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Time for new politics of Govt-Opposition-Society Cooperation
Dear Editor,
Elections are over. Closure came when the election was over, and a declaration was made. Election chooses a winner or ruling party and public concession of the defeated puts a formal end to an election, but in Guyana the country never had a public concession. And it seemed that an election almost never ends.
Challenges of previous elections are still in court. This is the first election since the 1960s (under colonial rule) when the country did not have acrimony, antipathy, deep animosity, and persistent dispute, but still no formal concession although two small parties (AFC and FGM) did congratulate President Irfaan Ali and the PPP. The voters spoke, and they did so clearly, giving a clear, decisive mandate to the PPP to govern, and the result must be respected, regardless of how one in the opposition feels. Azruddin Mohamed’s WIN performed honorably, outstandingly. Never in the history of Guyana, perhaps of any Caribbean or developing or Commonwealth country, has a new party performed so well in so short a time span of a mere three months. A defeat is nothing to be ashamed about; only one side can win, and the PPP has this time around.
Usually, after an election, the leader (s) of the defeated party makes a concession speech congratulating the winner and offering support. A concession helps supporters of defeated parties to accept they lost, and it heals political wounds while bringing about peace. The loser must convert defeat into an honor that they put up a very good fight; WIN did put up an extraordinary fight. A concession is a courtesy that the process is over and that it is time to govern! It tells the public that the process is completed until (say) the next election in a year or two (local) and five (general). It is not hard to say: congratulations best wishes for success.
A concession ushers in a new kind of politics in which winners and the defeated pledge to work together for the betterment of the country, not for their party. It does not mean that the defeated gives up what the party stands for. One can try to convince the ruling the party of the positives of a party’s policy, like for example appointing an anti-corruption czar, signing a trade treaty with USA, Canada, European Union, establishing a human rights commission, appointing a civic advisory board for governance, encouraging democratic process of lobbying, etc. The defeated can also advocate in parliament or in the media for implementation of certain programs or propose legislation. Government is only about the domination of the winner but also those who sit in parliament in opposition and the public at large. Once the opposition stretches out its hand, the ruling party will (should) respond accordingly.
Everyone — people all races, classes, unions, faiths, and party loyalty — should unite behind the newly elected President and offer support until such time that he errs (if he does). The people should speak, offer opinions on policies, and the President must listen and give consideration to ideas from the public, the voters. Objective media and civic voice (not attacks) must also be respected.
The acrimony of the past five years, in which the opposition leader refused to shake the hand of the President and Ministers, must come to an end. And the opposition (as well as civic society) must be invited to all government events. It is after all a government of the all the people. And the President stated he will govern for all irrespective of how they voted.
And it is not too late for APNU and WIN to congratulate President Irfaan Ali and the PPP on his (their) re-election pledging to work for agreed solutions to problems, proposing ideas, and to begin a new politics in the country.
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram
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