Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
May 23, 2016 Letters
Dear Editor;
Guyana, the city of El Dorado, the land of many waters, 83,000 square miles of moderate tropics ,747 thousand people – East Indians, Africans, Chinese, Europeans, Amerindians and Portuguese. From Slavery to the subjects of different colonial masters, and then finally, independence; finally, we get to write the script, be the authors of our own book, but what does that mean? How has that changed our story?
Albeit, we have come a long way since the days of the political affairs committee, the first PPP, our first regional and general election as an independent nation, constitutional reform etc. There are still many things present today that says to us that we have not outgrown our shadows; we stand shaded in the shadow of our past but well exposed to our own self-destruction.
Between 1953 when Guyana was granted home rule, 1966 when we gained independence and 2016 (50 years into our maturity as an independent nation) there have been many political factors contributing to instability and division.
Prior to independence, there were the days of the interim governing committee, the split in the PPP, the birth of the PNC, labour struggles and what in Hindu terms is considered “ApanJaat” (don’t forget your kind) politics. In 1964 labour struggles and racial politics contributed to major instability in the country, causing the British to declare a state of emergency – at the end of which at least 160 people were killed. Control of the country prior to and post-independence has remained between two political parties, despite many improprieties.
Apanjaat, inequitable distribution of wealth and a difference in political philosophy that keep leading to a vicious struggle for power are a few things that continue to hurt us. I was told that it is not social cohesion that we need (we have that). Our differences is not in our ability to cohabitate as one people (we do that -look at the way we celebrate festivities like Christmas, Phagwah and Easter). I was told that the problem is in our political system; that is where we need unity, that is where we need cohesion, that is where we need one direction, that is where we need to work together for one destiny
Our political parties have not managed to put politics and their differences aside and focus on governance. They are not seeing that politics and governance are separate matters. They continue to politicize serious issues. They are playing politics with our future. Since the dispute that lead to the split in the first PPP, it has been a for or against battle to destroy the images of honourable comrade Burnham and Jagan .It is time to move past the Burnham and Jagan controversy; our political parties should stop using it to maintain control. The demographic is changing and honourable comrade Burnham and Jagan are resting as heroes who fought for our independence and the foundation we now have to build on; our fight is different.
There are sections of our society that are passive; those that play follow the leader and give our politicians power. Those that allow them to lead us back to the past. Then there is my section;, the youth , those that are young, critical thinking and see things differently , we are not focused on the past, we are focused on the future , and not perpetuating a system that does not work for us. It is our Guyana, for we are her tomorrow and she is our future. We are Guyana at 100.
Shaquelle Williams
Concerned Youth
JAGDEO ADDING MORE DANGER TO GUYANA AND THE REGION
Apr 18, 2024
SportsMax – West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has been named Wisden’s leading Twenty20 Cricketer for 2023, as she topped all and sundry, including her male counterparts. Alan Gardner looks...Kaieteur News – Compliments of the Ministry of Education, our secondary school children are being treated to a stage... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]