FEBRUARY 14 marked two years since the signing of the Cummingsburg Accord between A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), who contested the 11th May, 2015 General and Regional Elections (GRE) as a coalition. These elections saw the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) losing office after being in government for 23 years. This loss came amidst growing disgust for a government that had grown corpulent with corruption, gross mismanagement, and disrespect for the people.
It is not unfair to say that prior to the coalition, citizens were skeptical the political system could ever bring about a change in government. This perception apparently too held sway in the PPP/C. That these perceptions on the people’s part led to resignation by some and hubris within the government cannot be denied. In 2011, when the APNU and AFC campaigned as separate entities, together they held the majority in the National Assembly (33 to 32 seats), and secured the plurality of votes at the GRE. These results sparked hope that progressive political change is possible and could be on the horizon.
During 2011-2015, the level of militancy the Opposition demonstrated in Parliament in holding Government accountable and keeping it on its toes was greeted with much admiration and respect by the people. It is not unfair to say that politics took on a new life and people felt it worthwhile to be engaged and get involved. With the new zero tolerance for corrupt practices and political secrecy, such brought about a new wave of political militancy in the society and conditioned a thinking of the possibility of new political beginnings.
Though initially there were mixed reactions to creating a coalition, the signing of the Accord, and the terms of agreement within, when then President Donald Ramotar announced the date for elections, the enthusiasm by the electorate in feeling that a change was going to come, was arguably without containment. People who were never involved in politics got involved and those who had resigned themselves to a fatalistic outlook, sat up, paid attention, and played their part to bring about change. The proverbial voices in the wilderness calling for a different approach to governance felt such was within grasp. Arguably, 2015, both to political watchers and bystanders, was a referendum on the PPP/C government, its management of the state’s business, and its treatment of citizens.
The coalition represented an ideal the people longed for, i.e. a united front committed to change the way politics was conducted, how the country was managed, and how government officials, elected and appointed, treated with citizens. The results of the 2015 GRE put that wind under the people’s wings and they wanted to soar, and saw the possibility with the coalition winning the Executive and Parliament. Statistical review would admit that the though the coalition won, the country remains divided.
The Parliament was won by one vote, giving the coalition 33 seats to the PPP/C 32, and the Executive won by also by a slim margin. This data confirms that bringing about unity requires treating each other with respect, reaching across the political aisle, and seeking at all costs to avoid acts of the PPP/C government that earned the ire of the people.
Coalitions are fragile by nature, given the amorphous interests of the group and even among individuals within the group. This is why, in order to avoid fragmentation or dissolution within the group, or dis-illusionment by the public, it’s imperative to stay true to agreements, expressed and implied. In the instance of the APNU+AFC coalition, its agreements are two-fold: the Accord, and what the people were told and led to believe were campaign promises, via the manifesto, etc.
And though none can deny the coalition has had some successes, where there have been rough patches and falling short of honouring expectations, the anniversary presents the opportunity for frank and honest introspection. Guyanese are known for their resilience and capacity to work with those who treat them with respect. Come May 11th, it will mark two years of the coalition government and as it reviews its record, hopefully paying attention to public disquiet, the parties would seek to focus their attention on the agreements they made that brought them together and earned the confidence of the people.