Dear Editor,
It is with much interest that I read the statement from the Private Sector Commission (PSC) which seeks to dictate to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), an independent Constitutional body, how it should treat with matters relative to its staff and the March 2, 2020 elections. In its statement, as reported in the press on December 21, the PSC calls for GECOM to remove officials perceived to be compromised and some of whom have pending matters before the courts, this the PSC states should be done before the Local Government Elections (LGE) process commences.
As I ponder on the possible motives and motivations of the PSC in disseminating this statement, I could not resist a probing question; is the PSC racist or are they supportive of the PPP/C government’s racist agenda? Let us examine the current restructuring of the Guyanese society by the PPP/C government and the reasons why I am asking this question and then we will get to what governance approach the PSC should be supporting if it is really interested in the sustainable development of Guyana.
I like many Guyanese, am of the view that this current PPP/C government, is carrying out an agenda against black people in Guyana. We are of the view that during the last fifteen to twelve years of the PPP/C government prior to 2015, the government was involved in a development programme to restructure the Guyanese society from a race-based perspective and which was disadvantageous to black people in Guyana from an economic and social standpoint.
From August 2, 2020, since this current government took office, this agenda has continued, only this time in more overt and disrespectful ways. During the previous years of the PPP/C government, prior to 2015, the carrot that was dangled in front of its supporters, was ‘28 dark years’ of the PNC and that they should never return to those days.
Since August 2, the new tagline is that the PNC tried to ‘end Guyana’s democracy by attempting to rig the 2020 elections’ and that will be the tagline that the PPP/C intends to hold in front of their supporters for the next five years, while members in the government and others continue to carry out an agenda against black people and build small and large empires.
Now back to the PSC and its directives to GECOM. President Ali had 19 fraud charges against him while running for the highest public office, the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall was before the courts on a simple larceny charge, Dr. Ashni Singh, Finance Minister and Winston Brassington, also had charges brought against them in the courts, but yet they were appointed to public office, and the PSC never issued a statement that they should not hold public office, yet the very same PSC wants the GECOM staff to be disciplined and even dismissed without due process.
When Gerry Gouveia became National Security Advisor to President Ali, after the August 2, elections declaration, I thought that was an interesting move, particularly since he was so vocal about upholding democracy, as the Chairman of the PSC during the elections impasse. Nonetheless, I thought that it could be a positive for the country, not merely the government, to have a former Chairman of the PSC, who is a businessman and former military trained person, as the National Security Advisor, because he ought to understand that the greatest threat to Guyana’s stability and a stable business environment, is ethnic and racial insecurities.
However, based on the government’s approach to governance, which to many, is heavily racist, Mr. Gouveia is either more inclined to quietly pursue his business endeavours or the government is not listening to him.
I also asked myself, if I were Nicholas Boyer, as Chairman of the PSC, would I support the PPP/C government’s agenda or not? An honest answer is, yes, I would. However, as Audreyanna Thomas, if I were the Chairman of the PSC, I would not support the PPP/C or any government’s racist agenda. You see the private sector is driven by profits, and Nicholas Boyer and Gerry Gouveia are businessmen, therefore, I understand them throwing their support behind the PPP/C government.
However, the PSC as an association of businesses, is a civil society organization and civil society organisations are driven by values, so while the individual business’s focus is on profits, as a body, it is expected that the PSC would represent certain values within the society, such as respect for the constitution, due process, etc. The main attribute of the government on the other hand, is rights-driven, therefore it is the expectation that the PSC, as an association and a civil society organization, will advocate, even against the government, at times, for the rights of citizens to be upheld. As such the PSC, needs to find a healthy balance between the focus on profits as a business community and advocating for the upholding of values in the society, as an association.
The current government is weaving a triangular-shaped economy. At the apex, there is a small group of individuals and families who have wealth, status, and power or at least two of these elements. Let us take Gerry Gouveia for example, he had wealth as a businessman, he attained status as the Chairman of the PSC and now as Presidential Advisor on National Security, has power or authority. Nicholas Boyer, for example, has wealth and status while he does not have power, in that sense, he has influence.
Then there is a narrow second tier, with persons who either have wealth and status or status and power, in the case of the PPP/C government, some of them have wealth, status and power; while others have wealth, status or power.
At the base of the triangle, there are those who may have some wealth, some status and some power and most have no wealth, no power and no status. One of the reasons why the governance approach of the government must be taken seriously, is because the recent spate of termination of services of professional public servants, is a clear attempt to reduce the capacity and capabilities or freedoms of mostly the black middle class in Guyana. It is taking away wealth, status, and power predominantly from the black community and transferring it to other communities.
Additionally, those professional public servants whose services were terminated, many of them may never be able to enjoy the quality of life they had while in the public service. By June of 2021, many of them will begin to experience the economic impact of losing their jobs and the kinds of jobs they held. This will become evident in late payments for mortgages, arrears for hire purchase items and other credit and expenses.
The reality of this, is that they would not be able go to the commercial banks and creditors or even before the judge, if brought before the courts for repossession of their homes; and explain that they cannot find good jobs because of the policies of the government. Yet the PSC does not issue a statement in support of these public servants.
Finally, it is important to note that the PSC calling on GECOM to act against persons whom the PSC has identified as compromised, is interpreted in the wider context of what is perceived by the black community, as supportive of the government’s attempt to criminalize black people, deny them due process as required by law and hence justify its racist agenda. This approach to governance and development is not sustainable.
I am running for President in 2025, and my approach to governance will be to develop a diamond-shaped economy. The top group will be as diverse as possible, with a larger middle group or middle class and a very small bottom group. This will spread the power, status, and wealth across various levels. This is a more sustainable development approach for Guyana with its new growth trajectory, we need to grow the middle class, inclusive of all ethnic groups.
If the PPP/C government continues with its current approach to development, it would significantly reduce the wealth, status, and power in the black community, as well as change the positioning of the community in Guyana economically and socially, over the next generation.
Yours faithfully,
Citizen Audreyanna Thomas
Presidential Candidate 2025
