WHEN the APNU+AFC Coalition was elected in May 2015, it was a breath of fresh air for a people who had grown very concerned and worried about the direction in which the country was moving. Guyanese saw the new administration as an opportunity to put Guyana on a trajectory that would bring out the best in its people; realise the management of the nation’s affairs consistent with universally acceptable principles and laws; and unwaveringly protect the people’s fundamental rights and freedoms, as guaranteed in the Guyana Constitution.

This administration came into office with tremendous goodwill. Not since 1997, when Bharrat Jagdeo was elected President, were so many prepared to say give a new administration a chance; although Bharrat Jagdeo had squandered his chance. As a trade unionist, driven by the importance of creating a just society, a chance would mean the time needed to get acquainted with the rudimentary aspects of the workings of Government, which it is understood happens on a learning curve. A chance does not mean allowing anyone the space, opportunity or continuity to trample fundamental rights and freedoms, and violate the tenets of good governance, which requires adhering to the rule of law and embracing time-honoured principles.

People do not get a chance on that, because if you give people a chance on that, we will end up back to where we ran from; i.e. the gross mismanagement of the Government, the plundering of the nation’s resources, and wanton abuse of citizens — aspects that have characterised the governments of Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar.

If this nation is to avoid similar pitfalls, then the people have to be consistent in their positions on what is just and fair for this nation, both in governance and in the treatment of them, irrespective of who are the administrators of Government. Such commitment will see denunciation of wrongs and supporting of what is right, regardless of who are the administrators of Government.

For far too long — and it is not lost on me that this is something the politicians play on and seek after — it has been seen as acceptable to condemn wrong when done on the watch of the ‘other’ party or group; and when similar wrong is done under ‘my’ group, to stay silent, justify it, or label and attack those who speak out against it.

While it benefits the politicians, the lack of universal consistency for what is good and right hurts the society and the majority of people. This is so because the people are the ones who shoulder the nation’s burden through taxes, and would face deprivation in their daily lives with substandard social services, corruption, polluted environment, and high cost of living on meagre wages/salaries.

Lest it be forgotten, in spite of the PPP/C’s dastardly conduct in the stewardship of this country, a little less than half of the electorate sees that party as their preferred choice. On the other hand, a little over a half of the electorate opted to identify with a group which, on the campaign trail, proposed a new way of doing things. At the same time, it need not be forgotten that approximately a quarter of the electorate sat out the elections and apparently felt it was not worthy to participate, because, either way, they would still suffer.

And digging deeper into this scenario, you will see that the APNU+AFC won the National Assembly by only one (1) vote. Let me repeat, the National Assembly was won by one (1) vote. Had three persons more in Region Eight voted for the PPP/C, the National Assembly would have been controlled by the Opposition in a situation that would have been similar to the scenario that existed in 2011.

This is telling us that the Guyana Constitution — which is so decried, misunderstood, and maligned, along with the Peoples Representative Act — can see different groups at the same time being in charge of the Executive and Legislature. It is also saying, which sometime seems to be lost on this Government, that the PPP/C’s chances of controlling the Legislature and/or returning to the Executive are highly probable.

Given that none is guaranteed anything in the evolving political landscape, and everyone has to work to be re-elected, it is not rocket science that you must ensure you work to make a positive difference in the lives of people through the branch(es) of Government you control. Doing that will not only increase the possibility of your being re-elected; it also brings more voters into the political process and creates a positive legacy.

Why the politicians today are more inclined to see politics – which, properly practised, is about the people and people’s development — as a gravy train, or to trample the people and their institutions, must be of concerned to us. Let me make it clear: being elected to office means being granted the privilege — by the people — to be in service to the people. Being in service to the people grants no liberty to ignore or trample the institutions established to protect, defend, and advance the people’s wellbeing. You are in service to the people when you uphold the values ensconced in these institutions and create laws, policies and programmes to make their lives better.
And when politicians fail to do these, the people, who are their employers, are duty bound to speak out.

The PPP/C was, on 11th May 2015, fired for poor performance. The APNU+AFC Coalition was hired to do the job. The Laws of Guyana must be obeyed; the rights of citizens must be respected; time-honoured principles must be embraced. Politicians don’t do us a favour when they uphold these, because they are duty bound to so do. Likewise, when they fail to do so, the people are duty bound to hold them accountable. It is to the latter that attention must be paid, and advocacy and activism ensured to bring about the Good Life the people want for themselves.

The Executive is not ceremonial; it is administrative, and must act accordingly. The legislature makes the laws and oversights the Executive, and it must get about its business. It is time every law be respected and enforced by the Executive, and the nation is presented with clear guidelines on programmes for development, and how these will be executed consistent with Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution. The Constitution empowers any Member of the National Assembly to bring a motion or bill to the House to be deliberated on and dispatched with.

Nothing prevents an Opposition, in keeping with the nation’s principal political objective of inclusionary democracy, to bring before the House its programme through bills and motions, to advance the welfare of this nation and engage in constructive oversight of the Executive. Similarly, nothing prevents the Executive from leading the charge in advancing the political objective by finding commonalities in both manifestos to guide its policies and programmes and bring bills to the House, even as it also holds the Opposition accountable for their stewardship, past and present.

This nation must move forward, and it can be done only when the people and leaders do what they have to do within the confines of laws and time-honoured principles. And where leaders are not acting in concert, the people shoulder the responsibility to see they do.