The New Year message to the nation by Mr Desmond Hoyte, leader of the People's National Congress/Reform, went well beyond the normal platitudes and deserves closer scrutiny. Noting the economic difficulties that exist and the resulting unemployment, the weakness of the judicial system, the incompetence and brutality of sections of the police force and the problem of corruption Mr Hoyte said that the great task that challenges us as a society is to build confidence in the processes of government and the integrity of the state. "Such confidence must be established if the foundations of our republic are to be strengthened and preserved and if our country is to survive as a viable political entity".Dealing with the building of confidence Mr Hoyte said : "As a political party, People's National Congress/Reform is committed to the work of healing and reconstruction. It is for this reason that we have engaged in a process of political dialogue in an earnest effort to achieve consensual decisions that will generate confidence among all Guyanese and shore up the fragile structures of our nation. It is for this reason, too, that we have been proactive in identifying some of the key issues which need to be addressed and resolved as necessary first steps in our attempt to move our country forward. In principle, the format of collective problem solving, illustrated by the Joint-Committees formed under the dialogue process, represents not only a pragmatic and innovative approach, but a sensible one to urgent national problems. It is also a realistic basis for the potentiation of our political culture and the reformation and improvement of our system of governance. The problem, of course, is in the implementation."

The PNC leader noted that Guyana is not unique in facing a challenge about the adequacy and relevance of an existing political system and form of governance. We have, he said, an opportunity to devise approaches that are sensible, fair, just and efficient. Accepting that there had been difficulties and frustrations he said to expect otherwise would be naive. "The process (of dialogue) has not converted Guyana into an overnight utopia, as some people seemed to have expected; but the essential point is this: that our national problems are not going to be solved unless the major players in our society sit down around the table and engage one another collectively in a frank, honest exchange of views with the settled intention of arriving at a broad consensus on the major issues of public policy and good governance. It is better that such talks begin sooner rather than later. We must not lightly squander any gains we have made so far - regardless of their perceived minuteness."

Mr Hoyte urged that we must summon the will to embark on this enterprise, the fortitude to be patient and to stay the course and the humility to subordinate petty, personal considerations to the larger national interest. The work of creating a constructive, consensual political culture, he said, is linked to the possibilities for development and the security and well being of our society. All must be involved, no one can abdicate his civic responsibilities or sit on the fence while fellow citizens engage in the "monumental" work that has to be done. That does not mean that there should not be robust criticism of existing wrongs, he stressed.

Younger radicals in the party have complained that Mr Hoyte is not giving the party the leadership it needs and that it is an ineffective opposition. Yet consider the realities of the situation. For as long as ethnically based politics continue the PNC cannot win a fair election. Parties out of power in small countries like Guyana also notoriously lack resources of finance and personnel and find it hard to function efficiently. The PNC would appear to have three choices, whoever may lead it. First, to support and campaign for an experiment in executive power sharing. The current leadership of the party (and of the other main party, the PPP) does not support the idea of power sharing or consociationalism as it has been called by Mr Lijphart and there are many others who are sceptical of its possible success or disagree with it as a concept, given the problems of gridlock, elitist rule based on private deals between party leaders and lack of an effective opposition. Yet there is considerable support for this concept, at lower levels of the party leadership, and some combine it with a demand for a more confrontational form of politics in an effort to force the hand of the ruling party.

The second choice is the process now being adopted, engaging in dialogue and experimenting with new forms of governance that fall short of power sharing but give the opposition a greater say in the running of the country at various levels. This is the method Mr Hoyte has opted for while stressing that it will not provide an overnight panacea. There is an understandable impatience on the part of younger Guyanese to achieve quicker results, especially after perhaps fifty years of disappointments, stagnation and decline. With wiser policies the transition from colonial status to maturity and dependence might have been less painful and protracted, though it would never have been easy. Yet given all that has already happened including the ongoing massive brain drain and existing ethnic insecurities Mr Hoyte is surely right in counselling "the fortitude to be patient and to stay the course."

The third choice would be to engage in a radical reconstruction of the party with younger leadership not burdened by earlier ethnic struggles and more focussed on the rapid private sector breaking open of the economy based on big ideas like opening up the country with roads, new harbours, expanded airports (acting as hubs) and some of the other ideas espoused in the Guyana 2l plan and the National Development Strategy. That reconstruction would involve the active recruitment of able persons from all ethnic groups, a loosening of ethnic ties and some loss of traditional support but the gamble would be that it would gain a more than compensating accretion of support from other groups, including the Amerindians, who may be dissatisfied with the inadequate governance of the ruling party.

The executive committee of the PNC will no doubt be discussing these and other issues at and before the party congress scheduled for this year. There have been hints from highly placed party sources that Mr Hoyte may himself be ready to step down this year given advancing age and the burdens of his office. If that is so, we believe his statesmanlike New Year message should form an integral part of the debate the party may embark on in the choice of a new leader.