A Movement to Break the Backbone of Race and Ideology!

Jun 14, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

The current LGE 2023 campaign conducted by the PPP/C sends a powerful message that politicians must work hard at the grass roots level to win votes. The act of voting is one of the most formidable and inalienable rights accorded to citizens in a democracy. And the exercise of this right should no longer be dependent upon consideration of ideology and race but must, at a minimum level, be based upon immediate ‘bread and butter’ issues. A smarter electorate has evolved out of the prevailing technological and mass communication age, including social media, that increasingly wants to embrace reason.

Over the past 6 decades up to 2020, the country had not made any significant progress in the reduction of youth unemployment (30%) and the poverty level (34%). This traditional approach to politics had also failed to heal the gaping divisions in the country’s racially bifurcated state. Historically, ethnic tensions/conflicts, rivalry, and sometimes violence, had dominated the political landscape, while the salience of issues had been diminished. Despite gallant attempts, previous political leaders had been unable to overcome the divisions resulting from ideology, race, gender, religion, and region.

The current PPP/C leadership believes that they have produced an answer to these gaping problems. After methodical analysis, they have grabbed the concept of a 21st Century Movement (21CTMOV) to transcend barriers of ideology, race, religion, gender, and region. From the 1942 Quit India campaign led by MK Gandhi, they recognize that for a movement to succeed, it requires: (i) transcending boundaries of race, ideology, region, and other differences; (ii) must have a clearly defined objective; (iii) it must have staying power; (iv) it must be led by charismatic leader(s) who also have a track record of accomplishments; and (v) it must revolve around a particular philosophy.

A young and energetic leadership recognizes that the importance of traditional approaches to politics had not resulted in demonstrable advance in the quality of living, the narrowing of regional resource disparities, and any significant reduction of poverty (34%). Winning state power is not enough. They believe that they must rise above ideology, race, and other barriers to lift Guyana into the 21st century and provide the good life for every Guyanese. And the vehicle for this transformation is 21CTMOV.

The PPP/C leadership knows that citizens have been moving away from race-based to issue-based voting as evidenced in the 2006, 2011, 2015, and 2020 national polls. For example, in 2006, the new AFC party won 5 seats and in 2011, it won 7 seats. These were at the expense of the PNCR. At the 2015 polls, about 10% of traditional PPP/C voters cast their franchise for the PNCR-led coalition. The PPP/C would have not win the 2020 polls had it not been for crossover voters. These crossovers were influenced by issues. This emerging trend would integrate well within the 21CTMOV and add momentum to it.

The force of the 21CTMOV has been resonating well at the PPPC’s LGE 2023 campaign. The proverbial ‘red wave’ built around grass roots governance and mobilization, has been sweeping across the country and shown also on TV and podcast screens in Guyana and in the diaspora. These powerful signals indicate that Guyana is on the path to break away from the shackles of racism, ideology, and other barriers which have historically tormented citizens and stymied the country’s development. This movement finds its full expression in the philosophy of ONE GUYANA (where commonalties take precedence over differences, where race is demystified, and where nationalism is paramount).

The 21st Century Movement is poised to put Guyana and Guyanese in the best socio-economic place they have ever been. And the results of LGE 2023 will test the efficacy of the 21st Century Movement.

Sincerely,

Dr. Tara Singh

Democracy, Dr Tara Singh, mass communication, politicians, PPP/C

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