I have read with interest the renewed call by the Leader of the Opposition for Shared Governance with the ruling party. As I reflect on this call, it does bring back to memory the discussions President Forbes Burnham had with the then Minority Leader Dr. Cheddi Jagan on the same issue.

As fate would have it, the discussions did not bear fruits due to the death of Mr. Burnham. Maybe, Mr. Corbin can enlighten us of what transpired at those meetings and why President Hoyte did not continue the discussions. I am curious to learn what model(s) were discussed then and what the PNCR is proposing now.

As a Guyanese of Indian descent, I must confess that the discussions between President Burnham and Dr. Jagan were magnanimous and had they been implemented, our country would have been very successful and our people would have lived in peace, mutual respect and love for each other. Sadly, this dream did not materialise. I wish President Hoyte had seen the bigger picture.

When the PPPC was elected to office most Guyanese (Indians, Africans, Amerindians and others) were ecstatic. We believe that the Economic Recovery started by President Hoyte would have continued under the stewardship of President Jagan.

The PNC did not welcome the new Government with any form of civility. I remembered the storming of the Elections Commission by the PNC and the unrest that followed. It was great of President Hoyte to have accepted the results of the 1992 elections, but many of his supporters did not. I recall that Dr. Jagan was booed by PNC supporters as his motorcade made its way into state house for the inauguration.

Despite that episode, the first person Dr. Jagan greeted on accepting the oath of office was President Hoyte. As President, Dr. Jagan wanted a new beginning, but was the opposition ready?

Over the years that follow 1992, the PPPC and the PNCR seemed to be in unending battles with each other. In fairness to the PPPC, they were not given a free reign to govern the country as the PNC had in their term of office. There were and continue to be so many stumbling blocks caused by the PNCR. The PPPC have also made numerous errors of their own. This distrust between the two parties will not result in any meaningful shared governance if these two giants were to combine. It will not last.

I am suggesting a new formula that will require constitutional amendments. Luckily, we have prepared a new voters list based on a house-to-house registration. From this registration process, we have a very accurate count of all Guyanese and our ethnicity. This will be the base of my theory.

My suggestion is this:
1. We must publish the percentage of each ethnic group that make up our population

2. Based on the percentage of each group, the employees of every Government office must reflect this percentage

3. The members of the President’s Cabinet must reflect the percentage of each ethnic group

4. All Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Department, Government Boards, the Army, the Police, Statutory Bodies and every department of the State must reflect the percentage of each ethnic group

5. Members of Parliament for each party must reflect the percentage of each ethnic group

6. An Independent Commission (made up with each ethnic group) must be given the authority to ensure that this new formula is implemented to its fullest and must be able to prosecute anyone who is in breach of the new law

7. The new law must be implemented and to be in effect within two (2) years of each census

These are broad guidelines. It would not be difficult to implement in a small population like ours. I firmly believe that the people of Guyana will embrace this formula if it is implemented. Let us show the world that we can be leaders.
A Happy New Years to all of my countrymen.
CHARLES SUGRIM