Paul Hardy, the leader of the Guyana Action Party, sees the solution to Guyana’s problems in a brand new concept of political culture spawned from outside the present political arrangements, which the PPP/C and the PNCR dominate.

He says that shared governance as a solution for Guyana would not solve the country’s problems because of the historical lack of trust that exists between the two main parties. Neither does he hold out any hope for the talks between President Jagdeo and PNCR leader Robert Corbin, although he prays for their success.

In a recent interview with Stabroek News, Hardy said that the solution to Guyana would come from outside the present political framework and from a brand new concept of political culture, based not in ethnicity but rather being economically driven. “It is empowering, economically, individuals; decentralising decision-making; removing government involvement in the private sector; and most importantly it is putting into place policies so that people can know what they can invest in, what the rules are and know that the same rules apply to everyone and do not depend on government blessing.”

While he doesn’t see shared governance solving the country’s problems, he is prepared to support “a national front government, which in principle is completely different from that of shared governance.”

Hardy describes shared governance as “basically grasping at last bits wherever they can to maintain the present political culture we have in the country, which is to maintain the two main parties.”

“Once the focus is to maintain the position of the two main parties we are losing what we are really here for - the nation.”

Hardy said that all he heard from both sides about what power sharing and shared governance was all about, was the maintenance of the power base of the two parties. “I do not hear them saying that it is Guyana which is important.”

He said shared governance would not work because of the history of the lack of trust between the PPP and the PNC, though he commends their leaders for recognising the need for a different political approach.