GUYANA | Continuous Registration: Key to ridding Guyana of PPP/C Mismanagement

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, July 13, 2023 - About two weeks ago, the Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, and a team of his ministers and officials, visited Laing Avenue and held discussions with residents of that and other communities contiguous to that neighbourhood. It was one of the communities the PPP/C had hoped to win at the recently held local polls; it did not.

In his discussion with the people, there, the vice president said that the government has set aside $50 million for a community beautification project for that area. This includes repairs to apartments on the Avenue, cleaning of parapets, repairs to roads, and desilting canals. He also announced that the PPP/C government will fulfil promises made during its political campaign for Local Government Elections.

However, citizens must be conscious of two things:

First, the provision of those public goods- roads, drainage, clean and unpolluted natural environment, water- to communities, is the responsibility of the government. The government is doing nothing out of the ordinary by providing vital infrastructural and other essential facilities and services. It is nothing special. It is the bare minimum.

It was Abraham Lincoln who said that: “The legitimate objective of government is to do for a community or role whatever they need to have done, but cannot do at all or cannot so well do, for themselves, in their separate, and individual capacities”. By providing these public goods, the government is not doing citizens a favour; it is fulfilling an obligation, and meeting certain legitimate expectations of the people.

In many communities, across Guyana, the PPP/C promised broad public goods on the one hand while using its influence to shape specifically how, where and when these public goods are distributed. It is now clear to all that that party would continue to repair and construct roads, clean and desilt canals and other waterways, and do other allied things, particularly in those parts of the city, where, notwithstanding billions of dollars spent, it failed to flip communities from green to red. The government has made the provision of such public goods part of its campaign strategy for General and Regional Elections for 2025.

The actions of that party demonstrates that, the core of the party’s concern is not the alleviate of poverty, in vulnerable communities and groups, nor is it reducing hardship that Guyanese are forced to endure because of the discriminatory and lop-sided policies of this regime. It is to gain a political advantage to stay in power.

Second, the money that the government intends to spend, or is spending belongs to the people not to the government. Therefore, the government has a duty to spend that money in accordance with the felt needs of the people and in a manner that would facilitate the sustainable development of the country and the prosperity of all Guyanese.

Even so, there are other public goods that the PPP/C does not provide. These are seen as policy outputs that are not easily targetable to geographic areas or groups: the rule of law, transparency and accountability, even- handedness, a level commercial playing field. Contracts for infrastructural works are been given to one group of people. The bulk of the nation’s wealth is in the hands of a few while the majority of the population is catching hell to survive in the face of a rising cost of living crisis.

Construction of our roads is done in a shoddy and substandard manner resulting in billions of dollars in wastage. Newly built roads are already showing signs of fatigue and stress with gaping holes appearing in them with great regularity. The shoulders of many recently constructed roadways are breaking and slipping into canals. The underperformance of some of these contractors is unacceptable and contributes to daily road accidents in this country. But the government continues to use the excuse that other potential contractors do not have the capacity to bid for those contractors. Yet here is no effort, on the part of the incumbent, to help them build capacity. Guyanese continue to be kept in the dark on the sums of money spent on these projects.

We remain in the dark as to how the huge drawdowns from the Natural Resource Fund were spent; there is no official report on this issue. Lack of accountability and transparency in government spending is facilitating corruption, and compromising democratic values in our society.

As a result, the chasm is widening between the rich and the poor; the middle class has disappeared. This has its own evils but the government does not care. It is showing no sign of willingness to review its bad governance style. It is true that we are living in serious times.

We, all of us, must commit to changing this situation. One way by which we can do that is staying engaged in the political process with a view to free our beloved country from a dictatorial, authoritarian and lawless regime.

This is why it is crucial for citizens to take full advantage of the continuous registration process announced by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). It is important that we understand the usefulness and benefits of this process. Here are a few fundamental reasons why we must not only support but make optimum use of this process:

First, it facilitates fairness and inclusiveness: By allowing this process we can ensure that as many eligible voters as possible gets to participate in the democratic process. Citizens relocate, become of age, and eligible for voting at different times. If registration is not ongoing, then these individuals may be left out of the electoral process. Therefore, continued registration assists to prevent disenfranchisement and facilitates inclusivity.

Second, it reflects changing demographics: Guyana is constantly changing. Continued registration allows for the accurate representation of changing demographics. It enables the voter register to be updated, on a regular basis, taking into account new residents, naturalized citizens, and different demographic shifts. Again, this helps to ensure fair and accurate representation within our electoral system.

Third, it encourages active political engagement: Continued registration encourages citizens to stay engaged and informed about issues and events that affect them and their communities. By keeping the voter registration process open, it sends a message that participation in the democratic process is crucial and valued. This can help foster a clear sense of responsibility and encourage individuals to use their voting rights.

Next, it provides for flexibility and convenience: continued registration provides flexibility for those, who may have missed the initial registration periods or need to update their registration details. It allows individuals to register or update their information at any time, making the process more convenient and accommodating for potential voters.

Finally, it reduces barriers to voting: By doing continued registration, barriers to voting, such as strict deadlines or limited registration periods, are reduced. This accessibility helps to remove unnecessary impediments that might otherwise discourage citizens from engaging in the electoral process.

I encourage you, particularly our young people who will become of age, 18, and eligible to vote, this year, to use this process, and be part of the change that must happen in 2025. We must use continuous registration to keep hope alive of freeing our beloved country from the PPP’s mismanagement. Guyana must rise!