Statement Issued by the Guyana Trades Union Congress
The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) having followed the differences between the Government of Guyana through acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Ms. Pryia Manickchand and the USA through Ambassador Brent Hardt sees this as another mark in the degenerating quality of governance the society has been witnessing from the PPP. The ambassador has dealt with the issue and the Government of Guyana has made its position known. The GTUC is encouraged by those who sought to distance themselves from the Government’s conduct.
Going forward the People of Guyana are urged to resist the temptation to view the USA/Guyana experience as a one-shot incident requiring outrage only to revert into apathy on holding the government accountable to act in the manner that holds proud the values, aspirations and institutions of this beautiful country and its people. It is said a people get the government they deserve. Less this society forget the relationship with the PPP and USA has over the years been frosty, influenced by the PPP’s desire for political power and not necessarily the interest of the people and nation state. The PPP still holds in acrimony the USA for what they think is the denial of their ‘right’ to govern for years, even as they sought the USA intervention to influence a change in the country’s electoral policy that saw their return to the seat of government.
This nation must be fooled or diverted by the PPP’s antics to create the environment of hostility with external partners to smokescreen their denying the citizens what’s rightly theirs. The Barack Obama administration has made it clear since 2009 that a major plank of its Foreign Policy would be guided by respect for human rights, the rule of law, and good-governance. It follows that Guyana’s continued diplomatic relations with the USA will accordingly be influenced and guided. As such it is not interference or a violation of this nation’s sovereignty when external partners call on us to commit to these shared principles.
Further, Guyanese are not being unpatriotic nor are violating Article 37 of the Constitution, as Dr. Roger Luncheon is inclined to have it be believed. For Article 37 expressly states, “The State supports the legitimate aspirations of other peoples for freedom and independence and will establish relations with all states on the basis of sovereign equality, mutual respect, inviolability of frontiers, territorial integrity of states, peaceful settlement of disputes, non-intervention in internal affairs, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and cooperation among States.”
The diplomatic community in their expressions of support with Guyanese for long overdue constitutional mandated local government elections are partnering with the citizens to make real Article 37. It remains the highest form of patriotism to stand up for the laws of our land and stand in alliance with those who share our dreams and aspirations. It is not the people’s fault for being on the right side of history; it is the government’s fault for disregarding the Supreme instrument of State. The GTUC reiterates its concern over the cherry-picking of the Constitution by elected officials who have taken an oath to uphold it.
The sovereignty of this nation as made known in our Law guarantees duly constituted local government elections, the operationalisation of the Public Procurement Commission and Public Service Appellate Tribunal, a framework for good governance, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and working with liked minds in the realisation of these. The government’s interest would be best served paying heed and acting in accordance.
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