Latest update April 27th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 10, 2011 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom
There is a terror alert in New York and Washington, on the eve of the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Three suspects are being sought.
In many parts of the country all the way to Maryland, rivers are rising and threatening to overflow their banks. In California, millions are in darkness. But this is much better than being in parts of Texas where forest fires have destroyed thousands of homes.
Last Labour Day weekend, four persons were killed and during the traditional West Indian parade. Then on top of all this comes the news that two tropical storms are heading north. How more anxious can things become?
It is in times likes these that you feel the need to be back home in sweet Guyana, elections season or no election season. Even on this significant anniversary when we identify with the pain that was inflicted on so many of our citizens as a result of that attack ten years ago on the World Trade Centre, there are many of us who would love to be in no better place than in the sunshine of Guyana, propped up under a coconut tree, drinking a cold beer and enjoying the soothing fresh unpolluted breeze of a Guyanese countryside.
How many us would not mind sitting down by one of the corner shops in any of the villages along the coast engaging in ‘old talk’ and reminiscing about old times?
How many of us would not love to savor a nice plate of freshly curried fish or pepper pot or a nice West Indian soup? How many of us would not mind the irritating mosquitoes which can be held at bay by some bus spray just to sit and relax under a starry sky? How many us would not love to sling a hammock between two trees and rest our weary bodies?
How many of us do not long to be in the political hustling, to get involved in the friendly but passionate arguments that occur at this time rather than sit in our homes at the end of the summer season and have to worry about these terror threats, count our losses from the recent floods as we look on at how others are bracing themselves for more possible flood damage even as so many others are displaced by the raging forest fires sweeping Texas.
This is an important weekend in New York, an emotional one not just for the families of those killed in the 9/11 attacks but for all Americans as well as those who live the American dream and who saw just how vulnerable life is in even this the greatest country in the world, the United States of America.
As much therefore as Guyana has its problems; as much as the country remains politically divided, it is still a great place to be in despite its many problems.
Guyanese need to appreciate what they have because while many of us have left to come here for betterment, while many of us for reasons of family and health insurance and social security cannot return, having this perspective of living in foreign countries which has its problems too, including discrimination and hard times, there is a lot going for those who still live at home and they must take the time to savor what they have.
Elections are an integral part of the democratic process. They are in fact the most important aspect of democracy. And during elections people have to choose one party or the other, one candidate from others. These choices have to be respected even if one disagrees with one’s neighbor choices because the very essence of democracy is the right to choose and the respect for that freedom to choose.
Guyanese have a lot going for them and regardless of what happens in this year’s elections, Guyana must preserve that it is envied by so many. Guyana has its problems, families have their difficulties, politics can be fractious, the government at times seems stubborn, the opposition can also be thorn in their side, but what matters is the life of the people and Guyanese may not know it, but what they have, many long for.
If they look deep, they will see that while things are not perfect, they are much improved and despite the many problems, Guyana is a great place to be at all times, and especially in these times of global recession, diminishing jobs, forest fires, blackouts, brewing tropical storms and terror threats.
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