Elections are over and the time has come for us to avoid “cussing” each other
Dear Editor,
My wife and I had an opportunity to guide in the new year in the quiet environment of our home; thanks to the coronavirus.
It gave us an opportunity to reflect on the political upheaval, torture and murder of young men, General Elections and the whole gamut of unpleasant events, which characterized 2020.
Last year, Guyana experienced a propaganda attack by our political leaders, some spending many millions in fees to foreign public relations units and related entities.
They have made the propaganda gurus of the 20th century look quite pedestrian.
I refer to Joseph Goebbels, Germany’s Dictatorial Propaganda Minister, Adolph Hitler and US Senator Joseph McCarthy, whose anti-communist propaganda like Goebbels brought grief and pain to millions.
As we begin a new year, it will be helpful if all Guyanese isolate themselves from the propaganda and the massive rhetoric, which is now the order of the day.
My parents warned me with the wisdom that “there are three sides to every story; your side, my side and the real story. ”
Whether we are dealing with oil, distributing justice, manipulating the economy and measures being used to cope with this Covid-19 pandemic, the information being fed into the nation is on these important issues have tended to be myopic and embellished.
Of the few referred, the first few hours of 2021, suggest that that third side, that’s the real story, remains difficult to capture.
In other words, ordinary people still long for the truth of issues, which affect them.
Despite this, I urge the old and the young to share my optimism as embodied in the sentiments expressed by the famous Philosopher Poet Alexander Pope, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man is never, but always supposed to be the worst. The soul, restless, and at home. Rest and deportation in a life to come. ”
You see Dear Editor, the average Guyanese is forced to rely on one side and not the whole truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
If we hope to get to the bottom of every story told, we may be in the wandering cemetery or in the moon shelter.
I ask that we have hope, I ask that we avoid the sin of silence and call on our religious, civil leaders but in particular our political leaders to treat one another civically and to be committed to the words that flow from their mouths, that what they really and truly do for the benefit of Guyana and the welfare of successive generations.
We must not despair, but keep hope and believe that change will come – change for the better, a change that will make us truly free and a happy and prosperous 2021.
A century ago, the great powers led by the US and the UK opened talks on the German war charges.
An example, of the arrogance that we in Guyana should avoid. Two men fight, damage is inflicted on both and by both, but the loser must repair and compensate the winner. Injustice at the highest level, but the lesson we should learn.
The anger of the German people as a result of the pressure from the victors of the First World War helped to create the extremist Fascist Party, the Nazis and Dictator Adolph Hitler, leading to the trials and tribulations of the Second World War.
While political leaders sought revenge, Europe was hit by hunger and unemployment.
That lesson seems to be ignored by our political leaders, forgetting or ignoring the biblical injunction, which insists “Dear dear, revenge not yourself but instead giving place to wrath, because that I am written in revenge. I will repay the Lord says. ”(Romans Chapter 12 Vs 19).
“So if your enemy hunger, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink for doing so. You will stack coal from a fire from its head. “(Roman, Pen. 12 vs. 20).
Already for the new year, there are claims that Covid-19 relief funds and materials are not being distributed fairly. This may not necessarily be the case but the result of a typical government bureaucracy.
In any event, which may be the whole story, a concerned government should not ignore these and other claims and thus avoid the perception of revenge.
Beyond that, my hope is that the bounty of oil and gas, or other mineral and natural resources will be shared equitably by and among all Guyanese and by 2021 will cease, the public servants especially our doctors, nurses, teachers, policemen, soldiers, firemen, urban workers, our street vendors and those working in the private sector will all see an increase in their take-home pay and conditions living and most of all, an environment where our young can release their creative energy for the benefit of the beloved Co-operative Republic of Guyana. That the number of people to be housed will be realized as promised.
All our educational, health, cultural and sporting facilities will be improved.
Money cannot be a constraint that we will reintroduce some form of National Service and other opportunities for people to mix and intervene in a controlled environment learning to love, care and share.
Crucial for this year will be carefully considered plans, to be implemented by managers, men and women identified based on their competence, character and willingness to serve beyond the call of duty alone. The elections are over and the time has come for us to avoid cussing each other but to be true to our promise and promise to see Guyana on with one objective and in so doing will widen the peasant gap between the rich and the poor is weakened. Dear Editor, may God bless you, may God bless and guide our leaders.
May God bless Guyana.
Truly,
Hamilton Green.