Gains and hopes
Editorial
Guyana Chronicle
December 31, 2006
FOR all the heartaches, the agony, and frustration some would have experienced, for varying reasons, overall 2006 was a comparatively good year for Guyana, in social, political and economic terms.
A most outstanding reference point would be the regional and parliamentary elections of August when, in the face of the gloomy predictions and self serving warnings from some quarters, there was thankfully, the absence of the violence and disruptions associated with previous elections.
It was proof that, left to themselves the Guyanese people, across ethnic and party lines, would prefer to choose a government peacefully and with confidence in the electoral process.
The governing and opposition parties that contributed to the peaceful environment in which free and fair elections took place, are to be commended. Guyana deserves to be praised for striving to bury the burden of a country where political violence and ethnic conflicts have been standard fare at national elections.
Given the prevailing nature of our political culture, it is not to be expected that the government’s opponents would wish to recognise the further progress achieved in 2006 in the fostering of social harmony, improved social welfare programmes and the economic gains resulting from foreign aid and local and overseas investments.
Irrespective of political affinities, the Guyanese people would, however, know the positive changes that continued to be the pattern of progress in education, housing, health, social welfare, communication, sports and culture.
On the debit side, would certainly be the rampant criminality, which is also a serious problem for our Caribbean neighbours, as well as the lack of success by the security forces in critical cases.
For example, failure to recover the 30 stolen AK-47 rifles from the Guyana Defence Force; or to make any significant breakthrough in the capture of those involved in the assassinations of high profile personalities, among them a cabinet minister, business executive and a well known political activist and talk show host.
Hopes for 2007 include new efforts for regular and structured consultations between the government and parliamentary opposition as well as with the private sector and labour movement.
In the case of the latter, it is more than high time to resolve the differences that have resulted in the serious split of the Guyana Trades Union Congress.
Honest and concerted efforts need to be made to overcome this problem, while those representing public sector workers should engage in a critical review for an end to the apparent politically motivated confrontational approach towards the government.
In turn, the government would be expected to adopt a more pragmatic attitude in the interest of fostering an even more positive industrial relations climate to further enhance social and economic progress and sustain a stable political climate.
We wish our readers and, indeed, all Guyanese the very best for 2007.