–what would a review, revision of this arrangement entail
WHEN persons, political parties or groups run for office, they do so on the basis of offering their ideas or vision as to the direction the organisation or country they seek to lead should go. When they are elected, these ideas or visions form a contract with the people/constituents.

On February 14, 2015, the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) entered into a coalition, based on an agreement known as the Cummingsburg Accord. The coalition campaigned on this Accord, and went to the electorate for approval on May 11, 2015 and March 18, 2016.

When the Accord was signed and made public, as a citizen and trade union leader I publicly expressed disagreement with the clause which says that the Prime Minister would chair the Cabinet. Article 106 (3) of the Guyana Constitution expressly states that such responsibility should reside in the President, and rightly so, given that the office holder is the supreme executive authority. This means that he or she is head of the executive branch of government.

If the coalition came to the electorate on the promise that it would respect the Rule of Law, it cannot be cherry-picked but must be respected in its entirety. Any review and revision must see this clause excised, or acknowledgment be given to the extant article.
Power, authority and responsibility must be exercised, checked and constrained within the confines of the law.

The AFC wants this process to be concluded by February 14, 2018, before the Local Government Elections. This is not an unreasonable expectation, given that parties may want to contest the polls independently, which would be good, in the sense that such will also offer a gauge of their strengths, standing alone. This Accord not only caused some to see opportunity to defeat the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), but moreso to learn from our history and improve approaches to governance.

For too long many were shut out from, and marginalised in society, even though they are bonafide members, and their rights and freedoms constitutionally guaranteed and protected. Citizens were also tired of the political crassness, gross mismanagement of the economy, and the contempt with which leaders treated the masses. The coalition represented hope, a new direction, opportunity to foster oneness and build on the talents of our diverse people in keeping with the motto, “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”.

THREE YEARS ON
Almost three years into office, to pretend there exists no concern, even from quarters that voted for and or wish the coalition well would be to be in denial. The trade union, as a national stakeholder, is cognisant of its constitutional role, as expressly outlined in Article 38, 147 and 149C, and that too of the government and its obligations in the management of the State, protection and advancement of the people’s wellbeing.

Revising and reviewing any agreement, especially one of this magnitude, requires honesty and deliberative approaches, factoring in what both sides brought to the table, based on the premises from which they signed. An important tool is diagnostic analysis, which must include the 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2016 elections results.

This means looking at each region and polling division, for elections are won by numbers and the ability to get voters to vest confidence and support in your leadership.
Examination must not be premised on whether the spoils are properly shared among coalition leadership; who deserves more offices than who; and particularly for the AFC, where its leadership has recently changed, what it means for who should hold the two vice-president positions as stipulated.

Government is not a gravy train; nor must it serve to enrich any at the expense of time-honoured principles, laws and or the taxpayers. Where the slightest inkling is given that it’s more about titles than honouring the contract with the people (as enshrined in the Accord, Manifesto, campaign promises, and for the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) the communiqué) this would mark a regressive step.

When the coalition launched its 2015 General and Regional Elections (GRE) campaign, it chose Linden/Region 10 as the venue in which to do so. This community was already bursting with energy, coming out of the successful 2012 protest against the PPP/C government’s imposition of an electricity hike, and suffering decades of economic marginalisation. On that platform, the coalition leadership committed to honouring the August 21, 2012 Agreement signed with Central Government.

That Agreement included the establishment of an Economic Committee to look at developing an Indigenous Economic Plan, a Technical Committee to revisit the electricity situation and empower the community, the return of the community’s television disk and the issuance of a licence to broadcast, among other promises.

Based on the coalition’s commitment, Region 10 went to the polls, and today holds the distinction of being the only region where the PPP/C lost votes, and the coalition recorded a landslide victory. In short, it was the best performing region for the coalition. The 2012 Agreement is not yet honoured, even as the government continues to issue new broadcasting licenses.

FIRE AND HIRE
On the eve of the GRE, the GTUC made its Labour Day platform available to the coalition, and we called on citizens and workers to fire the PPP/C, and hire the APNU+AFC. Our call was based on years of expressed disapproval with poor governance, wanton trampling of citizens and workers’ rights, and the communiqué which represents a contract with organised labour.

This agreement includes respect for Labour’s constitutional role in the development of the economy, Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual, a Job Creation Plan, establishment of all constitutional commissions, universal restoration of Collective Bargaining, enforcement of Labour Laws and creation of a Social Compact, utilising the tripartite arrangement. This communiqué has not yet been honoured.

As citizens, we can debate whether applications of programmes are right or wrong, but we cannot lull ourselves into any comfort zone of accepting the violating of laws and agreements, and the transgressing of rights. This is my beef with this administration, for the non-adherence to the Constitution, laws and agreements constitutes a violation of the contract with the people.

This business, too, where there exists confusion or disregard for the separation of power must form part of the ‘revise and review’. It has reached the stage of national import the number of cases the Executive has lost in Court on basic interpretation and application of the Constitution, thereby lending credence to the perception that there exists a contempt for the Rule of Law and a misunderstanding of the role of this branch of governance.

Separation of power does not operate in isolation of the checks and balances on power. The branches — Executive, Legislature and Judicature — have their own sphere of responsibility where supremacy exists, but they are not independent of the other, in the sense that it can operate independent of the role and responsibility of the other.

Labour has a constituency — unionised and non-unionised, past, present and potential workforce — to report to. Where its leadership has asked them to support the coalition, based on the commitment given to the GTUC, such carries a moral responsibility to ensure delivery. History must not record that the trade union did not fight for implementation; neither must we find excuse for failing to pursue same. Labour must give of its best, fight its hardest, and advise its constituents accordingly, for the leadership, too, is bound by social contract to deliver.

Of expectation, too, is that the coalition would have started engendering a culture of mutual respect within its ranks, and set a progressive tone for governance, national discourse and development. You cannot require of society what you are not prepared to live by within your own fold. Also, inclusionary democracy, as outlined in Article 13, must realise laws such as Equal Opportunity, anti-discrimination, regional and local government’s independence as matters of priority, given its importance in deepening and strengthening racial harmony, the constitutional right to self-determination, freedom of association, and protection from discrimination.

A MUTUAL RESPECT
Every party in the coalition has a responsibility to make the arrangement work, and realising this has to be grounded in mutual respect and the shouldering of one’s responsibility within the group. I note with concern David Hinds’ position last week that “Burnhamist ideas are a thing of the past”. As a politician and WPA leader, he would recognise that such utterances are less than honest, and will foster a wedge in politics.
As the WPA ceaselessly promotes Walter Rodney and Rodneyism in seeking to have its influence on governance, its supporters and members must be equally respecting of Forbes Burnham and those who support his principles.

You cannot erase Burnham from society; nor his contributions. He was a major forerunner in Guyana and the Caribbean’s earlier struggles and achievements for self-determination, and, unlike Rodney, held constitutional offices. These struggles remain relevant, and continue today. Where Burnham, Rodney, Cheddi and Janet Jagan, Desmond Hoyte et al made mistakes, society must learn from and avoid these, equally as their strengths must be built on. But none of them must be written off as entirely no good or irrelevant.

Observing that Dr. Vincent Adams, a person I know well, is a member of the AFC team, the APNU is yet to name theirs. Expectation is held he would bring sobriety and progressive thinking to the process, as his international acumen and benefit of living and working in a First World society would hopefully aid reminders of what political parties are elected to do, the expectations of governing, and making known the hard truths. Guyana is at the crossroads and the time is now to choose whether we swim together and collectively reap the nation’s bounties or disintegrate and sink like fools.