Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 12, 2017 AFC Column, Features / Columnists
(Abridged Address by Khemraj Ramjattan at the AFC’s Fifth Bi-annual National Conference on 28th January 2017 at the Vreed en Hoop Secondary School)
And so after the Cummingsburg Accord our efforts realized a victory at the 2015 General Elections. The entire country exulted and celebrated. We had begun realizing the dream.
But your leadership knew it was not going to be easy, especially as we found out how drained the Treasury’s finances were, as a result of the PPP’s massive corruption in almost every institution and Government Agency.
I don’t have to remind you of the findings of the 53 Forensic Audits. We knew that it was not going to be easy because of the poor state of the world economy, which was suffering from jobless growth as the experts call it, which affected the prices of our commodities like rice and sugar and bauxite. Additionally, the fear of our citizens made the task challenging consequent upon high crime rates.
Unexpectedly, at a Party level, too, we saw an inconvenient unnecessary criticism of our Coalition Government by some members which at times became destructive. This may have come from great expectations.
This National Conference in Vreed-en-Hoop, however, must seek to unite and consolidate the strengths of the AFC, further its identity and spread its relevance to all quarters of this country.
I want to speak a bit on each of these for a moment.
RELEVANCE
From its very formation, and moreso the elections of 2015, the Alliance for Change proved how relevant a party it was in an ethnic-based society as Guyana is. Being the third strongest political force in Guyana it contributed significantly in the ruling People’s Progressive Party being a minority government for the first time in 2011.
Although a third party usually has little chance by itself of forming a Government or winning the position of Head of Government as the AFC found out in 2006 and 2011, it does have especial relevance in an ethnic-based society as here in Guyana, in the sense that it tends to bridge the ethnic divide, thereby constructing a coalition, which as a consequence, presents a larger multilateral/multiethnic party.
We therefore need this third party today, more than ever, if we are to bridge the divide in the hope of changing the political and economic system in ethnic polarized societies such as ours.
To this end, third parties must seek to win the support of the citizens of both races and of mixed ancestry. In this context, they are relevant because they provide an “emotional bridge” for voters who are weary of supporting one major party based on race but are not yet ready to vote for the other.
The emotional bridge that a third party provides does more than simply lure voters to the polls; it can also help to turn one of the major parties out of power. The presence of this viable alternative beyond the two dominant parties keeps the democratic process alive and well. Without the third party bridging the ethnic divide, the party in power might never be defeated, a situation that could lead to stagnation, as was the case with the PPP in Guyana prior to 2015.
This analysis has been borne out because we are in Government! The merger with APNU has seen the PPP being fired! And so too, an end to the unwholesome politics practiced by them.
CONSOLIDATE OUR STRENGTHS
We have been miserly with our accomplishments over the past year and a half. With the APNU partner, we have performed more than satisfactorily on all fronts in every sector. The negative chatterati will say otherwise. But that is to be expected in this liberal democracy we venture forth to build. And by the way, that is a strength in itself…creating a society where there is the unhindered freedom to express views.
But the AFC’s strengths lie in our Ministerial performances. I do not seek by this to denigrate any of my APNU Ministerial colleagues. Our AFC Ministers have all done well in their respective portfolios and jurisdictions. Our PM Moses (Nagamootoo), Raphael (Trotman), Cathy (Hughes), David (Patterson), Dominic (Gaskin), Valerie (Garrido-Lowe) and Noel (Holder). And I want to believe I have not done too badly myself on the security sector.
As a successful partner in a coalition Government, we must be proud that we have improved on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index with 34 points in our first full year as against 27, 28, 29 and 30 points in the past four. We have undoubtedly regained the respect and confidence of the international community. We have established a Procurement Commission in that time when the sticky fingers of the PPP did not want to free procurement from Cabinet’s control. Local Government Elections have been held after 23 years. There is macro-economic stability. And as if by divine intervention we have found oil, which in the coming years will see a huge income stream. Gold production never reached 700,000 ounces. Reform at the Constitutional level is to soon commence.
So much has happened in this Coalition, of which the AFC is a proud partner. These and much more must be emphasized as strengths upon which we must build. Oh yes, there will be faults and weaknesses and errors. But as a Party we must promote our strengths. You know why? Because no one else will do so for us.
IDENTITY
These strengths and the relevance I mentioned will ensure our identity as a Party in a striving, successful Coalition. People and the Public will associate us with what is happening and we will be liked for it. And here is where our identity will be maintained. Once we do the good things, the right things, the reasonable things, we are going to be respected and remembered for them. This includes speaking out frankly on issues we feel strongly about. Prominent among these is that the pillars of our democracy must not be interfered with, especially the separation of powers.
Additionally, giving proper rationales and explanations in a timely manner as to why we decided and acted the way we did is so fundamental. Our supporters and members, and the public at large, generally want to know these in simple terms. We have an obligation to provide them answers. We will be given recognition for this; and, in the same breath, that identity we have worked so hard for.
And on this score, the AFC does not have to be seen as an antagonist to its other partner the APNU to win this identity. Absolutely not. We are not on a collision course with our partner, and will not be. Jealousies and pettiness there will always be, especially coming from the lesser minds, but the Party must seek to avoid that which will jeopardise the Coalition’s existence to the detriment of the Cummingsburg Accord or to the benefit of Jagdeo and the PPP.
It is at this level we have to employ a better communication line with our members, whether that be a newssheet that is bi-weekly, both in Print and electronically. But together with this there is need for maturity shown by our protesting members. We have to appreciate the difficulties and constraints we all face.
We have to also see to it that there be quick resolutions to problems, real and seemingly so, by constant engagement with our Coalition partner, APNU, at all levels. As President Granger has reiterated so often, I want to go on record supporting him when he said: “Coalition politics will be here to stay.” Our new NEC (National Executive Committee) must not hesitate to work on this.
THE CHALLENGES WHICH LIE AHEAD:
Brothers and sisters, I have come to learn that removing a Government is one thing; governing is quite another. And governing requires perspectives, capacities and dexterities which were never needed in Opposition. New attitudes, when and when not to make compromises, when to shut up and refrain and restrain, how to balance and even how to dance on issues are all needed.
I have come to realize that in this political realm, the public blames democratic leaders and democracy itself for failing to meet economic and political expectations. Even when what was inherited was massive corruption and abuse!
There are conflicts all around. Reducing poverty and unemployment may conflict with reforms needed to promote long-term growth and macro-economic stability. Social measures to mitigate hardships conflict with fiscal responsibility. It never ends!
But to attain our goals of a good life, of a green economy, of accountable Government, a sustainable democracy, we have to have an effective party with credible leadership which can inspire Guyanese that these goals are possible.
We can easily have educated young people getting mobilized to demonstrate in public streets for some popular cause, especially when employment is scarce. What has to be realized, and this is the challenge, is how to engage them to construct long-lasting deliberative political and social organisations and institutions.
Democracy in Guyana, and the development which will flow from it, will not necessarily emerge from aggressive conversation or street protests. It will require vision, hard work, negotiation and compromise, a variety of skills and dedicated leadership with a whole lot of patience and some luck. I believe the AFC has provided that thus far; and, that is why we are on the cusp of succeeding in our efforts for a brighter day.
We therefore as members and leaders have to really dig deep in our efforts to continue doing the things which got us this far so that we can go even further.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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