Guyana has come to an existential point where a shared governance arrangement seem to be the only sensible way forward. Some will ask, why now? Is it because the recount could show the PPP won? Others will ask, are you soft? Now that recount about to show we got a wider margin, you talking about shared governance?
Firstly, for all those who don’t know, in 1999, in defiance of the PNC leadership, I, along with Aubrey Norton and Sherwood Lowe, submitted a proposal on Shared Governance to the Constitutional Reform Commission. Initially, PNC Leader, Mr. Desmond Hoyte dismissed the idea as nebulous. However, after a couple of years he accepted it as “… an idea whose time has come. ” I was then tasked with spearheading the committee which developed the PNC policy paper for presentation to the nation. Vincent Alexander, Sherwood Lowe, the late Deborah Backer, and Hamley Case are some of the other people who served on that committee.
At this juncture, my decision to pronounce of the shared governance issue has nothing to do with being soft, or who will emerge victorious after the recount. It is about three consequential issues: a possible protracted electoral stalemate, COVID-19 and it’s after effects, and the rebirth of the nation.
Protracted Electoral Stalemate
At the moment the March 2nd Election is on a slippery slope. GECOM has two paths to resolving the election impasse; certify the regional results and swear-in President Granger, or order a recount. However, both paths have outcomes of their own. Swearing in President Granger will lead to an election petition, which could result in the declaration being upheld, or the courts ordering new elections. If GECOM goes ahead with a recount there is one outcome, new elections. Regardless of who is declared winner, some citizen who supports the otherside will go to court, injunct the recount declaration, tie it up in court, and maybe even obtain a ruling invalidating the entire elections.
The only practical option is to swear-in President Granger, establish a Government of National Unity in keeping with previously negotiated terms, and embark on a process of constitutional reform. The election petition, and new elections if necessary, should not interrupt this constitutional reform process or dismantle the Government of National Unity.
COVID-19 and its aftermath.
The WHO warmed Caribbean countries to be prepared for a full onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that this disease is a powerful enemy that threats the health and well-being of a wide cross section of our society cannot be overstated. It is a matter of national security.
Like in other countries, some of them with advanced healthcare systems and first world economies, this virus could ravage our population and destroy our economy. We don’t know how we will emerge out of this. We don’t know how the world will emerge. We cannot go to war against COVID-19, a formidable enemy, and be prepared for the uncertainties which lie on the otherside, with limited Government.
GECOM Chairman Justice Claudette Singh has already ruled there will be no more than 10 stations for the recount. This means a recount will take at least 60 days. This is 60 days of at least 200 persons working shoulder to shoulder in an era when there should be social distancing. This would be a petri dish for coronavirus cultivation. It will be the source of a major outbreak that would overwhelmed our healthcare system. There should be no recount until COVID-19 is behind us.
Justice Claudette Singh wisely declined to pronounce on this, and placed the decision in the hands of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and his COVID-19 Taskforce. It is up to them to do the right thing. The right thing is not about enforcing the curfew, it is about enforcing social distancing and protecting the lives of Guyanese. Whoever signs off on a recount before COVID-19 is under control will have the death of Guyanese on their hands.
The only practical way forward is to swear-in President Granger, establish a Government of National Unity, and embark on a constitutional reform process. A recount could be undertaken when it is safe to do so. Prior political agreement should determine how we handle the outcome of the recount.
Rebirth of the Nation
Guyana’s new status as an oil producing nation will place it on a new trajectory. The economy will explode and the society will transform. These changes will be so significant, we will find that our systems and procedures for oversight, transparency and accountability are sadly lacking. Comprehensive overhaul in our laws, that address the functioning of the courts, the police and anti-corruption agencies, will be needed. Parliament’s authority to perform oversight must be enhanced, and discretionary powers of ministers must be reduced. In other words, we need a total transformation that could only happen under a shared governance arrangement.
Some will argue that we do not need shared governance to effect these changes. They will be advancing a flawed argument. We had many attempts at constitutional reform since 1997. On all occasions the incumbent approached the process as if it was stripping them of authority the voters gave them. They were concerned that their acquiescence would cause then to look weak in the eyes of their supporters. Consequently, we always had a piecemeal and patchwork reform process. We cannot afford that now.
Some people on both sides will reject the idea. So let me ask this question. If you believe the PNC, in 28 years, or the PPP, in 23 years, committed all these atrocities you accuse them of, yet no one was held accountable, don’t you think we need to revamp our laws? Do you believe that a governing party will agree to laws which will allow a new government to hold them accountable?
Some supporters of the APNU-AFC will reject a Government of National Unity once Bharrat Jagdeo is involved. Utter nonsense! You cannot dictate to the other side who their leaders should be. In the same way the PPP cannot say to the government that Moses Nagamootoo cannot be involved, it is the same way APNU-AFC cannot dictate to the PPP.
We are at an existential point in our existence as a nation. We must now look beyond partisan politics, and come together as Guyanese. Bad actors, including nation states, are waiting to pounce and take advantage of our division.