The stakes are high in Guyana’s democracy

Dec 19, 2024 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Peeping Tom…

Kaieteur News- In any vibrant democracy, the mechanisms that bind it together are those that mediate differences, not extinguish them. To understand this principle is to grasp the essence of democratic governance: it thrives not in conformity, but in the acknowledgment and resolution of disagreements.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPPC) government of Guyana would do well to heed this fundamental tenet, for its current trajectory appears less about mediating differences and more about exacerbating them—a perilous path for any nation professing democratic ideals. Democracies, by design, are noisy, contentious, and rife with dissent. Were we all to agree on every matter of governance, elections would be redundant, freedom of the press unnecessary, and an independent judiciary obsolete.

Disagreement is part of the make-up of democracy. It is because disagreements are inevitable—because competing priorities and clashing ideas and ideals are the hallmarks of human societies—that we require a democratic system. This system serves to channel and mediate conflicts, preventing them from spilling over into violence and chaos.

Yet, democracy demands more than the mere presence of elections or institutional frameworks. It demands an ethos of inclusivity, dialogue, and accountability. The PPP/C government must recognize that the democratic will of the people, while supreme, is not synonymous with unbridled majoritarianism. A simple majoritarian approach, unchecked by institutional safeguards, leads to instability and populist excesses. When the government weaponises its majority to bulldoze dissent, it undermines the very principles that legitimize its authority.

As Professor Ben Ansell of Oxford University once noted, to guard against this, liberal democracies impose restrictions on what even democratically elected governments can do. Such restrictions are not constraints on the will of the people; they are safeguards against the descent into authoritarianism. Courts, independent agencies, devolved governments, and the media are not mere adornments of democracy—they are its spine. These institutions serve as counterbalances, holding governments accountable, restraining their excesses, and ensuring they operate within legal and moral boundaries. Without these checks, democracy risks becoming a tyranny of the majority, where dissent is stifled, and governance devolves into arbitrary rule.

Yet, in Guyana, these counterbalancing institutions face an onslaught. The free press, a foundation of democracy, is under siege. Week after week, press conferences are weaponized not to inform or engage but to attack opponents, disparage critics, and issue veiled threats. Such actions chill free expression, and erode the media’s capacity to hold power to account. When a government treats criticism as treachery and dissent as an affront, it signals a troubling shift from democratic governance to authoritarian impulse.

Equally troubling is the absence of meaningful dialogue between the government and the political Opposition. Democracy’s mediating function requires more than rhetorical commitments to inclusivity; it demands action.

Yet, in Guyana, this action is conspicuously absent. Refusing to engage in face-to-face consultations with the Opposition or reducing political discourse to mudslinging contests betrays a disregard for the democratic process. The refusal of the political Opposition to shake hands with those they oppose is equally problematic. Such gestures, or the lack thereof, symbolise a broader unwillingness to bridge divides and engage in the hard work of compromise.

By side-lining its critics and isolating its opponents, the government creates a vacuum where grievances fester, and polarisation deepens. This is not governance; it is governance’s antithesis. If democracy in Guyana is to become more deeply entrenched, the PPP/C government must abandon its combative posture towards the press. Journalists are not adversaries; they are vital participants in the democratic process. Threatening or disparaging the press weakens the public’s ability to hold power to account and undermines transparency and accountability. Instead of attacks and belittling critics, the government should foster a culture of openness, where criticism is welcomed as a means of improvement rather than dismissed as an act of hostility.

Similarly, the Opposition must rise above petty intransigence. Democracy is not served by entrenched refusal to engage. Shaking hands with political adversaries is not an act of surrender; it is an act of respect for the democratic process. The Opposition’s role is not merely to oppose but to offer constructive alternatives and participate in the governance of the nation. By refusing to engage meaningfully, they abdicate their responsibility to the people they represent.

The stakes are high. Democracy in Guyana, like anywhere else, is fragile. It requires a recognition that governance is a shared enterprise. The path forward is clear: engage in dialogue, respect the press, empower counterbalancing institutions, and commit to the principles of inclusive governance. Anything less risks not only the erosion of democracy but also the fracturing of the nation itself. The PPP/C government must decide whether it will be a promoter of democracy’s enduring promise or an agent of its decline. The choice it makes will define not only its legacy but the future of Guyana’s democracy.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this newspaper.)

(The stakes are high in Guyana’s democracy)

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• accountability, Peeping Tom, People’s Progressive Party Civic, PPP/C Government, weaponized

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