–local businessman says

RENOWNED Guyanese businessman Terrence Campbell believes that the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) cannot solely rely on “oppositional defiance” to regain power.
Campbell, in a Facebook post, said that in order to convince a majority of Guyanese to vote for them, the PNC/R must demonstrate that they have the capacity to govern, promote economic growth, eliminate inequities, and foster national healing.

“I am always amused when folks seek to decipher my position from a single post or comment…. I am concerned about Guyana and my friends in the opposition. I ask myself when will wisdom surface?

“Here is the issue. You can’t return to power by pure oppositional defiance. To return to power, you must convince a majority of Guyanese that you have the capacity to govern; that you have the knowledge to push economic growth; the desire to remove inequities and the ability to promote healing,” he said.

Campbell argued that oppositional defiance may sound good within the party, but it is not effective in the national theatre.

He emphasised that pure oppositional defiance is counterproductive to national healing and can result in a landslide and two-thirds majority, which would lead to unilateral constitutional changes that might make the PNC/R irrelevant.

“Pure oppositional defiance is also contrary to national healing. Pure oppositional defiance will probably lead to a landslide and two-thirds majority. Pure oppositional defiance is adolescent. Let me spell it out for you. A two-thirds majority means unilateral constitutional change, a change that will make you irrelevant,” he said.

On Sunday, General-Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, said that the PNC/R’s philosophy of racism and oppositional defiance will ultimately lead to its rapid demise.

Jagdeo went on to explain that such a philosophy is not in line with the values of a modern, democratic society and that the PNC/R needs to embrace a more inclusive and progressive approach if it hopes to remain relevant in the political landscape.

This is an important message, as it highlights the need for political parties to evolve with the times and adapt to the changing needs and values of their constituents — especially to foster a “One Guyana.”

Jagdeo pointed out that Aubrey Norton has been the Leader of the Opposition for over a year, and the party has already changed two Indo-Guyanese general secretaries and a treasurer.
The PPP/C General Secretary also mentioned an attempt by David Hinds, an Executive member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), to disparage several Indo-Guyanese members of the PNC/R for speaking out against racist and incendiary remarks made by the WPA.

Hinds had suggested that the PNC/R Indo-Guyanese members were only there to attract Indo-Guyanese voters.

“That’s their only purpose in the party. Not to promote a multi-ethnic and to respect people of every race and every faith as this party does. They (PNC/R) saw them as outsiders. That philosophy, the racism of the PNC will lead to their demise, and now they are rapidly dying as an organisation. At the next elections, not just the local government one. We will prove that definitively in the one in 2025,” Jagdeo said.