EMBRACING
INSULAR POLITICS THROUGH A 17-POINT PLAN
By Prem Misir, Ph.D.
Creating instability
The 17 demands
Resuscitation
of the bauxite industry
Ending state monopoly
of the media
Depressed Communities and
infrastructures
Job training
Recapitalizing
the Joint Security Forces
Housing discrimination
Local government reform
Constitutional amendments
Reforming the tendering and contracting
procedures
Insular politics
Hoyte’s 17-point plan issued in March
last year has become the new poster boy manifesto of the
People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) Party, and
has largely replaced the Agenda 21 inclusion as well as
other aspects of its Manifesto in 2001. Or at least, the
electoral passion for Agenda 21 seems to have suddenly dissipated.
From the onset, we need to say that this plan is not really
a plan, but a laundry list of demands. Several of these
demands are generic and can be applied in almost any nation
building programs. However, the People’s Progressive
Party/Civic (PPP/C) already had many aspects of this generic
plan enshrined in its Manifesto 2001, long before these
demands were presented by Hoyte last year. So the generic
aspects of the plan are not unique to the PNC/R.
Creating
instability
Hoyte’s demands were issued against a background of
PNC/R protests and violence unleashed by the dogs of war.
In that climate, in March 2001, Hoyte said in a speech to
the nation when the demands were presented, “It is
therefore the considered view of the leadership of the People’s
National Congress Reform that business as usual is neither
reasonable nor possible at this time.” This remark
and some nefarious activities are quite consistent with
other PNC/R ‘s annotations contributing to instability
in the society. Here are a few:
1. The statement by the PNC/R of making the country ungovernable
still is being utilized.
2. A senior PNC/R Central Executive member said that it
“is in the business of trying to get the government
of the day out of office. There is nothing wrong with any
statements which say that as an opposition party, we are
attempting to remove the government.”
3. The ‘kith and kin’ politics, referring to
African ethnicity, was used by the PNC/R Leader at the 1997
election.
4. Jerome Khan, a PNC/R Member of Parliament, cited the
case of a senior ranking person of the PNC/R, as suggesting
that attacks against East Indians will produce positive
outcomes.
5. Use of the ‘slow fire, more fire’ phrase
by the PNC/R during the last election campaign.
6. There is evidence of a PNC/R electoral candidate for
the 2001 election inciting violence.
These inflammatory circumstances as concocted
ingredients making for political instability are not characteristic
of the functions of a responsible opposition. How can you
ask for implementing demands for national development when
at the same time you are creating ‘instability’
scenarios. While many of Hoyte’s demands, largely,
were addressed through the Jagdeo/Hoyte Dialog which created
six Joint Committees, it is instructive to note that Hoyte’s
demands, intrinsically, already part of the PPP/C Government’s
existing program prior to the 2001 election, would have
become a reality anyway without the Dialog.
The
17 demands
Here in a nutshell are the 17 demands: resuscitation of
the bauxite industry; immediate enquiry to police brutality;
immediate termination of on the monopoly of the radio, and
introduce independent management of GTV, GBC, and the Guyana
Chronicle; reviving depressed communities; create job-relief
programs; end to discrimination on housing and land distribution;
providing basic infrastructures for disadvantaged communities;
bring an end to the politicization of the public service;
introduce local government reform; implement check-off for
the PSU; provide guaranteed subventions to Critchlow Labor
College; national consensus needed on border and security
issues; recapitalization of the GDF a must; introduce tendering
and contracting reforms; end all corruption; introduce all-party
management of parliamentary affairs; and put into operation
all constitutional reforms. I will now review these demands
where quite a few overlap with each other. Technically,
then, the demands number less than 17.
Resuscitation
of the bauxite industry
One of Hoyte’s 17 demands had to do with the resuscitation
of the bauxite industry. Exports for mining and quarrying
rose from $5.2B in 1991 to $13.9B in 1999. Over the last
10 years, the PPP/C Government provided in excess of US$5M
annually to the Linden bauxite operations. The PPP/C Government,
prior to the 2001 election, indicated that it will reevaluate
lower grade aluminous laterites that were rejected before
as a feed source to regional alumina operations, and will
aid the exploration of smaller close-to-the-surface deposits
by the locals. Efforts, therefore, to resuscitate the bauxite
industry and the Linden community started since 1993, and
therefore, well before Hoyte made this demand last year.
Bermine now has been privatized through the President’s
intervention. Government made available $212M to cover the
cost of severance and training. Bermine pays no utility
bills, as Government picks up these expenses. With Linmine,
Government brokered an agreement with the relevant Unions
for the issuance of a ‘separation package’.
Region 10 where Linden and Linmine are located, received
$219.7M in 2002 to increase the provision of social services.
Through Linden Economic Advancement Program (LEAP), 12.5M
Euro Dollars are now available to developing the Linden
community. At this time, about 50 business proposals have
been submitted for funding under LEAP.
Ending
state monopoly of the media
Another of Hoyte’s demand had to do with ending the
political monopoly of state radio, GTV, GBC, and the Guyana
Chronicle. Long before Hoyte spoke about terminating state
monopoly of the media, many committees and draft reports
were completed in the 1990s, including a Seminar at Hotel
Tower in 2000, all focusing on the establishment of a broadcasting
authority. While there still is no broadcasting authority,
we need to understand that these apriori efforts were part
of a significant process to reach that goal. A Joint Committee
on Radio Monopoly, Non-Partisan Boards and Broadcasting
Legislation was set up last year. Interestingly, some of
the earlier documents, indeed, did lay the basis for some
discussions in the Joint Committee and a few were even appendicized
in the Joint Committee’s report. The Joint Committee’s
report was sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers
for legal drafting in preparation for Parliament.
Depressed
Communities and infrastructures
Another of Hoyte’s demand had to do with meeting the
needs of depressed communities. In 1992, about 86% of the
people were living below the poverty line. Today, it is
about 35%. This poverty reduction happened over the last
eight years, and not a year ago since Hoyte made his demands.
Poverty is unevenly distributed in this country, and so
poverty reduction programs, initially, will have to touch
areas with the highest incidence of poverty, such as, the
hinterland and the rural coastal areas. These areas have
the highest poverty gap, with the hinterland at 44.9 and
rural coastal at 11.3 in 1999.. The Dialog subsequently
this year designated Non Pariel/Enterprise, De Kinderen,
Meten-Meer-Zorg and Buxton as depressed communities. A total
of $60M was allocated for electricity, drainage and roads
for these areas. But other communities, indeed, with high
poverty incidence, will shortly be addressed.
This year’s Budget has allocated
about $2B on projects to enhance standard of living of the
poor and others. These projects are now being administered
through (SIMAP0, Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), LEAP, the
Poverty Fund, and the Poor Rural Communities Project.
During the PNC ruling era, budget allocations
to many African villages were minimal. Today, every sector
and community are touched by the PPP/C budget. With respect
to the three historic African villages, Victoria, Hopetown,
and Buxton, for this year, a total of about $45M was spent
on infrastructures. Buxton alone incurred infrastructural
costs to the tune of $44.3M this year so far.
Other infrastructural works include rehabilitating
Mahaica/Rosignol Road, and constructing 59 bridges between
Timehri and Rosignol. Preliminary works to rehabilitate
9 additional bridges and 53 culverts have commenced. This
year, $700M was provided to construct a number of farm to
market roads. Other works have begun on many roads including
Sisters Village, La Retraite, Section “B” Sophia,
New Forest, Mon Repos, Kwebanna/Kumaka, Port Kaituma, Golden
Fleece, Cotton Field/Aurora, Riverstown, Dartmouth, Goed
Intent, Hogg Island, De Amstel, Bare Root, Jonestown, Haslington,
Kuru Kuru, Blairmont, Zorg en Hoop, Litchfield, Woodley
Park, Ithaca, Letter Kenney/Auchline, Orealla/Siparuta.
Job
training
Job training programs for youth are available, again before
Hoyte made his demands last year. At Mid-2002, a sum of
$18.4B, provided by the Education, Health, Housing and Water,
and Culture, Youth and Sport Ministries, was allocated for
youth development in the President’s Youth Choice
Initiative program. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport,
on its own, currently utilizes $.5B for youth training.
Some of the youth programs aimed at providing job skills
and administered under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and
Sport and the Office of the President are: Youth Entrepreneurial
Skills Program, The Opportunity Corp., The Angoy Drop-In
Center, The President’s Youth Choice Initiative, The
President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana Program,
and The Commonwealth youth Program. Further, the Private
Sector projected that in 2002 about $103M as investment
in 67 projects, will generate 3,500 new jobs.
Recapitalizing
the Joint Security Forces
The Guyana Defense Force (GDF) has not been neglected, as
suggested by Hoyte in one of his 17 demands. We need to
note that the recapitalization of the GDF started way back
in 1993. For example, in 1990, the GDF’s total budget
was a mere G$185.5M, and in 2000, the GDF obtained G$2,396.30B.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in 2002 received a capital
budget of $470.5M and a current budget of $2.5B. The GPF
has come a long way from the pittance doled out to it in
1991. Clearly, there was tremendous recapitalization happening
in the Joint Security Forces long before Hoyte’s demands
last year, and, indeed, this recapitalization is continuous.
Housing
discrimination
Hoyte ‘s other demand made last year pertained to
discrimination in housing. Since, 1992, over 50,000 house
lots were distributed. The major ethnic groups have received
fundamentally fair proportions on the basis of their respective
demographics, as evidenced by the Housing statistics. 91
housing schemes and 65 of the 120 squatter settlements have
now been regularized. Also, there is a strategic plan to
issue about 7,000 land titles per year. People must not
forget that the Ministry of Housing was abolished during
the Hoyte regime. Early this year, the Minister presented
in March 2002 a White Paper in Parliament, addressing national
land distribution policy. The PNC/R needs to debate the
issues in this White Paper in Parliament, not in the media
outlets.
Local
government reform
Local government neglect was a characteristic feature during
the PNC’s ruling years. Hoyte has demanded local government
reform, but did nothing about it in his years in office.
Prior to 1994, the last local government election was held
in 1970. Local government election was administered in 1994,
and the next election possibly will be held in 2003. Annual
subventions are given to local government bodies, and the
Amerindian development Fund now is at $310M. The Urban Development
Program, initiated in 2000, and comprising US$25M, is currently
being implemented to upgrade the towns. The PPP/C Manifesto
2001 stipulated that that the Local Government Act, Chapter
28:02 will be amended to give greater autonomy to Neighborhood
Democratic Councils. Also, earmarked for revision in the
Manifesto 2001 is the Municipal and District Councils Act,
Chapter 28:01, which will give autonomy to municipal councils.
A Joint Committee on Local Government Reform was established
through the Dialog. This Committee’s findings and
recommendations are still being compiled. However, the Committee’s
term of office expired in May 2002, and an extension of
three months is being sought from President Jagdeo and Mr.
Hoyte to complete the Report. At this time, consideration
of an extension will not happen as Hoyte has placed the
Dialog on pause.
Constitutional
amendments
Hoyte in his demands asked for the implementation of constitutional
reforms. But his party’s absence from Parliament has
impeded the Amendment’s form and content in reality.
A number of constitutional amendments, showing the emergent
structures for inclusiveness, were passed. Some of these
were as follows:
1). The Constitution (Amendment) (Nno.2)
Act 200. This Amendment created five (5) Constitutional
Commissions. These Commissions represent another component
making for inclusiveness. They are the Ethnic relations
Commission, Indigenous People’s Commission, Commission
for the Rights of the Child, Commission for Human Rights,
and Women and Gender Equality Commission.
2). The Constitution (Amendment) (No. 6)
Act 2001. The Constitution was amended at Article 119A.
The amendment provides for the establishment of a Parliamentary
Standing Committee for Constitutional Reform, aimed at frequently
reviewing the efficacy of the functioning of the Constitution.
All members of Parliament are eligible for membership.
3). The Constitution was amended at Article
119B. This Amendment provides for the establishment of parliamentary
sectoral committees providing oversight to Government policy
and administration, including: natural resources; economic
services; foreign relations; and social services. Again,
all Parties in Parliament are eligible for membership.
4). The Constitution (Amendment) (No. 4)
Act 2001. This Amendment repealed and reenacted Article
13 of the Constitution. The Amendment provides for the political
system of the state to set up an inclusionary democracy,
enabling citizen participation. The recently-concluded CARICOM
Heads of Government Meeting in Guyana initiated civil society
participation for the first time in such conferences. President
Jagdeo, the new Chairman of CARICOM for the next six months,
enabled one day to be set aside for the theme, ‘Encounter
with Civil Society’.
5). The Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2)
Act 2001. Article 71 of the Constitution was altered to
enable local government to engage many people in governance.
6). Article 78B was inserted in the Constitution.
The electoral system below the Regional Democratic Councils
provides for the participation, representation, and accountability
of individuals and voluntary groups to the voters. These
individuals and groups are in addition to the political
parties.
All these constitutional amendments help
to expand the structures of inclusiveness, albeit that a
few are now becoming operational. Parliament will have to
initiate discussions on these Amendments to give meaning
and life to their applications. The PNC/R’s absence
from Parliament retards the social growth of the Amendments.
Reforming
the tendering and contracting procedures
Again, Hoyte has asked for reforms to the tendering procedures.
The Constitution requires the Auditor General to annually
submit reports of public accounts to Parliament. This requirement
was not met for about 10 years prior to 1992 Since 1992,
audited annual reports of public accounts have been submitted
to Parliament. The Central Tender Board Secretariat was
installed, with public consultations held with contractors
and consultants to improve the tendering and procurement
mechanism. The Government subsequently applied several measures,
as, public opening of tenders, examining and auditing the
tender process by the Office of the Auditor General, nominating
independent evaluators, presenting written evaluations,
and scheduling frequent meetings of the tender boards. Clearly’
a number of reforms to the tendering practices has occurred
prior to Hoyte’s demands made last year.
Insular
politics
We need to understand that this Administration is still
working through its term in office, and at this time, is
under two years old. The PPP/C Administration still has
considerable tasks to complete, tasks that are embellished
in its Party Manifesto 2001. Hoyte made his demands through
his 17-point plan to construct a perception for his supporters
to believe that he still commanded the reigns of leadership
in his party and still can drive the nation-building process
through his own image of statesmanship. However, Hoyte was
enabled this opportunity to renew and reaffirm his statesmanship
through the Dialog. Indeed, he squandered this significant
occasion to rise above the fray of partisan and insular
politics to reach and embrace the acme of nationalism. The
insularity is exposed through the demands purporting to
provide maximum benefits only to PNC/R supporters and to
attract crass populism.
At any rate, several of Hoyte’s demands
made last year were not novel, as they already were incorporated
into the PPP/C Administration’s program well before
2001 election and well before Hoyte told the nation of his
so-called ground-breaking plan. In any case, the PPP/C Government
is moving apace to fulfill its mandate of nation building,
amid the tactics of an irresponsible opposition.
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