Let’s feel real progress instead of hearing about the superficial

Mar 14, 2025 Letters

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Dear Editor,

It is nice to see everyone doing better than before, but the government must caution against excess and the illegal pursuit of material things. For someone in the current administration to boast about the jewelry that people are wearing, the nice clothes they have on and the drinks they are drinking, promotes a very shallow approach and view of progress. Suriname is encouraging investment while the current administration appears to be happy with increased consumption. Instead of boasting about what is fleeting, let’s hear about the progress being made in improving the oil contract instead of encouraging our people to be flashy with the Exxon scraps. Instead of the chrome that can be shown with the crumbs, let’s hear about the progress being made on setting a date to renegotiate.

The senior member of the government even went so far as to boast about progress as it compares to first world countries. If this is the benchmark of progress then the conversation must speak to a more profound measure of progress such as improved sanitation, better management of garbage, and the development of housing schemes with sewage systems and not septic tanks. Progress must also include examples of drinkable water being available in every household in communities across the country. Point to those examples of how people are doing better than before. Let’s stay focused on the fundamentals that will shift our society out of the third world and into the second. Tell us that no more flooding will occur because of the progress being made in sea defense and drainage.

Furthermore, the discussion on progress should include discussions on improved law and order. Much has been said about the murder of Queen’s College Alumni, Courtney Crum-Ewing, but little to no progress has been made. There was mention of the case being solved followed by expressed concern over lack of closure of the case. Even a senior member of the current administration had voiced concern before winning the last election. Where is the progress? This is a stark reminder that progress must include clear examples of an effective judicial process with closure of key cases in the country. Where is the discussion around progress in prosecuting sexual predators regardless of their position of influence? High profile cases must not be allowed to be swept under the door mat when politically convenient. Where are the discussions and examples of successful prosecution of corrupt officials, corrupt contractors and corrupt businessmen? Allegations brought forward against top officials, whether it is the President, the General Secretary, a Permanent Secretary, the Leader of the Opposition or a high ranking Official in the Police Force should be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted without favour or bias.

Members of the current administration should be conveying a message that strengthens the foundation of our society and not one that focuses on shallow illustrations of progress that encourages wasteful spending, greed and over consumption. When there is too much spending on “drinks”, it leads to more accidents on the road, more abuse and violence in the homes and more innocent lives lost. We need only look to the recent tragic deaths in the news for clear examples that remind us that the “nice drinks” and too much of them come at too high a cost.

It is nice to see everyone dressing nicely and wearing their jewelry, but without law and order it will only lead to more people getting robbed. Guyana is a very nice place where life can be beautiful every day, but this can only be sustained with law and order! Keeping the place brightly lit will also help. This means that blackouts must be an experience that the next generation never knows and that this one no longer experiences.

So please spare us the superficial and give us a more profound sense of progress that uplifts all Guyanese- from the guy who enjoys wearing slippers to the one who prefers to be dressed in a suit. Everyone is doing well when no one has to put grillwork on their windows and doors and when no one has to rush to iron their clothes because they don’t know how long the lights will be on. If everyone can go to the pipe in the yard and turn it on and not get mauby or not worry about getting sick from drinking the water, then we are back on track towards making progress as a nation.

Indirectly and inadvertently encouraging “slackness” and a further increase in theft for the “nice things”, while GPL underperforms and GWI is unable to deliver drinkable water in every household, must be prevented. It would be best if the well-dressed politicians, speaking of what is superficial, took some time for self-introspection. It will serve well as a profound reminder as to what is truly important and valuable in the name of “Progress”.

Sincerely,

Mr. Jamil Changlee

Chairman

The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

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