PEOPLE desire a government that will treat them with respect and manage their affairs within the confines of laws, rules, time-honoured principles, universal declarations, conventions and charters. Having suffered under the Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar governments, whereby rights were trampled, the rule of law treated with contempt, phantom squads  having government blessings, and the nation’s resources pillaged and shared among the political hierarchy, families and friends, the people wanted no more.
Any government that engages in acts of criminality threatens harmonious and peaceful co-existence among the people and hinder their development. The dastardly records of Jagdeo and Ramotar resulted in the PPP/C losing the trust of the people over the years, which in 2011 saw the loss of the popular vote and majority  in Parliament, and in 2015 the loss of the Executive and Legislative branches.
The APNU +AFC government came to office in 2015 with tremendous goodwill from the people and international stakeholders, given that both are concerned about the criminalisation of the state and the dire implications such posed for stability and development, internal and external. This goodwill ought not to be taken for granted or treated with contempt. For goodwill brings with it no immunity that this administration can emulate the unsavoury conduct of the PPP and get away with it.
The people were joined by the APNU and AFC when in opposition in condemning the excesses of the Jagdeo and Ramotar governments. Yet today we are seeing some in this administration, who have been given the privilege by the people to right the PPP/C wrongs, embracing these wrongs.
Let me say, there have been movements in the right direction post 11th May 2015 and these harbour views of positive expectations. However, the efforts of those committed to doing right by the people will be subsumed and tarnished by those who treat the people with contempt, disregard the laws, manage the nation’s business as their personal property, and treat government as a gravy train. In our representative democracy, state and government officials, elected and appointed, are in service to the people. Let me repeat, these officials are in service to the people and are not masters of the people. They are bound by universal principles in the discharge of their duties on the people’s behalf.
This nation is witnessing continued abuse by representatives of State boards. Some are using their positons of privilege to settle petty scores, abuse the resources of the organisation, and behave as laws unto themselves. At ministerial and other political appointment levels we are witnessing instances where there is no regard for public opinion, rules, laws and conventions. The impression given is that these actors only discomfort with the things they condemned the PPP/C for, was that they were not in the positions to engage in similar arrogance and shenanigans.
On the matter of rights, it must be known that such are not the remit of anyone to describe them as personal or internal, given that such are protected by and guaranteed under universal principles. Presently, they are persons vested with authority on behalf of the State who are not understanding and respecting their roles, functions and responsibilities in the organisation. One such egregious conduct is the matter concerning the Editor-in-Chief of the Guyana Chronicle, Nigel Williams
Media houses last week carried a story that Williams was suspended for a photoshop image of President David Granger and children. What is of concern is the response given to the Kaieteur News by the Guyana National Newspapers Limited Board Chairman, Jean La Rose when asked for a comment on the matter. The chairman reportedly told the paper, “it is an internal matter” (KN 7th April, 2016).
Ms. LaRose presents herself as a human rights activist for the Amerindian community and is also an actor in the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), an organisation that correctly and relentlessly prosecuted the transgressing of the rights of three workers of the New Building Society.  There is a failure and double standard in treating with rights by Ms. LaRose. As an activist, when it comes to any matter she cares about she would not have accepted the response she gave to Kaieteur News, which exemplifies that positions taken by some are not guided and grounded in universal principles but that of self-interest.
The rights of Williams like the Amerindians and those whom the GHRA considers worthy of their attention are equally deserving of protection, as too the media having a right to know what transpired on this matter, even moreso that the GNNL is a state entity i.e. it is owned by the people.
2020 is not about cricket as some in the government will want us to believe. 2020 is General and Regional Elections. As such, the government is called upon to avoid the violations, transgressions and abuses which are becoming scandals and will undo whatever good is happening in other quarters. The people have voted for change in treatment and management of their affairs. The people will continue to hold operatives accountable in our demands for good governance.