Guyana Trades Union Congress General Secretary, Lincoln Lewis, wants the Government and Opposition to move beyond collaboration in denouncing Venezuela’s aggression. Lewis said the two sides must begin working together to address issues of governance, citizens/workers’ welfare and enforcement of the Constitution and Laws of Guyana.
Appearing on Mr. Mark Benschop’s ‘Straight Up’ programme last evening, the trade unionist said now that the nation has gone past the unconstitutional and political immaturity of a handshake between President Irfaan Ali and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton to engage, the two must meet on issues of everyday governance.
Opposition must extract concessions
The veteran trade unionist shared the view the Opposition Leader should have laid before the President matters affecting Guyanese, particularly their supporters, as well as “holding the government’s feet to the fire” for its mismanagement of the state.
According to Lewis, “Norton, I want you to listen to me, to hear me good,” when Ali sought a meeting you should have set some conditions for such engagement. This is a normal practice between sides, where both must be able to extract something that their supporters could see as gains, the trade unionist advised. Going further, Lewis said the protection and defence of Guyana’s sovereignty was never a matter of doubt for the People’s National Congress (PNC), which Norton is leader of.
He recalled, it was successive PNC governments that have articulated and defended the false claim to two-thirds of Guyana by Venezuela. Lewis said, it is the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) who has to assure the Guyanese people that the party cares likewise. Lewis also recalled it was the PPP government that disbanded the Guyana National Service (GNS), which he said was intended not only to create employment but also populate the hinterland and serve as part of the government’s border defence strategy. With that disbandment, Lewis said, the hinterland regions are not only less populated by Guyanese, but our borders have become more porous.
Issues of national concern
The trade unionist laid out a laundry list Norton must address with the government. Among those are the activation of the constitutional commission (the Human Rights Commission); confirm the appointments of the present Chief Justice and Chancellor; practice inclusionary democracy and create legislation to give effect to Article 13 in the Constitution of Guyana; drop the charges against Roxanne Meyers, Keith Lowenfield, Colvin Heath-London, Clairmont Mingo, Volda Lawrence and others.
Lewis drew reference to Prime Minister Forbes Burnham and Opposition Leader Cheddi Jagan, who he said were able to work out agreements to the satisfaction of both sides in return for each other’s support. He referenced an instance where Burnham wanted the support of Jagan to effect an amendment in the constitution regarding payment to Demba in its move to nationalise the bauxite company. For Jagan’s support Burnham facilitated the recognition of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union, released a PPP supporter charged for treason, guaranteed employment in the state sector for PPP cadres trained in Eastern Europe, among other concessions.
The trade unionist said Norton should have followed the same line because the precedent exists. Norton should have also laid on the table the issue of better pay and working conditions for members of the Disciplined Services. According to him it is time to insure these workers’ lives as he condemned the absence of a group insurance for these workers should they die in the line of duty.
Lewis said Norton should has also demanded the respect for the constitutional right to collective bargaining; restoration of Critchlow Labour College’s subvention, the immediate return of all money to the International Decade for People of African Descent-Guyana (IDPADA-G); the implementation of cash transfer- a model Lewis said Professor Clive Thomas presented to the nation and is doable-; restore the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) to viability and activate the Unemployment regulation.
Leader of the Opposition is part of the Executive
Imploring the Guyanese citizenry to au fait themselves with the Constitution of Guyana in order to know how the country functions, Lewis reminded that Leader of the Opposition falls under the Executive as per the Constitution. This Lewis said outlines that the office holder shares similar day-to-day responsibility for the management of the state, as he called on Norton to understand his power and assert his role.
Making known in modern democracies it is the people who exercise power through their representatives, Lewis emphatically stated sovereign power rests with the people. Sovereignty is not only about external threats, it is also about the internal threats Guyanese face daily by a government that does not care about people and institutions of state, the trade unionist pointed out.
Opposition got nothing from meeting with Government
The Opposition got nothing coming out of the meeting with the Government Tuesday evening Lewis shared. According to the trade unionist government only wants unity when it suits its purpose and doesn’t “care a hell” about the ordinary people and supporters of the Opposition. Coming in for criticism too was the composition of the Opposition’s team. Lewis felt the team could have included the Shadow Minister of Labour (Coretta McDonald); Shadow Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs (Roysdale Forde, S.C), retired Rear Admiral Gary Best given his expertise on the issue and being former Chief of Staff, and retired Brigadier General Eddie Collins who was also former Chief of Staff. Lewis said these persons would have helped in refining the Opposition’s position to enter discussions on Guyana’s territorial integrity, border security and overall welfare of the citizens.
