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Guyana has become dangerously dysfunctional, compared to the society the British left us

May 26, 2013 Letters

 

Dear Editor,
Our nation’s 47th anniversary of independence is no doubt another occasion for our government to utilize cliches in an attempt to hoodwink Guyanese about the source, nature, and extent of our country’s many vexing problems. We will be told everything except that, on careful examination, May 26th, 1966 was the day Guyana was granted its independence to start what can be best described as a fire dance with autocratic rule and democracy. The result has been that our various governments have, for selfish personal and political party reasons, allowed Guyana to become dangerously dysfunctional compared to the society the British left us. Many will disagree with my assessment, but no amount of denial can erase this inconvenient and painful truth.
When our executive president now possesses more power over us than the colonial governor, the Queen, or the British Prime Minister did at the time of our independence,  we know that our society has become dangerously dysfunctional. When the president and his government treat the provisions of our constitution and the binding decisions of our courts as mere inconvenient recommendations or irritable suggestions that must be given less importance than arrogated presidential discretion, we know that our society has become dangerously dysfunctional.
When citizens turn to the police only as a desperate last resort rather than as a preferred first option to deal with crimes committed against them or their property, we know that our nation has become dangerously dysfunctional. When breaking of the law, by government or citizens, is only deterred by consideration of the connections of the targeted person, entity, or property rather than by any consideration of the rule of law, we know that we have become dangerously dysfunctional.
To be frank, Guyana has become like that dysfunctional, decadent, and dangerous village or neighbourhood, where everything seems normal but in which traditional family- or community-building practices have long been supplanted by family- or community-destroying values. Businesses and families, in full imitation of government ministers, now focus on raising their profits and profiles by any means necessary rather than on improving their communities for the good of all. The result has been an alarming descent into numbing decadence that currently seems like the proverbial calm before the destructive storm that will surely come.
Sadly, there are no easily implementable solutions to this state of affairs, primarily because the powerbrokers, who always claim to be working for the people, do not want to compromise for the good of our country. The nation-destroying fight to amass power and privileges for persons and political parties is given more prominence and importance than the voluntary surrendering of some party or personal power and privileges for the good of our country. We have seen this destructive attitude before and, given where we are,  we know where it has led. I hope for a different outcome for our nation. But mere hope has and will never accomplish what narcissistic and vengeful men and women consciously refuse to pursue.
I wish our nation well and urge our powerbrokers to find the courage to voluntarily and bloodlessly reverse course.
Lionel Lowe

 

 

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