THE GATHERING OF PARLIAMENTARIANS

 

THE GATHERING OF PARLIAMENTARIANS

Ours is a society increasingly defined by lists. There is the Life List, where we record our dreams and ambitions; the Bucket List, which reminds us of the experiences we hope to embrace before time runs out; and then there is the Candidates List—the gateway to the hallowed chambers of Guyana's Parliament.

But what of the names appearing on that final list? Do they represent fresh minds, unburdened by the prejudices and political divisions of the past? Do they bring new ideas, integrity, and a genuine commitment to national progress? Or are we simply recycling the same political loyalties, inherited grievances, and familiar faces?

There was a time when Parliament was regarded as an institution of dignity and integrity, where reasoned debate and the collective wisdom of elected representatives shaped the destiny of a nation. Today, too often, its proceedings are overshadowed by confrontation, political expediency, and broken promises.

If we are serious about rewriting Guyana's future, perhaps we must begin by reconsidering who we send to represent us.

On Monday, October 11, 1834, at the stroke of noon, Damon was hanged before the public buildings in Georgetown. The execution was a grim public spectacle, intended to demonstrate the authority of British colonial justice and warn the population of the consequences of defiance.

The building and grounds represented the emerging centre of colonial administration in British Guiana, a seat of imperial authority from which decisions affecting the lives of enslaved Africans and, later, indentured Indians would be made. It was a symbol of a political order in which the interests of the colonial establishment took precedence over the dignity and aspirations of the people.

Today, as we listen to the rhetoric echoing through these parliamentary chambers, we should remember the sacrifices of Damon and Quamina. Their struggles were different, but both were rooted in the fundamental human desire for justice, dignity, and freedom.

They could scarcely have imagined that generations later, in a Parliament established to represent the people, the ideals for which they struggled would still be threatened by political division and partisan hostility.

The Speaker of the House occupies a position of considerable constitutional importance. That office must stand above political allegiance, safeguarding parliamentary procedure, fairness, and the rights of every elected representative. When impartiality is questioned, the authority of the entire institution suffers.

Such conduct does not go unnoticed by the people. It breeds frustration, deepens mistrust, and diminishes respect for the very institution entrusted with protecting democratic principles.

Africans and Indians, together with our Indigenous brothers and sisters, have inherited a shared history of struggle. Our ancestors endured slavery, indentureship, dispossession, and colonial exploitation. Their sacrifices should have taught us that national unity is not a political slogan but a responsibility.

Yet, we continue to allow partisan interests to divide us.

The Timehri Action Party proposes a different course.

We represent a new generation of political thinking—one founded on competence, integrity, opportunity, and national inclusion. We seek representatives from all 65 electoral districts who understand that Parliament is not a prize to be won, but a public trust to be honoured.

We are not entering politics merely to occupy seats or acquire power. We are entering to restore confidence in government, create opportunities for our people, and build a Guyana in which every citizen has a meaningful stake.

The future of Guyana must belong to all Guyanese.