Political reflections at Xmas
RICKEY SINGH COLUMN
IF YOU are not too caught up in merry-making entertainment this Christmas Day to read this column, then I trust you can join me in my reflections on some of the more significant political developments in Guyana in 1999, with six more days still to go. After the politically-engineered disturbances that created such chaos and fear in Georgetown and marred traditional Christmas celebrations in 1997 and, to a lesser extent 1998, for many citizens, I feel Guyanese of all walks of life must be happy to able to enjoy Christmas in a climate free of political conflicts and tension. Given all the recent expressions of optimism, cautious as they may be, by representatives of civil society, in particular the private sector and leading religious organisations, those who were primarily responsible for the political disturbances would be well advised to rethink their strategy. If not, they could pay a heavy price at new national elections - whether in January, 2001, or, more realistically some months later in that year, considering the many important issues still to be resolved, including the creation of a new Elections Commission and compilation of a new electoral register. Christmas 1997 may best be remembered for the politics of bitterness unleashed by the losers of the December 15 elections. Encouragingly, however, Christmas 1999 is accompanied by signs of an apparent welcomed weariness and disgust with the politics of racial division and hatred by a people seemingly anxious to peacefully get on with their lives in a civilised atmosphere. For all the prophets of doom and gloom, the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) completed its mandate, although I share some of the criticisms and reservations about its report that must now be transformed into parliamentary- approved arrangements for a national referendum prior to new elections. The People's National Congress (PNC) under Mr Desmond Hoyte's leadership, managed to maintain during the year its divisive propaganda war and destabilising tactics, in collaboration with anti-government allies, aided by sections of the local media, especially what passes for television `news' and public affairs programmes. Yet, for all the threatened collapse of the CARICOM-supervised inter-party dialogue between the People's Progressive Party (PPP) and the PNC, the process continued to produce some new positive results with the help of Facilitator Maurice King who is unlikely to continue that role in 2000. Among the pluses for the inter-party dialogue would be this month's agreement on creation of an Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), one of the recommendations of the 20-member Constitution Reform Commission. The modalities are yet to be worked out. But such a body could also serve as a mechanism, once there is the will, to address perceived discrimination in employment opportunities, land allocation and other sensitive matters relating to racial insecurity. With the smooth transfer of power as Executive President from Janet Jagan to Bharrat Jagdeo, the 35-year-old head of state has been generating much interest and enthusiasm by his politics of reaching out to the people and building consensus.
Hoyte and Jagan
In contrast, however, much it may seek to divert attention away from the issue of future leadership, the PNC knows that for better or worse, it seems stuck with its `maximum leader' Hoyte. He, at 72, will be the party's presidential candidate in 2001 with the PPP/Civic placing the energetic Jagdeo as head of its own list of candidates. In the absence of any clear challenge, Hoyte still appears to be the best offer the PNC can make to the electorate. But the politician who was to overcome all the political pressures and personal abuse to make the most valuable contribution in preventing things falling apart and ensuring continuation of democratic governance during her 20-month presidency, is undoubtedly - let it be objectively admitted - Janet Jagan. It cannot easily be forgotten that, as Barbados's Henry Forde, chairman of the CARICOM post-election "peace mission" to Guyana in January last year had observed, Mrs Jagan's "magnanimous gesture" of sacrificing two years of her PPP/Civic's five-year elected term was a most significant development in the post-election process that led to the signing of the `Herdmanston Accord'. Her enlightened political leadership in her period in office before bowing out on grounds of ill health, had also made possible the enactment of legislation to facilitate Hoyte and his PNC colleagues to retain their parliamentary seats and, consequently, kept on track the `Herdmanston Accord' and related `St. Lucia Statement'. Having already made her enormous contributions, alongside Cheddi Jagan, her husband and first freely elected Executive President of Guyana, this was a crowning moment in her political career - steering the country from the brink of disaster, perhaps worse than the terrifying fratricidal war of the decade of the Sixties. Most, if not all the well-known Guyanese-born women who had struggled with this American-born woman who adopted Guyana as her homeland over half a century ago, are no longer around or active in any kind of party politics. They knew much about her valiant contributions. It would indeed be difficult for even her most bitter critic to choose any other woman of this country ahead of Janet Jagan as the most outstanding woman politician of Guyana, and one of the icons, heroes of the 20th century struggles against the injustices of colonialism, for freedom and democracy. As Festus Brotherson, a former Director of Propaganda and Agitation of the administration of the late President Forbes Burnham was to write as a columnist of the Sunday Chronicle following Mrs Jagan's resignation as President in August: "As time passes, it will become clear that one of this superior Guyanese patriot's outstanding achievements during her 20-month stewardship of Guyana, was her ability to sustain the country's fragile democratic political system ..." This may mean nothing to those bent on pursuing their own narrow political agendas as they keep fanning the flames of racial division fore their own short-term political survival. But for such, the Stabroek News had a most enlightening editorial just a few weeks ago on the subject of `Discrimination' that pointed to existing legal remedies to address discrimination, either in employment, house lots or land selection. Hard evidence of actual discrimination based on race or politics - in Guyana the two are invariably linked - have not been forthcoming, despite the constant flow of propaganda to the contrary. Will it be any different this time next year? Regrettably, no. Yet, as we celebrate the birth of the Christ child with so much of the "Merry Christmas" hoopla, let us all hope that the desire for racial harmony and political stability will triumph over racial bigotry, political arrogance, bitterness and hatred. Perhaps the President of Guyana and the leader of the PNC will not meet for a face-to-face dialogue on national issues before year end or even by the end of 2000. But this country must move forward and prove to the rest of the Caribbean and the world that, for all their problems, there are far more that unite than divide Guyanese, and that they still have the capacity to give substance to the national motto: `One People, One Nation, One Destiny'. An enjoyable, peaceful Christmas to all readers!
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