The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) cannot help but to be most disheartened regarding the current state-of-affairs of our nation. At this time, when our country has sailed effectively into uncharted waters and the Coalition Government has now transcended into illegality, it is hard for us not to be apprehensive about the days and weeks ahead.
For the FITUG, it is indeed saddening reality that we as a nation have found ourselves in such a situation. A situation, we wish to emphasize, we ought not to have found ourselves in. The undeniable fact of the matter, is that our arrival at this unnecessary and an unfortunate juncture, is solely and only due to the callous attitude by the Coalition Government towards our country’s Constitution. The Government’s non-abidance, on clearly spurious grounds, was definitely an unwelcome development. The use of every conceivable, and even previously inconceivable, ploys and pretexts to delay the inevitable represents, undoubtedly, a sordid chapter in our nation’s history. It is a period of time that we will never forget and one that we can say as Guyanese were eye-opening. Of course, as we well know, the cynical justifications, at best, were roundly and rightly rejected after thoroughly exhausted through the several layers of the judicial system. Indeed, it did not take someone with a mastery of law to read the clearly spelt-out provisions of the Constitution, it was clear enough for the ordinary man and woman to understand.
Our nation has now entered a dark period as we know not what happens next or what tomorrow will bring to us. This sort of uncertainty is not healthy for any nation, much less a young, developing nation as ours. At a time, when we are potentially on the cusp of transformative development, the wanton railroading of our democratic culture and the clear disrespect shown to the rule of law, so essential for our upward movement, for us, is not a healthy signal for the future. Today, while we mourn the disrespect of our democracy and our Constitution, we see some of the powers-that-be celebrating an elongated term that is shrouded in impropriety. It is upsettingly disturbing to see such displays considering the improper position of the Administration and it appears we have entered now into authoritarian rule.
The continued squatting in office by usurpers who deem themselves as the Government is patently wrong and utterly disquieting and, as many have opined, is clearly unconstitutional. Our people and our nation have been brought into unparalleled ignominy and infamy. Undoubtedly, we can well be deemed a pariah state and ostracized from the rest of the democratic world. Such a situation is not in our interest as we join an unenviable list of nations deemed to have illegitimate regimes.
It is incumbent on the nation’s democratic forces, through their expressions, to bring an end to the situation we are in. We cannot allow our cherished nation, which, through the struggles of the Guyanese people, removed itself from the yoke of undemocratic rule to again find itself down that ignoble path. We call on our people to reject any and all attempts to undermine their democracy and to stand up and to speak out. It is now time to do what is right and what is necessary to bring our nation back into Constitutional compliance.
