IF you are a Los Angeles Lakers fan and you believe LeBron James is the greatest player on the basketball court, and there is no doubt that he may very well be, there is nothing wrong with acknowledging, even grudgingly, that Kawhi Leonard, who plays for the LA Clippers, is also a world-class player. Perhaps there is something from sportsmanship that we can draw on to inspire a more civil approach to Guyana’s pre-election political landscape.

Since President Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced the election date, there have been 16 key figures from the APNU+AFC and smaller political parties who have come out in support of the PPP/C and have endorsed the president. Many of them have been viciously excoriated on social media. The worst treatment was meted out to Geeta Chandan-Edmond, who declared her support for the PPP/C on the floor of the National Assembly earlier this month.

Chandan-Edmond herself noted that she has been subjected to “vile, racist and derogatory words.” On platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and opposition political forums, posts invoked inflammatory rhetoric that labelled her a “traitor” and a “sellout.” Sadly, she said, “not one voice, not a single voice rose in condemnation” from her former colleagues in PNCR/APNU+AFC. During her farewell speech, opposition MPs attempted to prevent her from speaking, and several of them walked out of the National Assembly. Late on Friday, Chandan-Edmond took to Facebook to announce she had tendered her resignation from the PNCR.

Instead of recognising the underlying reasons why Chandan-Edmond, Daniel Seeram and Samuel Sandy, the latter two being former PNCR’s Region Four Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively, have endorsed President Ali, Aubrey Norton downplayed their departures, framing them as acts of betrayal designed to damage his party at a critical time.

There is no indication that the PNCR is least bit interested in addressing the underlying reasons for its poor ratings. Instead, it seems all too willing to allow its rank and file members to indulge in race-baiting. In other words, race-baiting has taken the place of bad ratings.

When Sydney Allicock, former Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs under APNU+AFC government and a respected Indigenous leader from the Guyana Action Party (GAP), came out and publicly endorsed President Ali and the PPP/C for a second term in office, a portion of APNU+AFC supporters accused him of “opportunism” and of “seeking personal advancement,” suggesting that his endorsement is motivated by the prospect of “spoils” from the governing party.

Lest you missed it, here is what Allicock had to say: “If President Ali could be given the chance to continue, I believe much more could be achieved… We need unity, sensible discussions, and collective decision-making.” Allicock cited his deep frustration with the APNU+AFC coalition and described it as fragmented, focused on personal ambitions rather than the national interest.

His sentiments echoed the president’s pointed observation that the opposition coalition has become a “coalition of convenience.” Let’s not forget that on April 17-18, APNU and AFC publicly announced that they would not contest the elections together. At the time, multiple media reports stated that the main sticking points were disagreements over the presidential candidate, the allocation of parliamentary seats and ministerial portfolios.

The AFC insisted on a consensus presidential candidate other than Norton. Nigel Hughes and Carl Greenidge’s names were floated as possible candidates for the presidential nominee. AFC demanded a 40 per cent share of government positions. APNU, led by Norton, insisted on Norton as the sole presidential candidate and a 70/30 split in APNU’s favour. Neither side would agree to a compromise, and AFC boldly declared it would contest the 2025 elections independently.

In a bizarre and unconvincing attempt to rewrite history, Nigel Hughes claimed last week that his AFC party had never insisted that its candidate be the coalition’s presidential candidate. With the president poised to dissolve Parliament at any moment, the race to the polls is on, and APNU and AFC are now scrambling, squabbling, and scribbling desperate backroom deals to get the coalition back on track.

Meanwhile, those who have crossed the floor and are being embraced by the PPP/C leadership appear to have recognised that the governing party remains the most capable of leading the country for another five years. The venomous attacks against the PPP/C, the refusal of the opposition to engage with empirical evidence, and the retreat into race-baiting and personal vilification do nothing to strengthen our democracy or heal our nation.

Guyana stands at a crossroads, not just politically but morally. The ease with which we demonise dissenters and silence debate is a sign of insecurity, not strength. True leadership, like true sportsmanship, means acknowledging the worth of your opponent, learning from your losses, and striving for a contest of ideas rather than a war of words.

As the election approaches, let us reject the politics of division and embrace a culture where disagreement is not betrayal, and where the courage to cross the floor, or simply to speak one’s mind, is met with respect, not ridicule. Only then can we hope to build a Guyana where unity, sensible discussion, and collective decision-making are more than slogans.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.