Dear Editor,
AS you reported (June 25), sister CARICOM nation Grenada held elections on Thursday. Note the contrasts with Guyana.

The Grenada election results were known Thursday evening self – no anxiety and tensions. Both sides accepted the results as in previous elections which followed the country’s 1979 revolution.

The incumbent New National Party (NNP) lost to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which had no representation in parliament in the last two election cycles. The defeated incumbent Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell, accepted defeat (9-6) and walked away nursing political wounds to become the official opposition and to plan a comeback in five years.

This is quite unlike in Guyana on March 2, 2020 when the then People’s National Congress (PNC)-led coalition government refused to accept the will of the electorate. It was even so in December 2018 when the coalition, led by David Granger, refused to accept defeat by a successfully-passed No-Confidence Motion.

Instead, the coalition invoked various rules and came up with all kinds of shenanigans, unheard of anywhere else on the planet. When the PNC-led coalition was declared as winner in May 2015, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) peacefully accepted the outcome.

Political parties in Guyana, the PNC in particular, must learn to accept the outcome of free and fair elections and the voice of voters. Politics is not just about winning elections and holding power. It is also about serving the people who elect. Leaders must not only use the power for self-interests but to serve the people firstly.

The outcomes in Guyana in 2015 and 2020 and in Grenada in 2022 show that the voters are bosses – they showed who are in charge. The voters had the final verdict. The coalition leadership felt that they were smarter and know more than their supporters and paid the price in 2020 at the ballot boxes.

When a party loses an election, the leadership rebuilds as Dr. Mitchell did in 2010 to 2013 and as Dr. Jagdeo did from 2016 to 2020. You don’t go on the warpath encouraging violence and attacking people on account of their race. Victimizing people when you are in government and attacking voters when in opposition doesn’t bring you support. Those acts turn away voters.

Unlike the coalition, the ruling PPP/C demonstrated political astuteness. During its tenure from 1992 to 2015, it did not terminate workers. It embraced all races. Since August 2020, it has put in place a government that is reflective of the ethnic diversity of the country, one which comprises members of varied ethnicities.

This is a remarkable testimony to the deepening of ethnic inclusiveness and democracy by a PPP/C administration. It has not terminated workers on account of ethnicity. It has created employment for thousands of citizens of all ethnicities.

It has given out varied grants for poorer sections of society to start businesses. There are housing grants and varied forms of social assistance to the poor including a one-off COVID-19 grant of $25,000 and increases in pension as well as educational grants.

The party has provided substantial assistance to marginalized indigenous communities. This signifies the party’s sustained efforts to incorporate native communities economically, politically and culturally.

Government has also given a one-off cash grant of $150,000 to fisher folks. For his part, Vice-President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has visited all the regions of Guyana over the last couple months, accompanied by other Cabinet members, to assist communities affected by the challenges caused by COVID-19, the global supply chain disruption, and the war in Ukraine.

The important point is the PPP/C, unlike its predecessor, is inclusive and reaching out to all communities. There is no discrimination on account of race or political affiliation. And most importantly, the ruling party has consistently accepted the outcome of democratic elections, a tradition in CARICOM, but not one embraced by the PNC.

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram