Whenever rational and open-minded discussion about the future of the country emerges, it has the effect of wresting the initiative from the extremists and those who are firmly wedded to the course of violence and destruction. This was clearly evident last week. After the diabolical events of July 3 when the Office of the President was invaded and the customary rioting, arson and looting followed, the last few days have seen the re-emergence of those across the political spectrum and society who speak with rationality, realism and hope.
This ebb and flow has been seen before and has led to false hope. The Herdmanston Accord of 1998, the St Lucia Statement a few months later and now the suspended dialogue between President Jagdeo and Mr Hoyte all offered ground breaking prospects for the country. The problem is that after a while and for no clear reason we allow the momentum to slip and the initiative to fall away. This was the case in the Jagdeo/Hoyte dialogue. It should never have been suspended by the PNC/R. Clearly there were things that weren't going as smoothly as the two leaders might have liked but at least the two sides were talking and there was room for meaningful dialogue. How can the present turmoil have been more desirable than the two leaders sitting down and trying to address the concerns of both of their constituencies? The suspension of the dialogue by the PNC/R came in the midst of a security crisis occasioned by the February 23 prison break. Over the years, whenever political dialogue has broken down, it fuels the ambitions of both the criminals and the political extremists and that is exactly what Guyana has seen recently. Moreover, the crime wave and the political dissonance have intersected. One of the escapees made a highly charged political statement on TV which appealed to one section of the community. The crime wave has had two particular targets, the Indo-Guyanese community and the police. The attack on the former, besides robbery and brutishness, is intended at weakening its support for the government by showing that the state is unable to protect those who are its supporters. The assault on the latter is meant to inspire a breakdown of law and order so that a state of anarchy will prevail and the campaign has also become entangled with the issue of extra-judicial killings by the police. Accompanying these two waves of criminality has been the rise of the political extremism in the ranks of the PNC/R. The clearest expression of this was the rally at the Square of the Revolution last month addressed by Mr Bynoe in which he called stridently for the removal of the government and made a series of exceptionable remarks. Quite unfortunately, everything he said was endorsed by Mr Hoyte who also spoke at the same rally. As is the case, the political extremism in the ranks of the PNC/R has been nursed by the talk show hosts and there has also been wild talk about August 1 and what was expected on that date. All the while, the east coast villages - Buxton in particular - were wound up by the political extremists.
So this is where we are now. Near to the brink but far enough away to step back. The only way back is by talking. Whatever its grievances, the constituency that supports the PNC/R has been wrongfully led to believe that these problems are fully attributable to the current government, that something could be done right away to rectify it and that if there was no improvement they could take whatever action the political extremists have advised them to take.
Now is the time for a de-escalation to allow a healing atmosphere for talks. A citizen's group has quite admirably taken the initiative to mobilise public opinion to help in this process. The time is also propitious for a resumption of the Jagdeo/Hoyte dialogue in a manner that allows for more structured talks and a framework for gauging progress. Having broken off the talks, the onus is on the PNC/R to get it back on track but that shouldn't stop the President from asking Mr Hoyte to a meeting to review the progress since their last session and to work out an agenda for future engagements.
To enable a restorative atmosphere, the bitter rhetoric has to go. Maybe the PNC/R should suspend press conferences for a few weeks and Dr Luncheon should just announce decisions arrived at by Cabinet and steer far away from political issues. The talk show hosts on all sides should be sent up the river for a holiday - most undeserved. In the restive villages on the East Coast, particularly Buxton, the PNC/R should send high-level officials there to help bring the temperature down and prepare its supporters for mature dialogue between the leaders of the main political parties and greater involvement in this process by civil society.
Due process and the rule of law must also be allowed to run their course to halt this brutal campaign of crime that the country has been convulsed by. No one must be allowed to oppose and thwart properly conducted police operations.
There is no other sensible route but talking and all political leaders and those of civil society have an obligation to the people of this country to get it going again and keep it on track. Hopefully the PPP at its congress next week and the PNC/R at its own next month will help to move this process forward by meaningfully debating where the country is at the moment and what is required to stimulate harmony and progress.