in “our party” because this country is owned by all of us, If you can look around the world you can see that everyone is moving forward yet we have Ministers who are trying to reinvent the wheel, without embracing the technology of the changing world, we are stuck by dogmatic rendering and adherence to ancient customs and laws, some which were developed as far as hundreds of years ago, and have absolutely no relevance today, and instead of updating these we “obey the Laws” which sets us as a country even more backwards. I would venture to say that most Ministers in my experience are not even acquainted with their job description, let alone having the capacity and capability of carrying out the task. Thought has to be given to way decisions affect the citizens: closing of roads, spurious public holidays etc., needs to have consideration of the impact and discomfort which such actions caused and if they are warranted.
In the long run we need to scrap this electoral system that we have and put in place voting for individuals as against parties in each district, which will allow a greater degree of qualified candidates, based on their personal achievements and philosophy rather than having party lackeys with no distinguishing attributes being fostered upon us. The cream will rise to the surface and all these unqualified people who end up running ministries, and even heading major government positions can be rewarded by serving in some lower capacity where their lack of ability will not affect the overall development of our country. Can you imagine even with the backing of a political party that we the people, will end up voting for a drunk or someone of low morals and or questionable reputation, as compared to a polished successful candidate of high and unblemished standards for the same district?, This will force the political parties to elect competent intelligent persons in order to be elected to Government and not some of these present party members masquerading around the place as authorities on everything when in fact they know very little and most would have a hard time in the private sector even getting a secretarial job.
Yours truly
Roy Beepat .

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