The concept of democracy is aptly illustrated by the famous declaration

of Abraham Lincoln as the “Government of the People, by the People and for the People” thereby confirming the attachment that the people in general should have in such a democratic political set-up.
Democracy is a system of forming governments that allow public expression of opinions and accommodation of divergent views. Since democracy is based on a number game with eventual majority rule, the minority, as opposition, should act to check and highlight the excesses of the majority. In this sense, opposition parties are the pillars of any democracy and are the voice of the people, especially the marginalised. The Opposition must see to it that a sense of direction which has been lost sight of by the people at large should be restored to them by the work and creative role that the opposition play and must play.
The opposition should be the people’s watchdog, keeping the government on its toes and forcing it to follow the right democratic path. Opposition parties also play the oversight role by ensuring that the actions of government are in the best interest of the people.The role of opposition in a democracy is much more creative and crucial rather than opposition for the sake of opposition. Its main role is to expose weaknesses in government policies and remain a vigilant watchdog over the action and inaction of the government.
It means therefore that opposition parties in a democracy have a crucial role in ensuring that democratic principles prevail and are sustained. Hence, opposition parties need to behave and act responsibly, thereby always putting the interest of the people and country first.
Unfortunately in our country, what we have been witnessing in recent years, particularly since the combined opposition have gained a majority, is an opposition that is putting its political agenda before  the interest of the country and people.
The ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), when it was in opposition,had always acted with a deep sense of and commitment to patriotism, putting the people and country first.
It can be recalled that it was the PPP that initiated and bore the brunt of the struggle for independence, but because of the political intrigues and manipulations by the Western powers and their local associates, independence was granted under the People’s National Congress/United Force coalition government. This was most unjust and unfair to the PPP, but it never opposed independence under the coalition. It put country first and welcomed independence which should have been granted when it was in office.
During the mid 1970s, still in opposition, the PPP once again demonstrated its unshakeable commitment to putting the people and country first in the face of a serious and ominous threat from our western neighbour Venezuela. The party abandoned its civil resistance and non-cooperation and instituted “critical support” to demonstrate to Venezuela when it comes to matters of territorial integrity and national interest it stood as one with the government.
The party did this with the great political risk of losing a large amount of support, because the vast majority of people understandably by then were totally disenchanted and fed up with the PNC government due to rigged elections, erosion of civil liberties and democracy, mismanagement of the economy, acute shortages of food and essential items, political harassment and killings, blatant discrimination, etc.
Today we have an opposition that is putting Guyana last instead of first. It is putting its political agenda first, using developmental issues as bargaining chips. This is of course a most untenable position and one of irresponsibility of the highest magnitude.
And if anyone has any doubt that the opposition is putting Guyana last, then their actions in relation to the Amaila Falls Hydro Project should dispel it.
At first, they claimed they did not have enough information on the project; and when that was provided, they insisted that it is too costly for this country and when this notion was dispelled they are now arguing that the project would become outdated in the next five years and therefore should be scrapped.
So the goal posts have been kept moving by the opposition and they have now admitted what they had in mind at the inception but did not spell it out-scrapping of the project.
The people, including the supporters of the opposition, will now have to decide whether the opposition is genuinely concerned about the future of this country or the furtherance of their political agenda, which is getting power by any means.