These past two weeks I saw both the celebrations and the criticisms of the government’s first 100 days in office. My friends and I also listed the achievements of the government in the short time it has been in office, during a casual conversation. But at the same time, I started to wonder what would Guyana be like if we were audacious enough to work together.

There are things the governments have to do, because of their responsibility to the people they are elected to serve. Maybe in Guyana, we have come to expect less from our elected officials or maybe, we sometimes do not wish to acknowledge whatever good work they are doing simply because they are not the persons we preferred to have in government. And maybe, fundamentally, we are each part of the problem because we can push for our elected officials to do more or stop our rigid loyalty to “our” perceived parties.

I am of the firm view, however, that the most audacious act this government, or any government in Guyana for that matter, can do would be to work together. I also believe that we have a role to play in calling for that.

During my four years in journalism, green development has not been a “sexy” topic. I find it challenging to engage people on climate change, renewable energy or similar “green” topics, simply because these stories just aren’t as compelling or exciting, generally. I believe people see the value of preserving our natural patrimony but, it is not something they’re often excited to read or learn about.

Research shows that green development is the general trajectory countries should be taking. There has been a shift towards more sustainable development, in light of the climate crisis which has enveloped the world. Guyana has only just entered into the oil and gas sector, but the world is increasingly moving towards the use of renewable energy.

And in Guyana, green development is a developmental trajectory which was floated by both of Guyana’s major parties. Both parties have advocated for the sustainable use of Guyana’s natural resources to propel developmental efforts. That alone means something to me; it means that there is bipartisan support for this, at least in theory. Logically, this should be something many more Guyanese are concerned with.

The current government, while in office previously, proposed a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). The previous government articulated a Green State Development Strategy (GSDS). Fundamentally, these two strategies strive to achieve the same green, sustainable development. But, there are two different strategies, proposed by two different governments. We have not agreed upon one single strategy. You know what I’m going to say- imagine the politicians being audacious enough to work together.

If we’re talking about sustainable development, our education sector has to be factored in as well. Building our human capacity is paramount. It is well-ventilated that Guyana’s education sector is plagued by several inherent disparities. This COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated those disparities.

While in government before, this current administration began a ‘One Laptop Per Family’ initiative, while the previous government went about establishing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hubs in many communities. These are just two projects which could help learners adapt to the ramifications of the pandemic (again, at least in theory). I believe that learners would be better positioned to contend with the pandemic if both of these projects were developed together.

The last thing I’ll use to illustrate my point is the enduring, perceived racial divisions across the country. I think many of us are woefully aware that Guyana is not really a ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ country. I think our politicians know this, and they know that it is due to deep, largely untouched feelings. Whether through efforts geared at “Social Cohesion” or “National Healing” both of Guyana’s large parties at least articulated an intention to encourage better relations. Yet, here we are today. It would be truly audacious if our elected officials could work together and help the Guyanese people who place their trust in them to heal.

I’m honestly not concerned with political motives and clout. I’m more concerned with initiatives that work, regardless of which elected official(s) they come from. More recently, there have been people who are advocating for shared governance. Shared governance or a government of national unity is not an entirely new concept, but it may still be a quantum leap for us. Working together, at the very least, should be possible.

If you would like to discuss this column or any of my previous writings, please feel free to contact me via email: vish14ragobeer@gmail.com