Advocacy group gives citizens voice on national stage

Sep 10, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – A number of civil society organisations and individuals have come together to create the nation’s latest advocacy group—Article 13—aimed at ensuring that the people of Guyana are represented and heard at all levels in debating Guyana’s development and in achieving a thriving and sustainable society.
This, through advocating for good, transparent, accountable, and responsible Governance, as well as identifying and proposing solutions, which advance our country and our people.
The grouping has since pledged to work with all Guyanese in the securing of inclusionary democracy, good governance and a better future for all.
“In this regard, we look forward to working in collaboration with the private and public sectors, the Government, the Opposition, the Legislature, Guyanese at home and abroad, and regional and international groups to advocate, educate, promote and lead the quest for transparency, good governance and inclusionary Government in Guyana.”
Announcing the formation of the group, its organisers in a public missive said, “…we are individuals and organisations engaged in diverse areas of work, but united in our commitment to the ideals set out in the Preamble to the Constitution, including the creation of a harmonious community based on democratic values, social justice, human rights, and the rule of law.”
According to the group, more than forty years since its pronouncement in the 1980 Constitution, and almost two decades since that objective was elevated to a right protected under Article 149 (2) of the Constitution, Article 13 remains an unfulfilled Constitutional mandate.
As such, “the modest goal of our group is to advocate for these aspirations and rights to be realised, for a land and a country of which wherever we roam, we can hold our heads high, stand tall and proudly proclaim that, as a nation, we live our dreams.”
According to the group, “we are aware of the challenges we face as a people and as a country; unfortunately, our politics is more about political party competition and power than our people.”
Qualifying its existence, the group in its missive noted that Guyana’s economic model is currently based on low wages and worker marginalization, and that development strategies continue to divide the national bounty unequally against the interest of most of our citizens.
“Our country’s wealth is accruing to foreign entities that have no stake in our present or future well-being. Our homeland security is being diminished by damage to our natural environment and sea defence.”
The group lamented too, “…our energy policy aims to keep Guyana dirty and transfer our basic energy supply into foreign control.” Additionally, it was highlighted that the rule of law is too often selectively applied, even subverted when it comes to environmental safeguards.
Further qualifying its formation, the group noted that “Government transactions remain obscure. Our elections machinery can be hijacked by a minority bent on subverting our democracy.”
It was highlighted too, that constitutional, statutory bodies and mandates are selectively established and pursued in Guyana as crime keeps rising, especially against women and children.
As such, our group, Article 13, has been created to ensure that the people of Guyana are represented and heard at all levels in debating Guyana’s development and in achieving a thriving and sustainable society.
The group in making its announcement did confirm, “we take our name from the Article of the Guyana Constitution, which seeks the establishment of an inclusionary democracy that requires the State to provide every citizen the opportunity to participate in decision-making affecting their well-being.”