AS the APNU+AFC Government begun facilitating engagements on constitutional reform in keeping with its campaign promise, in August 2015 a local committee was established, and February this year the United Nations (UN)was invited to lend support to the effort. Shortly after the government came to office,a team,headed by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, was identified to meet with the PPP/C Opposition to discuss governance and national unity.

The PPP/C’s response to the government’s overture was making it known that once the prime minister is part of the delegation there would be no engagement. Taking this approach was not only intended to determine the government’s representatives, but also creates speculation about commitment to governance and unity. It’s more than passing strange a party that would reject being told who should be appointed to speak on its behalf does not find it similarly off-putting to dictate for others.

As the UN and Carter Centre were recently engaged in talks with Guyanese on the Constitution, where the former met stakeholders and the latter held a public symposium, the PPP/C has criticised the involvements, deeming them interference by foreigners. For some reason politicians either think they can fool all the people all the time or that the people’s memories are short.

Outside of the PPP/C there is no other political party in the history of independent Guyana who mostly courted and sought the involvement of international institutions or foreigners into our political affairs. Carter Center’s presence in Guyana has been at the behest of the PPP/C, who invited it here to play major roles since the 1980s. Where there exists doubt or denial, the present configuration of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), which became part of our electoral system since 1992, owes its origin to the Center. The appointment of Chairman and configuration of the Board is colloquially referred to as the “Carter formula.”

The party’s success at the 1992 General and Regional Elections did not result in severance of ties but rather that of seeking the Center’s involvement in our economy. The National Development Strategy (NDS), which was facilitated by the Center, at the helm of the project was Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo. His work earned him a visit to Africa, which was facilitated by the Center, to promote the process of creating NDS on the continent. Evidently the PPP/C and more so Mr. Jagdeo found the Center’s involvement in Guyana useful and worthy. It is befuddling, having been recipient of such support that there is now a critique for its present involvement in our internal affairs and the fact too that its residency has been made possible with the tremendous influence and input of the PPP/C, as a party and government.

Guyana is a member of the UN. The presence of this international institution should not be of concern, including its involvement on a domestic issue, which carries international implications. Guyana is required to pay yearly dues and the UN’s support in constitutional reform would be consistent with its global role and mandate, and a benefit to the citizens that comes with the country’s association.

The PPP/C General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition, Jagdeo, within the past weeks has been expressing a particular viewpoint of such relationships vis-a-vis the constitutional reform process. According to him, though the party is not opposed to reform, its interest lies in the daily breaches of the constitution. Where the perception exists-real or perceived- it is not to the best interest of the people or the nation. Societies are not being served when governments breach their constitution. The present 1980 Constitution was amended under the PPP/C government. This party served 23 years (October 1992-May 2015) in office, with Mr. Jagdeo’s presidency being the longest (1999-2011). During the period he not only assented to the amendments but Guyana earned an international reputation of being the most corrupt English- speaking country in the Caribbean. Internally,law and order was under siege.
Instances such as the right to life was not constitutionally respected but determined by drug lords, phantom squads and extrajudicial killings, with the complicity or assent (expressed or implied) of his government. The Public Procurement Commission, which is a mean to curtail corruption and constitutionally required, was first established in 2016. The country’s need for this commission was signed into law in 2004 by then President Jagdeo. The PPP/C cannot honestly make the claim of concern about breaches of the constitution since such occurrence daily characterised its governance.