IT is an established fact that there is a positive correlation between democracy and development. Countries with high levels of economic development tend also to have strong democratic institutions whereby democracy is allowed to flourish and where there is good governance and full adherence to the rule of law.

This nexus between development and democracy is evident in several countries, including our own country, where economic growth and social progress were stifled by the absence of democracy and democratic rule for close to three decades during the period of PNC authoritarian rule. From a relatively prosperous country during the early 1960s, the country degenerated economically and socially to become one of the poorest country in the western hemisphere by the early 1990s, thanks to PNC minority and authoritarian rule.

It was not until the return of democratic rule on October 5, 1992, that the country began to experience growth and development in a significant way. The PPP/C in 1992 embarked on a programme of ‘development with a human face’ which saw the reversal of bad economic policies and where the benefits of growth started to permeate the entire fabric of the Guyanese society, resulting in an enhanced quality of life for the vast majority of the Guyanese people.

Except for a short period when there was a change of administration following the elections of May 2015 when the APNU-AFC took power in a razor-thin controversial election, the country has made over the past two decades steady progress both economically and in terms of human development since the return of democratic rule. This was manifested in the tens of thousands of Guyanese who for the first time were able to own their own homes and other durable consumer items such as motor vehicles, television sets, washing machines and so on. Social services which were in a run-down state were upgraded and there is once again a return of hope by the populace.

That is why any attempt to derail the democratic process as what happened in the elections of March 2, 2020, must be condemned by all those who cherish the ideals of a democratic society and the consequences that could emanate from any rupture of democratic processes.

As pointed out by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, democracy is the ‘oxygen’ of development.  Indeed, it is through democracy that governments are held accountable and any departure from democratic norms could undermine the democratic architecture on which modern societies rest.

No less important is the fact that democracy helps to unlock the creativity and potential of the Guyanese people to contribute fully to the growth and development of their society and by extension to their own personal advancement.

It is no secret that many individuals and companies, including foreign investors, were hesitant to invest in the country ever since the APNU+AFC government was defeated by way of a successful no-confidence motion in December 2019. Since then, the country, for all practical purposes, was marking time and was in a state of paralysis, both from a governance and developmental perspective. More importantly, it spoke to the nature of the APNU-AFC leadership that it was prepared to sacrifice the health of the economy and the consequential erosion of investor confidence on the altar of political greed and self-gratification.

Thankfully, as noted by Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, significant sums of money by way of development assistance and financing by our development partners which hitherto were withheld, have now been restored following the declaration of the results of the March 20, 2020 Regional and General Elections by the Guyana Elections Commission in favour of the democratically elected PPP/C. This is most reassuring and certainly augurs well for the future prosperity of our nation.