Defending our Republic – Bold Leadership needed

by Peter R. Ramsaroop

Bold leadership is often a direct result of a well-defined and conscientious strategy. When a person knows the prime objective for which he/she is striving, all decisions and actions are subsequently guided by the ultimate goal of attaining this objective.

Further, when one's conscience is settled that the objective is in fact a noble effort, there is very little reason to be hesitant or apprehensive. Such a climate in Government is rare since most times leaders are unsure of how to address the relevant issues and, when that decision is finally made, doubt creeps in about the integrity of implementing the resolution.

This is why strong leadership is so difficult to find. Politicians often make compromises to retain their positions and those concessions often cause these leaders to second-guess themselves or to totally disregard their conscience in future decisions.

When this occurs repeatedly over the course of time, a leader's drive for helping others can become desensitised and, instead of a caring individual who is pursuing lofty dreams of democracy and equality, we are left with a jaded personality who is trying to hold on for dear life to any remnant of goodness.

At this point the conduct of this type of leader becomes suspect and shady activities become the rule – instead of an exception to the rule. When such a leader is reproduced over and over as a result of general expectations from party paramountcy and submission to the nastiness of party rules, an entire government can become weak “yes-men” who are incapable of effective leadership.

This is the state of the government in Guyana . This country's bold leadership has been forfeited for the sake of the party, and strong leaders have succumbed to the tantalising seduction of power and ever-present longing to be accepted by the more experienced and influential leaders.

However, experience and influence don't equate to good leadership. Likewise, bold leadership needn't be the equivalent of brash leadership. Bold leaders are capable of adhering to their convictions over party expectations. This is the type of leadership we need in Guyana .

We need bold leaders from all walks of life who are qualified and optimistic men and women with the courage of their convictions, and the vision to lead our nation to greatness. The anaemic state of the current leadership is obvious in so many ways, but it is more than obvious how faint-hearted they really are when considering the state of our national security.

In regards to the protection of our sovereignty, the current government offers the equivalent of a pathetic “boo” to chase off potential land squatters. We have seen weak leadership when it comes to protection of our borders. How embarrassing that Suriname kicked us out of our own waters while we were drilling for oil, and Venezuela limits our activities in the Essequibo Region, claiming two-thirds of our land.

Where is our strong leadership in this regard? We need a national defence team that becomes the backbone for peace. We need to stand up to any neighbour that hinders our growth.

Although narrowly not a “law enforcement” agency, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is vital to our country's security. Thus, this is an appropriate point at which to briefly deal with its challenges and offer solutions.

The dismantling of the GDF in recent years has rendered it incapable of protecting our citizens in time of need. In 2001 when the GDF had to deal with the CGX crisis in Suriname , they were not prepared, due to the lack of a modern force and equipment. This terrible policy error must be rectified as quickly as possible. Defence is the foundation of peace; therefore we should not neglect this major component of our national defence strategy.

Today we see our armed forces fighting crime, which indicates the breakdown of our police forces. We need the armed forces to be defending our nation and to stand against any aggression that hinders our economic growth. We need to be drilling for oil in our waters, which means we need to be drilling for oil in the Essequibo .

We must revive the soundness of our Defence Forces so they can defend the integrity of our territory, engage in humanitarian missions and react swiftly to crisis situations. The following are examples of some actions that should be taken to establish a sound national security policy:

• Establish a strong militia and a military based on an extensive reservist system that can be called up at any time.
• Set up an active defence force consisting or a predetermined number of soldiers as decided upon by the Parliament.
• Establish permanent base camps with a battalion of troops in each camp at strategic locations to monitor our borders.
• Modernise the Coast Guard for national defence purposes and to protect our exclusive fishing zones and protect our waters against the growing narco-trade.
• Re-equip the Army Air Corps to provide aerial surveillance on our borders and assist in drug-interdiction operations.
• Revitalise and expand an Engineer Corps to allow for participation in building homes, roads, bridges and any tasks that are deemed necessary. It is better to have a permanent skilled work force than to continue to employ expensive foreign contractors.
• Revitalise the Agriculture Corps to assist in offsetting the impact of the GDF on the country's GNP and serve as a part of the training pool for youth.
• Create programmes for the Army to generate revenues.
• Re-establish a form of the National Service

Guyana 's problems are many and complex. Even seemingly straightforward concerns begin to seem intractable when politics become involved. Guyana needs goodwill, good laws, good men and women and good resolve.

Most of all, we need to work to truly solve our problems and replace the rule of moral chaos with that of order and direction. It is easy to propose laws. Sometimes it is easy to pass laws. But the measure of our seriousness is enforcing the law. This is where Guyana 's severe lack of strong and bold leadership becomes obvious.

Our hope does not lie in the reliance on status quo leaders who curtsey to the whims of the elite. We need leaders who have the internal fortitude to turn away from the temptations of power. We need leaders who seek national interests over personal interests. We need bold leaders who govern with compassion and wisdom. Guyana is ready for strong leadership. Are We?