IN the 2010 action plan of the Alliance for Change (AFC), it is expressed that it will pursue a liberal democratic culture for Guyana, as against one that is Marxist/Leninist or Communist or one driven by Party Paramountcy. Such a philosophical outlook and ideological position is supported by the AFC because the core values of liberal democracy are consistent and compatible with the beliefs and principles of the AFC. In addition, AFC will encourage the involvement of Guyanese to restore their neighbourhood and village government to the sequential levels of the decision making process: neighbourhood > village > sub-regional > municipal > regional. The AFC will ensure that this process occurs through the mandatory holding of local and municipal elections under the agreed Local Government Reform.
However, we must remind the AFC that the People’s Progressive Party / Civic (PPP/C) has been strengthening governance on Guyana by allowing for the enactment of major constitutional changes, including the instituting of presidential term limits, the establishment of parliamentary sectoral committees, the establishment of constitutional commissions for the protection and promotion of fundamental rights, the strengthening of the independence of the Auditor General and enhancement of the mandate of the Public Accounts Committee. In addition, reform to the Parliamentary standing orders to strengthen the effectiveness of Parliament in functioning as the highest deliberative forum was done, as well as establishing mechanisms for ongoing engagement with key stakeholders in the policymaking process, including the Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee in relation to the Low Carbon Development Strategy, and the National Competitiveness Council in the case of the National Competitiveness Strategy.
Further, in the 2011 manifesto, the PPP/C illustrated that there will be key initiatives to further strengthen the governance landscape and these will include:

1. Establish the administrative mechanism required to operationalise the Access to Information legislation, along with using Web based information and communications technology more widely and in a more structured manner to promote ongoing and more timely communication between government agencies and the citizenry and to enhance service delivery effectiveness.

2. Maintain and enhance reporting by the Executive to Parliament, using existing instruments such as the mid-year report on the economy and annual reports of government agencies, but also by introducing new instruments such as an annual report on the state of the nation’s women, children, and elderly.

3. Expand the reporting on our international treaty obligations to disclose compliance and full awareness of initiatives taken to achieve compliance.

4. Continue to implement the Broadcast Act, in addition to enacting and implementing legislation to liberalize the telecommunications sector.

5. Complete the appointment and operationalising of the constitutional commissions, including finalizing the appointment of the Human Rights Commission and the Public Procurement Commission.

6. Reactivate the Office of the Ombudsman, as a mechanism through which to promote more effective function of government agencies and to receive and address complaints from dissatisfied members of the public.

In the area of local government and governance, the next PPP/C Government will:
1. Ensure, within one year of the 2011 general elections, that local government elections are held, bringing much needed reinvigoration into local government entities.

2. Strengthen the capacity of the ministry responsible for local government to discharge its oversight responsibilities with respect to local government bodies.

3. Build greater capacity in the local government bodies also to better discharge their functions.

4. Enhance accountability and transparency in the operations of local government bodies especially as it relates to the awarding of contracts.

5. Put greater emphasis on coordination between central government agencies and the local government bodies.

6. Expand collaboration between local government bodies.