Dear Editor,
In May this year, former President David Granger made a call for inclusive government, saying that no one party should have a monopoly on political power in Guyana. This was after the March 2rd General and Regional Elections, when he already knew that the PPP/C had won a landslide victory and the Coalition had suffered a predictable ‘mud slide’.
In retrospect, Granger did not call for ‘inclusive governance’ in 2015, when the Coalition won by a slim margin of less than 1%, or just over 4,000 votes; he literally threw caution to the wind, and began his journey to become a dictator like his mentor, the late LFS Burnham.
But what does “inclusive governance” mean? Granger seems to believe this means sharing the “spoils” with the winner. He wanted “shared governance”. He seemed oblivious that the voters, through the electoral process, elect a political party to Government which had spoken through its manifesto and by its selection of suitable candidates. He is of the opinion that we will fight the elections, but if we lose, then we must share the Government, since we obtained the second largest number of votes.
If that is the case, then we should abandon all future elections, or all the parties should come together and sign a Cummingsburg Accord like what the APNU and AFC did. This interpretation is not only incorrect, but reflects greed and selfishness, qualities which the Coalition has displayed in gigantic proportions during its tenure in Government. He should have known that people will only re-elect a Government based on its track record. People elect a Government whom they feel will deliver socio-economic development as promised in their manifesto.
Granger must understand that, “Governance is inclusive when it effectively serves and engages all people; takes into account gender and other facets of personal identity; and when institutions, policies, processes and services are accessible, accountable and responsive to all members of society”. This would suggest that “inclusive governance” begins with the selection of a list of diverse candidates and continues to the time when the elected Government would select officials in various capacities.
In his tenure as President, Granger governed in a biased and undemocratic manner, which brought prosperity to the chosen few. It was clear that, according to Volda Lawrence, “only PNC people will get the work”. But sad to say, the Coalition neglected even its own constituencies and those who voted for it. The Coalition never engaged the people, and it was only after the successful No Confidence Motion that its members embarked on taxpayer-funded ‘outreaches’.
The Coalition Government became inaccessible, and the word “accountability” was an alien jargon, as corruption became a way of life and their ministers and Government officials lived the ‘good life’.
The Coalition lost the 2020 Elections by over 20,000 votes if we combined the PPP/C’s huge margin with the Joinder parties. In 2015, the Coalition scrambled a win by just over 4,000 votes, yet its members plunged the socio-economic structures of the country into a state of retrogression, dismissing perceived PPP/C supporters like a tsunami. Their failed policies, greed, corruption, mismanagement, squandermania, and complete disregard and disdain for the rule of law brought about their demise. If they had governed in the interest of the people and the country, then there would have been no need to beg for “shared governance” under the guise of inclusive governance.
Then, to make matters worse, after the March 2nd General Elections, the Coalition ensured that the world became cognisant of their treasonable deceit and treachery to illegally remain in power. The Coalition squandered our hard earned and scarce taxpayers’ dollars in attempting to install another dictatorship.
How can such a party of thieves and fraudsters be entitled to be inclusive in the governance process? Those involved in inclusive governance must be honest about serving the needs of this nation. Immediately, persons like Ralph Ramkarran, Lenox Shuman and Carl Greenidge come to mind.
The PPP/C is serious about inclusive governance as three Coalition-appointed REOs have been retained. We have seen also Captain Gerry Gouveia’s appointment, among others.
The composition of the PPP/C ministerial portfolios and its Members of Parliament speak volume of inclusive governance. No doubt, all Guyanese are properly represented.
Moreover, the Coalition is still unrepentant for all the atrocities its members have committed, and its leaders, especially Joseph Harmon, are now inciting violent protests, which resulted in the Belladrum protest. This is just another attempt to thwart the legal process in bringing Mingo to justice.
In 2014, it was the same Harmon who had accused the PPP/C Government of “inciting violence against the Opposition”, but now he is encouraging such a path. He encouraged the Belladrum protesters and urged them on. Harmon cannot fool anyone that the protest was only about Mingo’s lawful detention. It is just a façade to mask the ulterior motives of attempting to make the country ungovernable and destabilising the PPP/C Government, since they have failed in all their fraudulent attempts so far to access the seat of power. They have now resorted to bullyism and hooliganism to create the fear factor as they did in the past, but this will not work. Times have changed, and there is zero tolerance for this type of behaviour.
How can people who continue to propagate violent protests and instability be ever involved in “inclusive governance” or “shared governance”? The PNC has a history of violent protests, thuggery and bullyism, and that will never change. Sadly, the AFC leaders are now supporting this type of atrocious and uncivilised behaviour.
Then the frivolous election petition is yet another insult to any reasonable person’s sensibilities. Until now the Coalition cannot publish its SoPs, and are relying on a few “anomalies and irregularities” which are so infinitesimal that they have zero legal impact on the results of the Elections and outcome of the Recount. There is no doubt that there is no evidence of any fraud, except that which was perpetrated by Mingo and Lowenfield on behalf on the PNC. They are indeed sore losers who are bent on deceiving their few gullible supporters and giving them an illusory platform of false hope.
This is a very unprincipled position taken by the Coalition leaders; imagine, hoodwinking your own supporters.
In conclusion, there is no doubt that the leaders of the PNC and the AFC will never qualify for any type of governance, and the PPP/C has been, and is, in the forefront in practising inclusive governance. Under the PPP/C Government, there is equal access to opportunities by all.
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
