Latest update January 15th, 2025 3:45 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

What manner of men and women are we as Guyanese?

Sep 21, 2008 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
While the media have reported that CARICOM is sending aid to the countries ravaged by the recent tropical storms and hurricanes, we have heard nothing about the government, the opposition, the trade unions, the private sector or any part of what is called civil society launching a drive for Guyanese to give money and goods to be sent, in particular, to Haiti and Cuba. What manner of men and women are we?

First, Haiti, our sister CARICOM country: although most Caribbean people seem to be unaware of it, this whole region owes Haiti a debt of gratitude for its contribution to humanity as the first country to abolish slavery – an act of courage for which it has been forced to pay dearly for centuries. That is what lies at the heart of Haiti being the poorest country in the hemisphere.

Today Haitian people, reduced to eating mud pies even before Hurricane Ike, are facing a catastrophe, with hundreds dead and two-thirds of the population homeless and without the basic necessities of survival, in particular water and food.

And second, Cuba. If we do not know our debt to Haiti, although we should, how can we be unaware of our debt to Cuba?

How many doctors have we trained and are we now training in Cuba? How many other professionals? How many Cuban doctors have held up our medical services through the years?

How many thousands of Guyanese (and other CARICOM people) have had medical treatment – and in particular, eye treatment – in Cuba in the last few years? Free.

This country that has given us so much, needs us to give back, devastated by Hurricane Ike in spite of an ability to organise against hurricanes which is a model for the world.

Like many other groups in civil society, ours is a small group without the financial or human resource capacity to organise a drive to raise massive support for Haiti and Cuba with the necessary speed, efficiency and accountability.

That task needs to be done by the government, the opposition, the trade union movement and/or the private sector. Will anyone take up this responsibility and “tek shame out we eye”?
Christobel Hughes

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 13th, 2025

 

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

National basketball team down to 15 after intense trials

National basketball team down to 15 after intense trials

Jan 15, 2025

Kaieteur Sports-  After two gruelling days of trials at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the Guyana National Basketball Team has been narrowed down to 15 players, signalling the first step towards a...
Read More
Terrence Ali National Open schedule to fist off this Friday

Terrence Ali National Open schedule to fist off...

Jan 15, 2025

Foreign Link players call for Darts Association to step up

Foreign Link players call for Darts Association...

Jan 15, 2025

Race for GFF Elite League qualification narrows down to final four

Race for GFF Elite League qualification narrows...

Jan 15, 2025

BCB organize practice session for female cricketers to select teams for county duty

BCB organize practice session for female...

Jan 15, 2025

Archery Guyana makes history with Physiotherapist at Nationals

Archery Guyana makes history with Physiotherapist...

Jan 15, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]