On February 23, Guyanese celebrated 53 years of being a republic. It should be noted that the principal characteristic of a republic is representative democracy. That is, the people choose representatives to address the interests of the people in a democratic system of government. The question is, does Guyana meet the required criteria to be a republican democracy?
Guyanese have the right to ask questions about our democratic status; Guyanese have the right to question anything and everything. Citizens also have the right to express concerns regarding the mode of governance being exercised by the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) administration, particularly in light of numerous disturbing events, activities, processes, policies and programs being effected by the PPP administration.
The word democracy is derived from the Greek language; the word literally means, “People Rule.” In the context of a republic such as Guyana, the people have the ultimate legal authority to deliberate, and make decisions about matters that affect them. Those decisions are made real through their chosen representatives.
Democratic governance has several defining features. Features of democracy include freedom of assembly, the right to own property, freedom of speech, inclusiveness, equality under law, citizenship, consent of the governed, voting rights, minority rights, and freedom from governmental deprivation of those rights.
All democratic systems of government must have such features; periodic elections alone do not make a country a democracy.
Guyana has a constitution that stipulates what type of democracy should exist in our country.
- We are a parliamentary democracy in which the executive derives its legitimacy from its ability to command the support (“confidence”) of the legislature to which it is accountable.
- Guyana is a consensus democracy which features citizen participation both in determining the political agenda and in the decision-making process itself. This fact is made clear by the numerous constitutional requirements for meaningful consultation between the executive branch and various political and civil groups or particular individuals before important decisions are made.
It appears, though, that under the rule of the PPP regime, Guyana is steadily and increasingly being pushed away from a democratic mode of governance, and being made into an oligarchy, we will examine what that means, shortly.
First, let us briefly look at some instances of how the PPP is trampling democratic norms.
Our freedom of assembly is being increasingly threatened by political intervention — enforced by the police — whenever we wish to protest on the streets.
Our right to own property is being eroded. The people of Mocha- Arcadia, Eccles, and other areas can attest to that fact.
Freedom of speech is being taken away by the PPP. Any writer, journalist, political activist, or commentator can verify that such is true.
There is no longer any inclusiveness; Opposition representatives, including members of Parliament, minority leaders, and activists are routinely excluded and shut out of national events.
Equality under the law does not exist under the PPP. Guyanese are well aware that if you are not a PPP supporter, you have no legal rights.
The PPP does not govern by consent; the PPP rules over the people by force.
Considering those facts, can the PPP administration claim to be a democratic government? The fact is that the PPP has moved so far away from democratic governance that it has lost any resemblance to a democratic entity.
It was said previously that the PPP administration is moving Guyana in the direction of an oligarchy. One may ask, what is an oligarchy?
An oligarchy is an unjust, lopsided system of authoritarian governance in which the majority of people — who are usually poor — are ruled by a small elite group of wealthy opportunists.
The oligarchy’s elite rulers may be the upper crust of the political ruling class — in this case, the top tier of the PPP — supported by wealthy business persons.
In such a situation, the wealthy business people are given government contracts and other lucrative money making opportunities by the ruling political class. In exchange, the business oligarchs give kickbacks to the elite, corrupt politicians. All of this comes at the expense of ordinary taxpayers because it is the taxpayers’ money that is being funneled into the pockets of the elites. That same money, of course, should rightfully have been used to develop the country for the benefit of all the people.
Some political analysts say that Guyana is not on its way to becoming a political oligarchy; those experts say that Guyana is already there.
Further, many observers have pointed out that the oil money which is now flowing into the hands of the elite will massively fuel the flames of the oligarchic fire that the PPP has shamelessly lit.
Those flames if left to burn — will consume our once beautiful, previously democratic country.
