A GOVERNMENT has the responsibility to deliver on behalf of every interest group and citizen. That having been said, in government there will always exist varying and competing interests.Where there is a government that is formed by a single political party, one will find such government being guided by a strong single ideology/philosophy. Being guided by a single ideology/philosophy that emerged from the bowels of that party will require less effort(s) to drive same through a process that involves the party’s hierarchy, members of its Cabinet, and operatives of State.
Whenever two or more political parties or groups come together to form a government, the competing interests widen. In this arrangement, it brings to focus the ideological/philosophical differences in conceptualising and developing programmes. It infuses competition among the different groups to maintain their identities and acquire support among themselves. These activities, while they may appear to many as being minute and can be overlooked, form the bedrock in undermining whatever well intended thought was conceptualised by the person(s) involved in putting the coalition together.
In any political coalition where political parties alone, or even with limited involvement and participation of other interest groups, the competing interests will always be sharp between and among them. This is so because the priority, first and foremost, will be guided by acquiring and holding on to power. As such, decisions that ought to impact the citizenry and communities can be sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.
Politics is about the acquisition of power. But the question that is unanswered is: When this power is acquired, what will be done with it and in whose interest? There exist competing interests among individuals, groups, communities, towns and regions, and given the reality, coalition governments come under severe pressure to meet the desires of the respective communities, diverse peoples and interests.
In the absence of a recognition that major interest groups that impact on the advancement and maintenance of laws, guardians of universal principles and contributors to major governance systems are important elements that need not only to be consulted, but be involved in shaping and developing plans and programmes, such widen the schism. This is a glue that usually holds coalitions together, since the factors that they uphold are always grounded and guided by principles adumbrated by international and regional institutions.
Coalition governments will always find difficulty whenever they are prepared to confine their decision-making and management of the economy among Cabinet colleagues, and lose sight that competing interests are not confined to that narrow group. Avoiding this requires constant consultation outside of cabinet and parliamentary fora. Opportunities should also be taken to have inputs that recognise, appreciate and incorporate the socio-economic and political dynamics in the society.

There is the case of Trinidad and Tobago, with similar cultural experiences as our society that had two coalition governments. One led by ANR Robinson and the other Kamla Persad-Bissessar. In both cases the experiences were turbulent and they served one term. The non-return to office to a large extent have been attributed to the electorate losing confidence through the various skirmishes that existed between and among factions of the coalition.
Citizens are inclined to support and follow strong leaders and organisations that protect and advance their interests, real and perceived. Conversely, there will always be a group that will wish to see every leader or political party operate within the confines of the laws, and given that Guyanese are today assessing government’s performance, be it in the Executive or the Opposition, such assessment will not be done outside of what is taking place on the global stage.
The United States, considered the bastion of western democracy, is making full use of the United Nations to spread the philosophy of good governance and upholding of human rights globally. Any government that intends to survive the wrath of its citizens needs to understand that governance has to be guided by universally acceptable principles. No longer can the delivery of services to communities be done without respecting laws and guidelines the society considers important.
The coalition government and sections of civil society have brought the society to a level of awareness which speaks to the people’s involvement in the decision-making processes of the nation’s management, consistent with Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution. The citizenry having reached this point are now holding elected leaders accountable for every action taken. As such, one of the strengths in ensuring the coalition governs in an amicable and harmonious atmosphere is relying on and holding steadfast to the principles adumbrated that brought them to office.