Latest update March 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 11, 2016 News
Even as he noted that the much anticipated celebration of Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary is deemed to be the single most unifying event for 2016, President David Granger has indicated that is not all on the cards for the promotion of National Unity in 2016.
The President said that the anniversary celebration is important largely because Guyana was born in disunity “and I feel that the lack of unity has obstructed the development of our country.”
However, Granger noted that unity goes way beyond celebration. In this regard, he has outlined a number of areas that his government will tackle to bridge gaps of inequality thus strengthening national unity.
These areas are with ethnicity, education, health, infrastructure and access to public service.
President Granger said, “When I speak of unity, I speak of unity at various levels; certainly at the ethnic level. We would like to see the ethnic groups come closer together; that is why I went into a partnership in 2011 and into a coalition in 2015.”
Granger expressed his belief that political collaboration could be a contributing factor to national unity. He said that in this way, citizens will start dealing with issues rather than ethnicity.
The Head of State pointed out that there is too much inequality in Education. “It is quite evident from the newspaper reports that children who go to private schools seem to, in general terms, have better results than children who go to public school. So there is some element of inequality there.”
Granger said that educational inequality creates disunity “the better educated will get better jobs, be richer and more comfortable and the poorly educated get menial jobs.”
With such reasoning, the President said that one of the interventions of his administration to promote national unity would be through better education at all levels as well as easier access to it. He indicated that small steps have already been taken on this front.
The President said that his administration is also looking to bridge gaps between the hinterland and the coastland, including unequal access that the hinterland has to the public services, education and health.
“These are all measures that can bring about a greater degree of national unity,” said Granger.
The President added, “I think also that at an abstract level there needs to be more respect. We know that women are not fully represented in business and maybe in government and in some other important national activities and events.
If we respect women more, we will realize that women should be allowed to hold higher positions in government offices, the National Assembly, the Judiciary, Magistracy, and in every area of activity in the country.
The President added, “There would be greater unity if there is less disunity. It sounds a bit corny but we (those in government) feel that giving people access, women and men, Hinterland and Coastland educated non-educated, Africans, Indians and Amerindians, those are factors that will contribute to national unity.”
The President basically said that moving in equality at every level is the key to national unity.
Listen to the man that is throwing Guyanese bright future away
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