Both sides should commit to new constitution within 14 months of elections

Dear Editor,

Joey Jagan’s proposal as captioned in his SN letter dated September 19, 2019, `Postpone elections and form a caretaker coalition with the PPP to create meaningful constitutional changes’ is an idea that is unrealistic at this time. Guyana is not Sudan; they are distinctly different societies with different historical evolutions. History always shapes choices and in Guyana’s case, we have a history of both dictatorship and democracy where coalitions always end in failures.

But more importantly, is Joey suggesting that the largest political force in Guyana (the PPP) takes the spot that Moses Nagamootoo legally occupied until September 18, 2019? Under this current Constitution, the Office of the Prime Minister is nothing but a creature of the Office of the President and at any time, the Prime Minister can be rendered into a rubber-stamp?

Has Joey already forgotten that on Valentine’s Day 2015, a promise was made to the AFC that their choice for Prime Minister should be the Chairman of the Cabinet and head of domestic affairs under the Cummingsburg Accord? Did this happen? So why must this nation ever trust the PNC again with the Presidency? If they want it, they must win it at the ballot box.

It is absolutely insane to do the same thing over and over and expect a different outcome. Is Joey now telling us that Team Granger had an epiphany on the midnight of September 18, 2019, after devouring the AFC and is now ready to honour the intent and spirit of signed political agreements?

I do not know what sort of team Joey served in, but a few vital ingredients are necessary in building an effective coalition - accountability, consistency, and trust. One only has to analyze all of Mr. Granger’s action since December 21, 2018, and we shall see that as a political leader he possesses none of these qualities.

Why don’t I suggest a variation to Joey impractical suggestions?

1. Mr. Granger does his constitutional duty and calls the elections;

2. Both sides commit now to a new constitution within 14 months of the elections.

Might I suggest something for inclusion in the new Constitution - Firstly Guyana should have fixed-date elections on 1st of September every 5 years. This will take away from the Executive that power to play games with the elections date.

Secondly, Guyana does not need an Executive President; we need an Executive Prime Minister who shall be the Head of Government. There shall be a Titular President who shall be the Head of State and shall have constitutional powers that are only activated when the Government collapses and the Constitution comes under attack, as we are observing today. That person shall be a retired public servant/judge/military officer/ambassador who served at the highest levels without political affiliations - like a Rudy Collins or Joe Singh or Cecil Kennard or Desiree Bernard.

Finally, GECOM needs to be decommissioned and re-established as an accountable and transparent body to the people; not the politicians. It is disgusting that in this modern-day and age that some of the GECOM Commissioners can be instructed by the two political leaders as a

means of steering their work. Such actions violate normalcy in a democracy. This is Guyana; not Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan! We are supposed to be a proud member of the democratic western hemisphere.

That is why while it should remain a seven-person body, only 2 of the 7 members should be servants of the political players - one from the governing team and one from the combined opposition. The remaining 5 must be stakeholders from civil society who have not served in a prior political role (the Inter-Religious Group, the Business Community, the youths’ representative - under the age of 35 to speak for the 55% of the population who are being ignored today, the women’s representative and the Chairperson).

The Chairperson is a special case because never again should the Head of Government and Leader of the Opposition be allowed to influence this appointment with their partisan mindsets. The Chairperson should be appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, after consulting the business community, the religious community, the professional bodies like accountants, doctors, engineers, academics, lawyers, women’s movement, youth movement, trade unions, etc.

We are a maturing democracy and it is time we act our age and stop all this child’s play that we all have been observing since December 21, 2018. Never again must such immature political actions be allowed to influence this society and Mr. David Granger must be held 100% responsible for this hot political mess that this country finds itself in today.

Yours faithfully, Sasenarine Singh