Many commentators have suggested that we suffer from problems of governance. However, this is attributed in most cases to the system of government, namely the modified Westminster winner-take-all system. No one suggests that the crucial variable in the equation may not be the system but the quality of governance which has been uninspiring under a PNC government and under a PPP government and could be equally so under a coalition government. In other words, the vital problem may not be the system of government but the lack of human resources, which has led to a low level of development that has caused massive emigration and great frustration.

As a nation since independence we have had to learn all the hard lessons of running a country for ourselves, from scratch. Lessons of responsibility, compromise, stamina, foresight, some kind of political sophistication are not yet fully absorbed. In other words, the level of the social and political culture leaves a lot to be desired, we’re grappling with problems as we go along but crudely and ineffectively. There is far too little insight and wisdom and vision, too much carping, unreality and extremism. The debate is stuck at an unproductively low level, instead of exploring the broad alternatives that face us in the region and the opportunities for economic investment and development.

Of course other, former colonies have had to learn the same harsh lessons. But we have not been lucky. External interference in the sixties coupled with ethnic division have created a volatile mix. The experiment with nationalisation and state ownership did not help. Many people have got fed up and left, often the most able and energetic. This has affected the society at every level, from the political elite, to public administration, to business management, to education. Our capacity to get things done has been badly affected. So, the hard to accept fact may be that many things are done now at a lower level than they used to be.

There is fatigue. It is partly because there is an awareness of the price already paid for the mistakes made and a fear that it may be difficult to get on top of our problems, given the resources that remain. This fear propels a continued emigration.

There may be need for a new or revised system of government. The one we have was inherited. Though it has worked well in some countries that does not mean it will necessarily work well here, given our situation. The debate on more inclusive forms of governance is important and urgent and should continue. But a new system of governance must not be seen as some kind of utopian panacea. Problems of the quality of governance will persist. We have fallen a long way behind and there is a lot of recovery to be undertaken. Above all, we need competent and energetic people in nearly every area. We cannot afford to continue to suffer a brain drain, indeed part of a recovery strategy for any government has to be to encourage skilled and experienced Guyanese to return.

Guyana can be redeemed. The National Development Strategy has created a road map. The problems are energy, implementation and vision. Our despair is partly a symptom of our failure to date, and partly an inability to grapple with the many problems that now face us politically, economically and socially.