By Roysdale Forde SC, MP- In the evocative words of Caribbean literary luminary Derek Walcott, “The time will come when, with elation, you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror, and each will smile at the other’s welcome.” Still, for the Guyanese people, the reflection cast by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is not one of elation but of betrayal; a distorted image of governance marred by unfulfilled promises and systemic malfeasance.
The PPP/C’s latest electoral gambit, cloaked in the rhetoric of anti-corruption, transparency, and procurement reform, is not merely a hollow gesture; it is a calculated and cruel mockery of the Guyanese populace, who have long endured the weight of exclusionary politics and entrenched cronyism.
For over two decades, the PPP/C has woven a tapestry of pledges that unravel under scrutiny, revealing a governance model steeped in impunity, favoritism, and the deliberate marginalisation of dissent. Their recent vow to establish an anti-corruption unit and reform procurement processes is not a novel commitment but a recycled narrative, dusted off for electoral expediency.
To accept the architects of Guyana’s inequality and corruption as its saviours is to suspend reason and embrace delusion. The PPP/C’s track record speaks louder than their promises: a legacy of rewarding loyalists, shielding the privileged, and stifling accountability.
Think about the allocation of state resources: oil and gas contracts, construction deals, and prime state lands. These are not distributed through meritocratic rigour but through a veiled system of patronage that consistently enriches a select coterie of PPP/C affiliates and financiers. The Auditor General’s reports, year after year, lay bare a litany of irregularities, overinflated contracts, undocumented transactions, and procedural lapses, yet the government’s response is a deafening silence.
Whistleblowers who dare to expose these truths face harassment, while investigative journalists are met with intimidation rather than answers. This is not governance; it is the institutionalisation of corruption, draped in the guise of progress.
The PPP/C’s audacity to campaign on an anti-corruption platform during an election cycle is an affront to the intelligence of the Guyanese people. If their commitment to eradicating corruption were genuine, they would not sidestep the low-hanging fruit of accountability. Take, for instance, the explosive allegations raised in journalist Travis Chase’s interview with Junior Bask.
The revelations therein—concerning political interference, abuse of state resources, and partisan manipulation—demand an independent investigation. Still, the government’s inaction is palpable. Why the reluctance to probe these claims? The answer lies in the uncomfortable truth: such inquiries would likely expose complicity within the PPP/C’s own ranks.
Similarly, the allegations surrounding the figure known as “Sue” are not mere rumors but documented concerns raised by credible sources. These accusations point to systemic malfeasance, yet the PPP/C has chosen to turn a blind eye. The absence of an investigation into these claims is not an oversight but a deliberate act of self-preservation.
A government serious about combating corruption would confront such allegations head-on, with transparency and resolve. Instead, the PPP/C’s silence betrays a deeper intent to protect its inner circle, revealing a cabal more concerned with self-interest than public welfare.
This pattern of obfuscation and deflection is emblematic of the PPP/C’s governance style—one that thrives on exclusion, cronyism, and contempt for accountability. The corridors of power under their stewardship are not avenues of equitable opportunity but gated enclaves reserved for the elite.
While the well-connected few amass wealth through state largesse, the average Guyanese family grapples with economic hardship, their aspirations stifled by a system that prioritises loyalty over merit. The PPP/C’s promises of reform are not worth the paper they are written on, for they lack the moral authority to champion anti-corruption while shielding their own.
To break this cycle of deceit, Guyana demands a governance model rooted in integrity and inclusivity—one that serves the nation, not a privileged faction. The PPP/C could begin by submitting to independent audits of public contracts, establishing a truly autonomous anti-corruption commission, and protecting whistleblowers and journalists who expose wrongdoing. Until such measures are implemented, and until the government confronts the rot within its own ranks, its anti-corruption rhetoric remains a cruel jest, a performance staged to placate a weary populace.
The Guyanese people deserve leaders who prioritise the national interest over partisan gain, who uphold truth over orchestrated distractions, and who deliver justice rather than cosmetic reforms. As Walcott’s words remind us, true elation comes from recognising one’s own integrity in the mirror of self-reflection. For Guyana, that moment will arrive only when its leaders are held to account, when the veil of cronyism is lifted, and when the promise of equitable governance is fulfilled.
Let us not be swayed by the PPP/C’s empty pledges. The eyes of Guyana are watching, and history will judge those who stood silent in the face of injustice against those who dared to speak truth to power. The time for change is now—not in promises, but in action.
