President Ali and Cabinet Ministers Juan Edghill, Zulfikar Mustapha, Charles Ramson Jr., Collin Croal, Anand Persaud, and Attorney General Anil Nandlall paid a two-day visit (0ctober 14-15) to Region 6, Berbice.
The trip also had a full complement of technical staff from Region 6, as well as from the relevant offices in Georgetown. Director of Presidential Relations, Marcia Nadir-Sharma, and I (Adviser in the Office of the President) were also on hand.
I would like to make a general observation about the President’s outreach, with particular attention to his mode of governance. The key is to note that the current Administration is keen on governing from below, from the field, from every region and every district. This is a direct governance approach.
While previous leaders like Presidents Cheddi and Janet Jagan, Sam Hinds, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar did immerse themselves deeply among the people, the current leaders: President Ali, Prime Minister Phillips, and Vice President Jagdeo, are now institutionalising a new kind of democratic governance from below. The key difference between the past and present is that President Ali has taken operational matters directly into the towns and villages in Guyana. Outreaches are not simply letting people know about policies.
The President and his team had extensive consultations at Mara, Rose Hall Canje Estate, New Amsterdam, Port Mourant, Manchester-Liverpool, Mibicuri in Black Bush Polder, Corriverton, and at Baracara down the Canje River. At every meeting, the President announced new development measures for the community, most of them in response to previous community interactions.
As with previous administrations, the President and cabinet ministers engaged in extensive discussions about community needs. Topics ranged from broad issues like cattle grazing and health hazards (Mibicuri), to road construction (Mara), transportation and farming (Baracara), to specific matters dealing with security, street lighting, NIS, noise nuisance, and a plethora of quality-of-life issues.
At Corriverton, for instance, requests ranged from large-scale farming and remigrant concessions to public assistance and small grants.
The underlying shift in the governance model is that there is now a strong operational dimension to these meetings. Rather than take a complaint, come back to Georgetown and then act stance, President Ali and cabinet ministers go into action while still at the location. Relevant staff are asked to provide information ‘on the spot,’ and where possible, instructions for actions are given by the President ‘on the spot.’ If not, President Ali ensures that a direct follow-up process is in place.
I can tell you that I have been following up on two specific cases from the field, one from Mibicuri and the other from Corriverton. Director of Presidential Relations and OP staff member Dwayne Adams also have a handful of issues to process. Numerous issues were resolved ‘on the spot’ at the place of outreach. At Mibicuri, for instance, the request for a new school bus was immediately granted. I know that much the same has been done at previous meetings at Buxton, Den Amstel, Tuschen, as well as in outlying villages such as Aranaputa in Region 9.
Citizens are urged to take note of this governance approach. It is better to make specific requests, rather than make long speeches during which you forget what you want to get fixed. No doubt, some will only want to make a statement, which is fine.
Regional and local officials and staff of agencies, as well as contractors (or their representatives), should make themselves available in order to actively participate in governing effectively from below.
Dr Randolph Persaud