Bi-partisanship pivotal to development

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No country is owned by any political party, its supporters, and their interest groups. Every citizen has a stake in their country’s development whether or not they vote for or support the party that forms the government. This is a long-held belief practiced by governments that recognise the utility in governing for all. Unfortunately, this is not a belief successive governments of Guyana share which is the cause for the ever-present disharmony and uproar, the sense of going one step forward, two steps backwards.

It is unfortunate that a Government of Guyana is more predisposed and enamoured with having engagement with foreign businesses, international organisations and countries but will not do likewise with their political rival, and those they perceived to be their enemies, who are fellow Guyanese. The hypocrisy is astounding, and this would not have escaped the attention of these very institutions, countries, and businesses the government seeks to facilitate and accommodate.

Something is amiss with any government, opposition or agency that thinks it does not need the input of others to effectively function. Isolation and partisanship in any institution, from government right down to a social club, is only practiced by those who desire to wield power and influence to a nefarious end. Governments that follow suit are tyrannical, intolerant with established systems and despise the laws when they do not work for them. They are not good for development.

Partisan governments court conflicts create crisis after crisis, and contribute to the country’s underdevelopment. The world has seen governments of this nature and within recent times the United States. That country is experiencing a health and economic meltdown from its policy of isolationism in dealing with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and no longer regarded as the world’s moral compass.

The politics of partisanship being played, even in the waning days, by President Donald Trump have left many pundits concerned about that society’s capacity to rebound from the chaos he will leave in his wake. He is leaving a society more divided than ever, political factions more distrustful of the other and the media and political landscapes in crises.

The biblical admonition “a house divided against itself shall not stand” not only holds true in religious or family settings but all the way to governing a nation. This year is coming to a close and Guyanese are no closer in getting the new government to recognise that partisanship will not work. Citizens have had enough of politics that continue to retrogress rather than progress.  It is not disillusionment making the case against partisanship. It is a practical stance for partisan politics remains debilitating and counter-productive to development.

Bipartisanship is pivotal to development. Where the country is the new oil and gas destination any government that pursues partisan politics is refusing to learn from the dire experiences of resource rich countries like ours. Partisanship will not enrich the masses but create more want in a nation of plenty. Want brings with its social ills such as poverty, crime, corruption, poor infrastructure and social services such as health and education.

Make no mistake while there exists partisanship in governing partisanship does not exist where Guyanese live.  There is no area in Guyana that is occupied by 100 percent supporters of any political party. Supporters of both the government and opposition share the same space and rely on the same services. Inevitably all will be adversely affected by the politics of partisanship. The only people who benefit from partisanship are the leaders and their connected allies. The masses, which include supporters of the government and opposition, always suffer.

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