By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Political activist and analyst Gerald Perreira has criticised both the governing People’s Progressive Party / Civic (PPP/C) and the opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) for what he described as “ego-driven politics” and “selective principles” — arguing that despite decades of alternating in power, neither party has made the structural changes Guyana needs.
Perreira, founder of the Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP), made the remarks in an exclusive interview with HGP Nightly News.
Selective Morality
Perreira said the reliance of both parties on partisan convenience over consistent principles has compromised national leadership, and invoked the civil rights tradition to make his point.
“We cannot be selective in our morality,” he said. “As Martin Luther King said, we have to be consistent — or else we will be seen as hypocrites and promoters of double standards.”
He described corruption, bureaucracy, and widening social inequality as persistent problems that successive administrations have been unwilling or unable to confront effectively.
On Parliament
Perreira was sharply critical of the quality of debate in Guyana’s National Assembly, saying parliamentary sessions have deteriorated into personal accusations rather than substantive policy discussion.
“It is a cuss out — who thiefing. Where is that type of politics going to take us?” he said, describing modern parliamentary conduct as little more than child’s play.
He argued that any political movement that uses the word “democracy” must ensure that the voices of ordinary citizens are directly integrated into decision-making.
On Coalitions
As discussions about future electoral alliances continue in opposition circles, Perreira said he would not join any coalition whose fundamental objective is simply to remove the current government without a broader transformative agenda.
“I am not going to join any coalition that is based on the fundamentals to dislodge the PPP — and when we do it is business as usual,” he said.
On Economic Structure
Perreira noted that while Guyana is experiencing rapid economic growth, the underlying social and economic structures remain largely unchanged. He called on civil society and independent activists to push for structural reform beyond changes in political leadership.
“There is no fundamental change in the social production — about how the wealth of this country is owned and who owns it and how it is used,” he said.
Neither the PPP/C nor the PNC/R had issued a public response to Perreira’s characterisation at the time of publication.
