Global Witness report and its surrounding scandal underscore failure of Guyana’s toxic political culture

Dear Editor,
The Global Witness report and its surrounding scandal underscore the failure of Guyana’s toxic political culture.
As noted by one columnist writing anonymously in KN, Guyana did not need this report to know they were grossly misrepresented by the APNU/AFC coalition.
I further agree with another columnist from KN, Mr Frederick Kissoon, who rightfully hinted at Guyana’s poisonous political culture on the report’s suggestion that Mr Raphael Trotman (or others) be investigated. Mr Kissoon said he found this to be “comical,” and one will suppose he’s saying nothing will come of it.
Said another way, this is Guyana. The world is now waking up to Guyana’s poisonous politics. In this case, the chief honcho at the head of the table will say the “wise and prudent” response is for him to accept all responsibility and pardon everyone.
When this APNU/AFC regime came to office, I criticised its decision to hand the portfolio of foreign policy to Mr Carl Greenidge. Now Guyana has paid the price.
Economics should not replace the principle of self-rule or the laws of the sovereign as the basis of foreign policy. But this is exactly what has happened under the APNU/AFC regime. Business has trumped Guyana’s right to negotiate fairly or its right to freely articulate its interests in world tribunals, which are elements of Guyana’s right of self-rule.
According to the APNU/AFC regime, Guyana needs foreign oil barons to pay its legal fees, or to explore, or to exist. The State is now impotent. The chief honcho at the head of the table will continue to say that Guyana received a “fair” deal (not an “excellent” one) because Guyana has not been invaded yet by its newfound enemy, Venezuela.
Anyone who dares to question this Exxon deal, therefore, becomes an enemy of the State. So equally comical is this suggestion that Global Witness is interfering in Guyana’s right to self-rule. This is the spin of the same APNU/AFC coalition which is allegedly paying foreigners to give political advice regarding a local national election.
One more example of how local politicians have failed: Because of them, a right to self-rule has come to mean a right to self-help. The politicians have engendered a toxic political culture from which they rise above the law, as they see fit for their preservation.
They are terrified by this thing called democracy. Loyalty to the Constitution has been replaced by loyalty to party bosses. They know how to juggle a right to vote in party elections or in Parliament. On the hustings, they now read from prepared speeches.
And if a foreign sovereign issues a warrant for a citizen, such a citizen has little or no support to get from local politicians. It points to what Peeping Tom suggested recently, that Guyanese still have a colonial mentality and an “inferiority complex”.
Today, there is talk of this Exxon deal and betrayal. But one can recall June 2006 when a well-known Guyanese was “nabbed” in Suriname. No one stood up to speak out. No one spoke about territorial integrity, national security, or due process.
All of these great mishaps flow from the same toxic political culture, which will simply roll pass this Exxon deal too. Oil is the new revolution in town but it will not be a cure for this toxic political culture. Maybe one day, however, the Guyanese people will give democracy a try.

Sincerely,
Rakesh Rampertab