The people have the power!

Jun 03, 2023 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

---

Kaieteur News – With rights come responsibilities. One of the responsibilities of citizens is to hold their governments accountable.

This point was reiterated by Patrick Lumumba, the iconic Kenyan anti-corruption activist. Appearing on the Glenn Lall Show last Saturday, Lumumba said that often citizens sit back and the lay the blame solely at the feet of their elected leaders for mismanaging their resources; however, they too have a duty to ensure that the nation’s patrimony is protected for the sake of the next generation.

Even in democracies government can exercise tremendous and coercive powers over citizens. Governments can pass laws which curtail citizens’ freedom or impose regulations that can affect citizens. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations can make citizens susceptible to arrest, fines and imprisonment.

Governments also have power to levy taxes. Taxation can be used as a punitive measure against citizens. But the greatest form of control by governments is in relation to the law enforcement agencies.

Even under a under a democratic Guyana, there were never any guarantees that governments would necessary exercise their powers in a manner that would be transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of citizens. As is now known, important information such as the signing of the oil contract and the signing bonus were kept hidden from the population for almost 18 months.

The same thing is happening under the PPPC. The public is not aware of what is the interest that is being paid to the oil companies for their investment. So on major issues, the public remains in the dark just as they were in relation to the identity of the syndicated investors in the Marriott Hotel.

How then can citizens press for greater accountability? The first approach is to demand more transparency and access to information. Glenn Lall has been relentless in asking about the interest rate which is being paid on the oil companies’ investments. It is the public pressure for information which has forced the government to make public the environmental impact assessments and permits relating to the field development plans of the oil companies.

Mr. Ramon Gaskin, a social activist, has submitted an application for information on the gas-to-shore project. This is one way of pressing for accountability – by demanding access to and information.

The second way of holding government’s accountable is by advocacy. This is why it is important more Guyanese come forward and support persons like Glenn Lall, Ray Daggers and the Transparency International who are fighting for a better deal for Guyana. Were it not for Glenn Lall, there would not have been a new draft model Production Sharing Agreement nor would the Environmental Permit for Liza 1 have been amended to provide for full indemnity in the event of an oil spill.  Glenn Lall is keeping the government on its toes and is pressing for public disclosure of decommissioning costs. He also is advocating for ring fencing.

Through advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and legal actions, civil society organizations and individuals are can shed light on government wrongdoing, promote accountability, and amplify citizens’ voices. By engaging with civil society organizations and supporting their work, citizens can collectively challenge government power and influence public policy decisions.

Public advocacy is a process. It is not an event. It takes time and it requires sustained effort. Results do not happen overnight. As Patrick Lumumba says, the struggle is a marathon not a sprint.

The third method which the people can use to ensure accountability is through peaceful protests. Peaceful protests can be a powerful tool to bring about accountability. By gathering in numbers and expressing their grievances and demands peacefully, protesters draw attention to social injustices or government misconduct.

Protests are also a means of building public awareness and to apply pressure on the government to address issues. Peaceful protests can also attract media coverage, providing publicity and drawing attention to social concerns. Even though the mainstream media, apart from Kaieteur News, and most social media news outfits failed to provide coverage for the walk undertaken by Ray Daggers, it was streamed live. Every day more than 40,000 persons in Guyana and overseas tuned in. It was also heard on Kaieteur Radio.

Peaceful protests have been effective in Guyana. The protests over the parking meter contract were sustained and it forced the government to have the initiative withdrawn.

Citizens therefore should not feel disempowered. They have the power. They just need to take a stand and to it for a sustained period. Not only will they be holding their government accountable but they will be bringing about change, and more importantly become the instrument of that change.

 

---

• Glenn Lall Show last Saturday, Governments also have power to levy taxes, The same thing is happening under the PPPC, Transparency International who are fighting for a better deal for Guyana

---