Thinking big
Editorial
Guyana Chronicle
July 13, 2004
THE decision by the PNC/R to re-enter Parliament after a prolonged absence must be seen as a fresh ray of hope for the governance process at the highest decision-making level.
The fact that the PNCR, not only actively participated in the parliamentary debates, but also lent its support to the Disciplined Services Commission Report indicates that there is room for enlightened responses to fundamental issues affecting our national life.
This latest development at the parliamentary level should be emulated at other levels as well where the Opposition parties are represented.
There is nothing more refreshing than a healthy debate, one in which where there is sharing of perspectives and where issues can be examined from angles that could conceivably be overlooked or for which enough attention was not given in the initial drafting of Bills and other submissions.
This is why it is so important to take advantage of the several mechanisms, which currently exist, to garner inputs from Opposition parties in the decision making process.
One important body is the Parliamentary Oversight Committee, which is intended to treat with complex pieces of legislation that could not be adequately dealt with during the regular parliamentary sessions.
This particular committee, because of its bipartisan character and restricted membership, is in a much better position to look at bills and other matters and thereby provide, as it were, a more "distilled" perspective to the larger body of policymakers.
While it may be true that we have not as yet fashioned an "ideal" Constitution, it has to be said that recent amendments (with the full participation of the parliamentary opposition) to our Constitution have contributed immensely to a much more participatory and inclusive governance mechanism at the highest decision making level.
We now have for instance the Parliamentary Management Committee in which the Opposition parties can now have their say in the construction of the legislative agenda.
There are also the Sector Committees with rotating chairs, which are empowered by law to scrutinise the work of government ministries and departments.
One hopes that the PNCR would see the wisdom of participating in these important committees and in so doing contribute to the decision making process at the highest legislative level.
They owe this to their constituency, indeed to the people of Guyana as the major opposition party.
Boycotting sittings of Parliament and engaging in unparliamentary forms of behaviour and conduct will do little to inspire confidence in those who look forward for representation by virtue of having voted for that party.
The ruling party, for its part, has demonstrated that it is willing, in the national interest, to exercise tolerance and restraint, but within tolerable limits. Parliamentary procedures and the sanctity of Parliament must be respected if the ideal of a rule-based and law-governed society were to be realised.
And if the recent action by the Speaker of the National Assembly is anything to go by, it seems that the tolerance level of these hallowed chambers is not something that could be taken for granted.
President Jagdeo and the ruling PPP/Civic administration have demonstrated that it has both the maturity and flexibility to make concessions on fundamental issues.
The replacement of Mr. Ivan Crandon by Mr. Keith Massiah on the Commission of Inquiry into the allegations against Home Affairs Minister, Mr. Ronald Gajraj, is one such example.
It is for the PNCR to now demonstrate that it too has the capacity to think big and put the national interest above narrow partisan interests.