Let genuine democracy be characterised by a vibrant opposition, except we have none

Apr 15, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Everybody tells me that we have democracy in Guyana. I think all of them – media, leaders, foreign powers, private and civil sectors – lie blatantly. I expect that from government, since PPP leaders know no truth, with no names necessary. Truth is light, and they live in dark silence, while armies applaud, through free speech camouflaging egregious wrongs.

I anticipate lying PPP leaders and the lies they tell, but I cannot tolerate those from a silent and darkened Opposition. This may be government by the people (statistics), of the people (demographics), but it is not government for the people. Not when we have an opposition who is contented to sit on its hands and count its pieces of silver. I insist that genuine democracy must be characterized by a vibrant opposition, except we have none. We have canned noises to signal life and presence, but lacking indications of burning zeal for the people and driving zest for their interests.

I ask what could have converted the Guyana opposition – the PNC, AFC, and other comrades under its closed tent – to this, the State of embarrassingly wretched malaise, disastrous silence. I said earlier that they (leaders and insiders) count their blessings. It is my belief that the current opposition looked closely at electoral map and its electoral destiny, and all that it can see and sense is goodbye. It detects an insurmountable numerical mountain that stands immovably before its prospects of triumph at the polls. Having done so, and its leading people are good at appreciating the unrewarding endgame, the opposition has settled for the next best thing: take what is given, and give what is asked.

I think the first price for the opposition’s betrayals, as evidenced in its desultory demeanours and exhausted energies, is silence; another is distance, and still another is operating in darkness. Look at the opposition and it has mastered all three and delivers on its end of traitorous bargains made. On the other side of this subversive buyout and sellout of Guyanese (all of them), stand the Americans first, with officials and oil sectors well represented and deep-pocketed enough to make the kind of democracy desired here happen. As happened before to India (Desai) and Persia (Reza Pahlavi). The next buyer of democracy is the PPP, with deep-pockets and willingness to buy loyalty, losers, and the stained lingerie of Guyana’s soggy sullen opposition. If it can’t win at the polls, then it can at the bank. The media is part of the ghastly failures, where even august Stabroek News cowers glaringly from its prior commendable courage; its constituency is establishment and civil, which prostrate before a Machiavellian monstrosity labeled AmCham. It is not even pyrrhic; only democracy ransomed continually.

The obligations of honest, consistent dissent fades. Yes, it is democracy of the people, by the people, who vote with their feet always. But is it of democracy for the people? To that, I say: NO! knowing well that opposition cannot be limited to only a few, including yours truly.

Yours truly,
GHK Lall

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