He said in the arms and drug trafficking that “have spread dangerously throughout our small and open society,” unscrupulous elements do not hesitate to sow suspicion and distrust within the society. 

“Even though entrenched in our respective constitutions and continuously tested in periodic elections, democracy is not infrequently diminished by a lack of respect for the popular will and sometimes a resort to illegality to bring about a change in government,” he stated.

As on previous occasions, he said observer missions from the OAS, the Caribbean Community, the Commonwealth and local bodies will monitor the elections, which are constitutionally due by September 3.

He noted that Guyana is pleased that an advance OAS observer team is already here to ensure that adequate arrangements are in place for free, fair and transparent elections.

“Full and impartial observation will undoubtedly lend greater credence to the electoral process and endow the result with clear legitimacy,” Mr. Insanally stated.

For its part, he said the government has provided maximum support to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to ensure that the elections are properly and successfully conducted.

In the preparation for the event, he noted that the government has continuously sought consensus with all stakeholders, GECOM, political parties and most important, the people, and has cooperated closely with the donor community on the way forward. 

“It is the view of the Government of Guyana that the best way to preserve, strengthen and advance Guyana’s democracy and the democratic rights of the Guyanese people is for elections to take place on time, without delay, and with the free and full participation of the electorate,” he declared.

“It will therefore do all in its power to generate confidence in the electoral process so that it might be seen as free, fair, credible, and in conformity with the highest international standards,” he added.

In addition to the necessary political and technical arrangements, the authorities have taken concrete steps to address the security situation and to thwart any politically motivated violence in the approach to the elections, he said.

“As is well known, certainly by many of you, elections in Guyana have often been marred in the past by the repudiation of the results followed by such acts as arson, looting and violence by the discontented opposition parties,” Insanally noted.

He said it is a paradox of our times that while the strengthening and deepening of democracy are at the forefront of the OAS agenda, democracy itself continues to be challenged in many places in the hemisphere.

He noted that Guyana was one of the last countries of the hemisphere to return to the democratic fold after the historic general elections of 1992, which were won by the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic alliance. 

In the course of the 14 years of democratic rule since then, the country has made important progress in cementing the foundation for sustained social and economic development, Insanally stated.

“As President (Bharrat) Jagdeo reported when he addressed the OAS in September 2005, the Government of Guyana has succeeded in making significant advances through the reduction of the debt burden, the provision of improved social services to the population and the development of physical infrastructure,” he added.

According to the Foreign Minister, significant advances have been made in such other areas as housing, health care, education and social development and GDP per-capita has doubled in the same period while the percentage of the population living in poverty has been reduced by half.

Following the general elections of 1997 which the OAS and other international bodies certified to be free and fair, the government implemented substantial constitutional reforms to advance the process of inclusive governance, Insanally posited.

Among the reforms enacted were a reduction in the powers of the presidency and the establishment of six commissions on Human Rights, the Rights of the Child, Indigenous Peoples, Gender Equality, Ethnic Relations and Procurement to address allegations of improprieties, he noted.

He added that several Standing Committees in the Parliament have also been created to review the government’s policy in the social, economic and natural resources sectors, as well as foreign affairs. 

“The membership of these bodies are fully representative of the parties in Parliament with opposition parties sometimes serving as co-chairs.  They provide a useful forum for dialogue and consensus building.  It is a matter of great national pride that both the Constitution and Parliament of Guyana are now considered to be among the most progressive in the region,” Insanally stated.

He said greater progress could have been achieved had Guyana not been so deeply affected over recent years by severe external shocks in the form of natural disasters with the country suffering from a devastating flood in 2005, the withdrawal of preferential trade terms from Europe, low commodity prices and rising fuel costs. 

15 July,  2006