-Minister Teixeira affirms

DEMOCRACY, for many years, has been the very fabric that can either make or break a society and therefore, it is pivotal for young people to take a proactive stance in safeguarding it along with their human rights, according to Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira.

The Minister made these remarks during a feature presentation on Monday at the Marriott Hotel, Kingston, where the “Democracy Talks Series in Guyana,” was hosted.
The Democracy Talks Series facilitated a conversation about the importance of adherence to democratic processes, good governance and the rule of law.

Teixeira highlighted the importance of elections in shaping a country’s governance and development. He stressed the need for a comprehensive analysis of electoral politics, which goes beyond relying solely on Facebook or a limited perspective.

“We get caught up with the Facebook nonsense and we just tap tapping the surface. When we talk about electoral politics, we’re talking politics, political philosophy, political science…” she said.
The most fundamental principle defining credible elections is that they must reflect the free expression of the will of the people, and this is where the constitution comes into play.

Examining this more critically, the Minister pointed to the factors that influence elections such as investments in education, health care, and the reduction or increase in taxes.
“When countries have to make choices, can we put money into education? Or do we put money to pay debt? Do we put money to be able to reduce taxes? Or do we put more taxes on so that we can produce more?

“These are the things that influence elections,” the Minister said.
Moreover, she pointed out that struggling governments often face obstacles from global structural systems that hinder their ability to prioritise the well-being of their people when making decisions.

“The fact that the 2023 US based Freedom House report stated that global freedom had declined for the 17th consecutive year…For you young people, this must be a concern,” Teixeira stated.
She then reflected on the struggle for democracy even in her times where social media was not even available. But it was the social consciousness among other elements that pushed them to fight for democracy.

Countries with half of the world’s population will hold local, regional, general, and presidential elections in 2024. Dubbed the “biggest election year in history,” eight of the ten most populous nations in the world are holding elections this year.

Against this backdrop, the Minister said: “2024 will present an opportunity because of the volume of elections and the volume of people who [will] vote, particularly the younger generation. It will give us a clear cut, as I said real time picture profile of the resilience of people, the resilience of democracy and democracy will be tested country by country…” she noted.

The Minister then stated: “… And one of the lessons to do with democracy is that it is our duty as citizens, no matter which country belong to, to protect and guard and preserve human rights and democracy, constitutions can give you those rights. But if you don’t protect them, they’re just on a piece of paper.”

She added: “Democracy is the basic law and so without democracy we can’t have peace, without peace we can’t have democracy [and] without peace, we can’t have sustainable development. They’re all integrated.”