Stakeholders agree Youths, Opposition must be on the frontlines of achieving “One Guyana”  

Sep 04, 2022 News

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Social Edge

 By Kiana Wilburg

Kaieteur News – If President Irfaan Ali’s ‘One Guyana Movement’ is to be successful in combating systems that promote racial resentment and oppression, then the nation’s youth as well as its political Opposition must be at the forefront of this noble fight.

This was the consensus of opinions proffered by several stakeholders who spoke with The Waterfalls over the past two weeks about the need for social cohesion and how it ought to be achieved.

Economist and Executive Director of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Richard Rambarran, was keen to note that in his view, President Ali’s ‘One Guyana’ initiative demonstrates a genuine political will in fostering social cohesion. The Economist said the Head of State’s actions as well as the policy measures of the administration, depict in a pellucid manner that Dr. Ali is leading the charge at consolidating voices against all manifestations of racial discrimination and injustice and is determined to ensure a safe environment for those who speak up.

Rambarran stressed however that youths need to ensure that they play a role in voicing their opinions, particularly about the long-term trajectory of the country. Rambarran said, “This is imperative as it is youths that are the long-term beneficiaries of current actions. Youths also should ensure that where there are areas for improvement, they act as the sentinel for change, with constructive criticism.”

The Economist noted that the political Opposition in the nation’s democracy has an important role to play in dialogue and ensuring that the dialectical process between themselves and government tosses up new ideas. He said this means engagement with the Government on a consistent and continuous basis, particularly in areas that are important for national development. Rambarran said, “We are at a juncture in our development process where this is more important than ever.”

Attorney-at-Law and PPP Parliamentarian, Sanjeev Datadin, also acknowledged the need for all Guyanese to lend support to achieving a united nation while resisting messages that there is an emerging apartheid State as being noted by the Opposition.

The lawyer recalled that under the previous dispensation, there was an attempt at social cohesion that “had no meaning.” Datadin asserted, “… it was a label like many others born out of the mentality of dictators of yesteryear … the use of mottos and labels … such as the 3 B’s (Boats, Bicycles, and Buses) and other fanciful phrases were even catchy, but ultimately meaningless labels.”

President Ali’s ‘One Guyana’ is very different says Datadin who noted that it is a vision that all of Guyana must move forward. Admittedly, he said this will not be an easy task for the Head of State given the country’s social and economic past. Irrespective of those historical fault lines and insecurities, the Politician charged that the younger generation must feel and think differently.

“They must be fearless and know that as a Guyanese citizen, all the opportunities and benefits to every citizen are available to them. Our present economic trajectory is phenomenal by any standard and every citizen must benefit. The ‘One Guyana’ initiative is real. Roads are being built everywhere, housing everywhere and to everyone, water to everyone. Development is being undertaken in every region and notably, the hinterland is recognised and has a seat at the table too,” shared the Parliamentarian.

The one ingredient he said is necessary for President Ali to succeed is for each to work towards the common goal of ‘One Guyana’. “We should never give up for no reason … the stakes are too high and failure is not an option.”

As for the present agenda of the Opposition to say there is an “emerging apartheid state”, Datadin said this is dangerous and has no basis in reality. He categorically stated that it also dishonours those who fought against apartheid. He said the new messaging by some Opposition elements is therefore just another label, hollow and ultimately without any substance as many of their labels when they were in government.

Columnist and Historian, Ronald Austin, stressed that while President Ali’s initiative is not new, it needs to move beyond being a grand slogan.

He told ‘The Waterfalls’ that successive Governments in the post-colonial period in Guyana have attempted to solve Guyana’s albatross, racial division. In pursuit of that interest, Austin said they have resorted to grand slogans: ‘Social Cohesion’, and ‘One Guyana’. Invariably, Austin said this sloganeering is detached from revolutionary policies and constitutional reforms that would result in concrete and monumental actions that would transform the country.

As a consequence, Austin said he has always held the view that grand constitutional reform is the best way to achieve racial harmony. The columnist said men and women cannot be compelled by slogans to resist their animus, only laws can do that. “I speak not of facetious constitutional amendments or two to

three changes. Any Head of State who is serious about ending Guyana’s racial division must think of constitutional dismemberment and craft a new constitution based on ending racial disharmony once and for all. That draft constitution should be brought to the people for a referendum for one single vote,” the Historian intimated.

In this regard, Austin posited that youths must advocate for the ‘One Guyana’ movement to move from mere sloganeering to a point where it has constitutional teeth. He said it must become the ethos of the constitutional republic.

Further to this, Austin urged youth leaders and youth groups to demand changes such as ‘Affirmative action’ programmes for ethnic groups that have faced marginalisation in the country’s history while adding that this must become part of a legal and structured arrangement.

Additionally, he said youth groups must call for a ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ that would ventilate all racial grievances held by the various ethnic groups. All of these efforts, he said must culminate into a grand reform of the constitution. Importantly, he said parties must accept that political sloganeering is not the answer to Guyana’s racial problem. He said they must advocate for the issues highlighted above.

Overall, the columnist articulated that President Ali’s ‘One Guyana’ movement can only become successful if it moves from political sloganeering to concrete constitutional actions. “Then and only then, President Ali can emerge as a transformative leader.”

APNU+AFC Parliamentarian, Juretha V. Fernandes, also agreed that there is a dire need for social cohesion in Guyana. She emphatically stated however that the only way for this to happen is if there is a structured approach in which both Government and Opposition play an equal role in formulating and executing plans to achieve such.

Unless there is such a deliberate effort to practice inclusion, Fernandes opined that any efforts afoot are designed to fail. Further, Fernandes said young people should not be used as a token symbol to present an illusion of inclusion, but rather be given real power to influence change in a generation that only they truly understand.

“It is important to note also that no amount of slogans will ever erase the fear and pain felt by any one group. I am ready and committed to working collectively towards achieving a more unified Guyana, for only then will we truly realise our full potential as a people. And only then will we be able to shield this nation from those who exploit the division in our country,” the young Politician expressed.

Owner of National Hardware Guyana Limited, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer, was also one who shared the view that the vision for a ‘One Guyana’ is critical to changing the future of politics. He reasoned that the changing demographics of the economy and the populace mean that politics based on racial identity cannot be the future of Guyana. Boyer cited for example, that the mixed-race population is the fastest growing segment of the population. Taking this into consideration, the divisive nature of the political machinery needs to change.

Expounding further, Boyer said, “I think the one thing the President has to do is the one thing that he is doing – ‘One Guyana’ isn’t a slogan for him, it’s a way of governing. He has met with meant cross sections of society and many different communities and has dispensed with the hierarchical nature of traditional politics. One great example was him cooking out for members of the communities and listening to their concerns in that setting.”

By and large, Boyer said he believes the President can be successful with this movement since the messaging of the opposition on race matters is also weakening. In this view, a significant portion of the populace is more concerned about financial security and how they fit into the oil future. He said it is imperative that the Opposition places its focus on issues or risk losing touch with younger voters.

In the meantime, he believes the President’s message is already falling on fertile ground.

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