Carter appeals:
Stop the political wars
-- urges PNCR to return to Parliament
-- deadlock could end Carter Center involvement here
Guyana Chronicle
August 14, 2004
FORMER United States President Jimmy Carter left Guyana yesterday afternoon with an appeal for an end to the political wars here and said his Carter Center could stop its longstanding involvement if the deadlock is not broken.
He said he had urged President Bharrat Jagdeo and Opposition Leader Robert Corbin to consult each other regularly and called on Mr Corbin’s People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) to end its boycott of Parliament over differences with the government.
A key aide said Mr Carter was frustrated over the continuing political deadlock after some 13 years of involvement in Guyana and the continued engagement of the Carter Center here was “still open”.
“We want to help but it is frustrating that nothing much has happened to improve the political situation over the years”, the advisor told the Chronicle. “It all depends on movement forward by all sides”, he said.
Carter, who flew to Venezuela yesterday to be among observers for the referendum there tomorrow, said he believes Mr. Jagdeo and Mr Corbin could shortly resume communication.
The PNCR leader called off structured dialogue with the President in April this year citing differences with the government and the party has boycotted Parliament, except for one sitting.
Carter said a “lack of communication” is hampering progress in Guyana and signalled that if there was no progress by the major political players in resolving the deadlock, there would be no need for the Atlanta-based Carter Center to continue its work here.
He opened his latest Guyana visit Wednesday hoping to help make systems here more responsive to the needs of all Guyanese.
“I have a deep personal interest in Guyana and believe the basic integrity of its political, social, and economic systems must be made more responsive to the needs and aspirations of all Guyanese”, he said in an arrival statement released to the media.
“The purpose of my visit is to assess whether The Carter Center can make a further contribution to this need”, he said.
Carter was invited to visit by President Jagdeo when he met the former U.S. President in Atlanta in June.
The Nobel Peace prize winner played a central role in Guyana's return to free and fair elections at the October 5, 1992 polls, and the restoration of democracy here.
Carter managed to broker key electoral reforms between the late President Desmond Hoyte and Opposition parties, which led to the October 5, 1992 elections, the first free and fair polls here in almost 30 years.
Before then, Mr Hoyte and his People's National Congress had steadfastly resisted implementing changes in the electoral system that had long been characterised by widespread fraud and rigging.
The PPP/Civic won the October 5 elections, ending some 28 years in power by the PNC.
Reflecting his concern over the situation here, Carter yesterday said that although his faith in the Guyanese people remains, “it has been a sobering visit.”
“Except among a few political party leaders, there have been almost universal expressions of concern about the present condition and future hopes of Guyana, based on a failure of political leaders to heal the incompatibility and animosity that characterise their relationship”, Carter told a news conference at Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown shortly before flying out.
He declared that there is “little prospect for either substantial economic or social progress unless there is a truce in the political wars.”
“No one party should bear the blame. The traditions and culture of both major political parties are deeply entrenched and have their roots in fifty years of fierce rivalry that denies the legitimacy of the other party’s concerns.
“This problem can be solved only with basic constitutional changes in the system of governance”, he stressed.
He said that based on many years of observation and his recent conversations with Guyanese citizens and members of the international community, he has shared with President Jagdeo and Corbin his thoughts on some steps that might be taken to ensure political harmony, peace, and stability.
These are:
1. The political leaders should consult with each other regularly, beginning with the implementation of agreements already reached, as described in the May 6, 2003, communiqué and other documents.
2. Representatives of the People’s National Congress should return to their posts in the parliament.
3. All the provisions of the National Development Strategy (NDS) should be debated in the parliament, with as many as possible implemented into law.
4. The Standing Committee on Constitutional Review should be reactivated to implement proposals for substantive governance and election system reforms, drawing heavily on civilian participation. The two party documents on governance represent a starting point.
5. An independent civil society forum should be created to lead a structured national discussion on a vision for governance of the country to promote reconciliation and the NDS. “I hope civil society will organise itself in a non-partisan fashion for this purpose”, Carter said.
He said the Carter Center and other international organisations will be eager to assist in these official and unofficial efforts and to help ensure the integrity of future national elections, as requested by Guyanese leaders and civil society.
In addition, the centre promotes legislation ensuring access to information and political campaign financing, and has offered this service to the government of Guyana, he said.
“Of all the countries I have visited in the world, Guyana has the most unrealised potential. It is my hope and prayer that the future will be filled with peace, harmony, mutual respect, and economic and social progress”, Carter said.
He pointed out that the Carter Center is involved in 64 countries and cannot concentrate on just one country.