The APNU+AFC’s elections campaign theme ‘The Good Life’ has a sense of wellness, from the standpoint of a promise to society for growth and development in personal life and governance.For many Guyanese, who desire these, this theme was a drawing card. As the government settles in, many are beginning to see evidence of this promise, with some of the programmes and actions that already have been taken.
To the student a good life means quality education, reliable electricity supply, being able to afford school supplies, nourishing meals and transportation to school. Our First Peoples desire respect for their way of life and minimum intrusion. The pensioner sees the good life in a dignified retirement where at least the basic amenities of life are affordable and accessible. To the worker this means being able to earn income in an environment that is safe and respecting of their labour.
The homemaker desires finances to meet the needs of the family. The unemployed sees opportunity for employment with decent pay. The farmer desires bountiful crop and market for the produce. To the vendor it means being able to eke out a decent living. Though the identifiers are by no means exhausted, they capture the fact that there is no one size fits all to the good life.
The good life also has a communal desire. Every Guyanese desires appropriate, reliable and affordable social services and proper infrastructures. Citizens want to live with low crime rate and feel assured police officers are adequately equipped to respond to challenges. This means a good life for these officers entails provision of all the requisite tools, inclusive of appropriate crime fighting techniques, safety, training and insurance plan.
At the environmental level, communities desire an absence of garbage build-up, stagnant water and mosquito infestation. The respect for fundamental rights and freedoms is the cry of every citizen and community. Guyanese want assurance, through action, that the good life also means elected and appointed officials who abuse their authority will be subject to the rule of law and have their day in court like the average man and woman. It is with these in mind many are heartened by the government’s code of conduct for public officials, which it had promised and delivered and its push to hold local government elections which Guyanese have been denied for the entire life of the previous administration.
The good life is also both individualistic and communal, in the home and wider environment. Yet these needs can be met through the embrace of guidelines outlined in the Guyana Constitution, laws and international principles. Article 13 of the Constitution is the best starting point since it speaks to inclusionary democracy, requiring the involvement of stakeholders in the management and decision-making processes of the state on matters that impact their lives.
Consequently, the call for the reactivation of the Village Movement economy can be seen as one plank in working towards this, since the village movement is known to mobilise and utilise resources indigenous to the village for the citizens of the community. What is absent today however is the mechanism for the realisation of this project. The enjoyment of the right to self-determination allows for the enabling environment to be created for citizens to conceptualise and develop economic programmes indigenous to their needs, which can also realise appreciation of and taking responsibility for their surroundings. Bottom line is that the good life is underpinned by good governance and this is what has eluded citizens for almost two decades. They will be counting on this new government to deliver.