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I, TOO, AM PROUD TO BE A GUYANESE

Sep 17, 2008 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Like the Minister of Health, I too am proud to be a Guyanese. I am so proud that I am willing, if Minister Ramsammy joins me, to surrender my American citizenship.

What say you Leslie? Is that not a good way to show just how proud you are to be Guyanese? Who knows, the good man may have already done so and therefore prove beyond any shadow of doubt that he is proud to be Guyanese.

I too am proud to be Guyanese. This is why I am so concerned about the many problems afflicting my country. I want to see better done because I know better can be done.

An amazing coincidence happened on Monday. I was waiting at the traffic lights at the junction of Regent and Vlissengen Roads. The lights were saying red. My radio was on.

The announcer was reporting a broken main at the junction where I was. Residents were told that because of this ruptured main, the water supply to their area would be affected, but that the Guyana Water Inc was making assiduous efforts to repair the breach.

I looked at where the broken main was supposed to be. I did not see any repairs being done. All I saw was a huge crater out of which thousands of gallons of water were pouring into the nearby drain.

This water is no doubt treated water and it represents a terrible waste. Perhaps the authorities can explain why this cavity has been left open for close to two weeks now and why it is that the breach has not been sealed.

Does mentioning this reduce the level of pride I have for my country? If I live in a home and a great many things are going wrong, will I be treated like a traitor if I speak out against what is going on? Is that not what I should be doing in order to bring things back to normalcy?

Should I ignore an oozing sore simply because I wish to paint a good image of myself? No, I must in being a good citizen of Guyana, accept that which is good and reject that which is bad.

I therefore can love my country while being very critical of the wrongs that are taking place. I was glad to see that the Minister of Health while being proud of being a Guyanese can accept that there are wrongs in the country. I am so proud that he has admitted that there is corruption in government.

We must as proud Guyanese try to improve things in Guyana. Sometimes this means that we must be considerate and understanding of situations and not try to blame some other person when we should share some of that blame.

I saw the letter that the Mayor of Georgetown wrote concerning the problems at the dumpsite. And I agree that the government cannot absolve itself of some of the responsibility for the terrible situation that developed.

I also however accept the explanation by the Minister of Local Government that when it comes to containing the fire, resources was not an issue, and that what was needed was for the resources that were available to the Council to be effectively mobilized.

Blame shedding will not ease the woes of those affected. What is needed is for all sides to make a conscious effort to work together because I believe that on both sides there are persons who are proud to be Guyanese and therefore want the best for the country.

It really should not matter who gets the benefit. In the end, the interests of the members of the public are what matters.

There are great many things that are wrong in Guyana. There are also a great many things from which we can draw satisfaction. I agree with the Minister of Health that we can feel proud of Cricket World Cup, Carifesta, the Law of the Sea Arbitral Tribunal ruling etc.

We must also, however, feel proud when we can account for all the drugs that were supplied to our major hospital, when we can find money to provide transportation for nurses in Linden, when we can ensure that people do not have to wait long hours to see a doctor.

We must be proud when we can have days with uninterrupted electricity supply or when our poor people can afford to build their own home.

With these things will come hope and with hope we can feel more proud, perhaps so proud that we who have US citizenship would be willing to renounce our loyalty to foreign lands. Would that not be beautiful!

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