New Year greetings and wishes
Kaieteur News – From the Kaieteur News media network, we extend the best wishes of 2021 to our readers, fellow citizens of Guyana and the world, all siblings, wherever they are present, however accessing this message . Our message is health, peace and the goodness that comes from above, because of that all the rest will follow.
As we begin this brand new year, we are hopeful. We think and believe that we can be joyful, but only if we are willing to listen, learn and apply the lessons learned. As a Guyanese, we should not want to go back to the multitude of troubled things from the just-concluded 2020. With a look back at a perfect vision that comes from that combination of digits, we don’t even want to look back at what was best at times. and the worst of times.
It was the best because of the rediscovery of democracy (of a remarkable kind with foreign aid), the best for more discoveries of the rich oil fields of rich optimism, and the best for the partial spark we got from the arrival and attacks of the pandemic furious COVID-19. There are other things that, no doubt, would rate just as high in terms of what many others visualize and evaluate as ‘best’ at this country’s 2020 events.
And, nonetheless, there were those other developments that left harassment and teasing and joking. This was simply because they represented what were the worst kinds of situations holding the worst projections for our prospects as hopeful individuals and as a poor nation struggling to come into its own from the blessings we have.
Among the worst were the sharp reminders of how divided and hateful and toxic we are, and how much we love nothing else, but being in each other’s throats, with relentless malice in our hearts. National elections do that for us, reduce to the worst instincts and bring out the worst demons in our personal toilets.
Needless to say, this oil of ours brought some of the worst human species around, like lethal snakes picking up an overpowering prey scent and moving in for the kill. But, perhaps even worse, is the one that we don’t have to look too far for, and think for too long, because they are right here. What we are writing today would be the human political detritus that pollutes us with the relentless ferocity of the COVID-19 virus. Like the pandemic, the local human political detritus comes under all kinds of uniforms and with many secrets that project the worst effects on pregnant citizens.
They disguise themselves with untruths wrapped in the national flag, the flag of democracy, the flag of principled and wise business management of this oil of ours. Better men whom our Guyanese leaders have fallen for the temptations that the foreign corporate powers lay before them, have succumbed to the irresistible greed and laziness that have been the nature of mineral wealth in general, and wealth oil in particular.
We must be prepared to learn and adapt, because we must not go down the road that brings anger, despair and, inevitably, conflict. And this is where we as a publisher and staff and communication channels are, whether they’re a newspaper, a radio station, or whatever the technology allows in cyberspace. As we think about where we went wrong and what we did wrong in 2020, we must make a sincere commitment to doing what’s right in 2021, and in so many areas.
By redress, remove secrecy in governance, including from leadership, the incorporation of practices and, in particular, when asked to clarify or elaborate. Redress means not selling the Guyanese sixty more for nines, just talking to the truth, and being transparent. Let us commit in 2021, top and bottom (in any order), to work towards building a society that could embark on a true lasting peace with ourselves, so that we can appreciate what is at stake with our wealth, and how we all can be rich people.
Finally, we wish the health to contribute to Guyana’s growth and prosperity for all. Best for 2021 for everyone.