THERE is growing dispiritedness in society, among persons in strategic positions, in and out of government, and man in the street, primarily those who supported this government in the last elections, about its performance in governance, responding to the people’s cries and the bettering of its constituents’ well-being. Speaking with many placed in technical positions, the impression they convey is that of resignation that a new government will be in place in 2020.

Having reached this point, some are beginning to look for other employment opportunities, are ambivalent as to what they will do in their current job, or say they are trying to avoid any incident that could be questioned and cause them to lose their jobs when a new government comes into office.  There is a perception among the technical people that there exist fights between the APNU and the AFC ministers as to who must be seen as the shining star, and as such, it stymies the implementation of programmes which should be the primary focus.

In the APNU and AFC support base there is growing discontent among its supporters that the coalition government is failing to engage with them and for this reason their programmes are not people-centred.  This group strongly believes that being discriminated against by the PPP/C government in areas such as jobs, acquisition of lands for housing and agriculture and contracts, the government they voted for would move to create equality in the system.

The position by the government that it will train thousands to become entrepreneurs is being questioned by the small man, who feels this programme is not well thought out and properly coordinated. There is a perception on the ground that small-business production in the absence of a proper marketing programme and strategy will be putting labour and money in a business that is bound to fail.

As this government speaks about the new economy in information technology (IT) and oil and gas, persons become wary of the call for training in IT when thousands, who were trained, are yet to be given the opportunity to utilise the skills acquired over the years, starting from the Bharrat Jagdeo government that had instituted a similar programme.  The State has in its possession three buildings —  in West Demerara, Enmore and Linden — that are designed to be Call Centres, which are not being utilised. It may be a good idea for government to establish an agency that looks specifically at having these buildings utilised to bring about employment in this sector.

As it relates to oil and gas, the emphasis and importance placed on them by the government as an industry that will need national monitoring, and given its benefits to the nation the citizens, inclusive of the Opposition parliamentarians, are being treated like spectators, looking on as decisions are being made about resources that equally belong to them.

Even the Bill to establish a Petroleum Commission, government seems to want to give the ministers the authority to do everything, though the parties campaigned on respecting inclusionary democracy as constitutionally required under Article 13. Oil and gas is a new industry vital to the citizens and needs to be treated differently from the way many things were done in the past.  It is best for the nation’s interest to have a commission, members of which must be appointed by the National Assembly with at least atwo-thirds majority, which will necessitate acts of inclusionary democracy.

Alienating stakeholders in the management and decision-making processes of the State on issues that impact their well-being is bound to carry dire consequences. The WPA, while it is being believed the party is involved in its own machinations, its leaders are out there speaking about marginalisation in the government’s decision-making processes, and a blind eye will not be turned on this. A similar claim of marginalisation has been made by the business sector on playing a role in the economy.

In the trade union community, there is attestation to first-hand experiences to the level of marginalisation being visited on us by the Government. In the PPP/C’s era, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) was marginalized, while FITUG was engaged. Today the APNU+AFC government continues to marginalise both federations.  This alienation comes notwithstanding the fact that the Guyana Constitution has tasked the trade union with the responsibility to be involved in the management of the State and economy.

On Labour Day in 2015, the GTUC called on workers — past, present and potential — to fire the PPP/C given its track record and based on what the APNU+AFC promised the society, which was a step in the right direction to putting this country back on a path of law and order, prudent governance, international respectability, and guaranteeing the equality of all Guyanese. The question today that needs to be answered is, “Can the independent trade union be a credible voice in saying to the workers in 2020 that they must rehire this government?”

Last Tuesday, the people of Linden/Region 10 marked five years since police  shot into a peaceful assembly, murdering three (Ron Somerset, Shemroy Bouyea and Allan Lewis)  and injuring others. The 21st August 2012 Agreement between the PPP/C Government and the Regional Democratic Council was sealed with the sweat, blood, anguish and determination of these people.  The APNU+AFC campaigned on commitment to honour the Agreement, but more than two years in office has nothing, even though that region gave it the highest percentage turnout in 2015 and pushed them to victory.

As Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams, who is also Chairman of the PNCR, proudly proclaimed at this year’s commemorative event that the Region 10 struggle broke the PPP/C’s back, he needs not forget non-implementation can similarly break their backs in 2020.

Bauxite workers employed at the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) still await Government’s forceful decision to ensure respect for the laws, sovereignty of the citizens, and integrity of this country by ensuring the management and workers’ representativesresolve their grievances as outlined in the Constitution and Laws of Guyana. There are many other instances where hope lied that under an APNU+AFC administration, outstanding issues would have been addressed and change would have come.

Elections are about numbers.  You can win or lose the Executive and Legislature by one vote. The last two elections have shown that it requires less than 5000 votes to swing the results either way. With a government not acting in concert with what it had campaigned and promised, ministers shadowing and even outdoing the arrogance and opulence of the PPP/C, marginalisation of stakeholders, instances of contempt for the rule of law, and the absence of an overarching national development strategy, who holds the Executive in 2020, the view in 2017 is that the APNU+AFC does not stand a chance if it continues along this path.