Dear Editor,
As ubiquitous as he is hard working, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has every right to defend his government’s nationwide outreach strategy, that he describes as “… a demonstration of representative politics, accountability, and transparency in governance.” Not diffident by nature nor deficient in legal acumen, he seems capable of rising to every level where the needs beg for a voice of authority, and this voice is now synonymous with the PPP/C’s government’s agenda, defence and accountability. These aspects, we all agree, are of tantamount importance where today’s Guyana is concerned.
During his last “Issues in the News,” the AG Nandlall succinctly and boldly contended that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration has maintained a direct connection with citizens, by taking government services and decision-makers into communities across the country.[1]” This is uncontested, as it is salubrious.
Indeed, there is no legal mandate for government ministers to physically visit residents, but when democratically elected officials regularly conduct visits, they stay connected to their constituents and are able to address local issues. I add that government ministers, in visiting residents, are able to maintain the accountability and democratic connection required by a responsible government, who otherwise might want to play the dodging game. These visits for sure allow ministers to explain policies, understand community needs, and ensure public services be delivered effectively. They serve as a direct feedback loop, preventing policy-makers from becoming isolated from the public.
Thus, in a terse manner, Nandlall definitively boasted that “We (the PPP/C), believe that we should do so in a direct manner,” as he delineated the administration’s philosophy, en toto, in terms of proper and fitting governance, noting that various vicinages voted for and deserve what they were promised. He elaborated that “We (the PPP/C) believe we should do so by going into the communities, the villages, the towns, the rivers, the creeks and all the areas where Guyanese live and interact with them in those communities.”
As far as Anil Nandlall is concerned, I might be hard pressed to enumerate the specific tally of the number of places he has visited since the last Guyana Elections. However, a mere cursorial scrutiny will attest to his massive outreach. He, both as a ‘Gov-rep’ and in his humane, personal capacity, regularly travels throughout the country—including various communities on the East Coast of Demerara, the West Coast of Demerara, and other regions—to conduct government outreaches, inspect public infrastructure, and address members of the public. I add, that he never forgets his humble origins, and can be seen at the wakes and funeral homes of many he did know and has come to know. His willingness to sacrificially commiserate is very commendable, and quite suggestive of the PPP/C as a whole. No wonder then he can conclude that “… this approach allows government officials to gain a first-hand understanding of the issues affecting citizens … (and) once we do that, we get a first-hand feel and a first-hand knowledge of the people’s issues, their challenges, their problems, and their concerns.”
The broader picture here, as I just hinted is that “That these engagements redounded to the addressing of hundreds, if not thousands of issues raised by residents.” Without punctiliously checking I take his word that “… every major village, locality and settlement in the regions was visited by a member of the government, including President Dr. Irfaan Ali.”
The spinoff is that “… that concerns raised during the outreaches were subsequently reviewed by Cabinet during meetings, and issues documented by ministers and their teams were entered into a central dashboard and examined by Cabinet members, where “actions were authorised or directed in relation to each issue raised and that many matters were addressed immediately.”
Editor, good governance means that ministers must hear firsthand how government policies affect daily lives, enabling them to represent community interests accurately in Cabinet and Parliament. And visiting residents allows ministers to explain proposed legislation, gather public input, and build consensus for government initiatives. The top-down method is not amicably met by the populace anymore, and the PPP/C must be commended for governing with ‘an ear on the ground,’ using the bottom-up strategy. This means things like more accountability, responsibility and transparency.
I did my work when Nandlall asserted that he was unaware of any comparable initiative elsewhere in the Caribbean or Commonwealth, where an entire government travels into communities for several days to engage directly with residents and address their concerns. He challenged that “I don’t know of a parallel initiative in any part of the Caribbean or any part of the Commonwealth,” and I emphatically inform readers that I can submit only places like Switzerland, Australia, Canada and India in this mode. Again, I iterate that a bottom-up (or decentralised) style of government is one where power, decision-making, and legislative initiatives originate at the local or grassroots level and flow upward to higher tiers of government.
Thus no one can prove that the Attorney-General was erring when he rejected suggestions that the administration has become disconnected from its grassroots base. Complaints will come from sore losers. But this I can say, that the PPP/C government has a strong winsome and capable team of leaders. The AG is ensuring legality in every move, and with his dare to be questioned, I believe I can heal encomiums on the Ali-led administration.