PEACE – OUR COUNTRY’S GREATEST BLESSING

Dec 27, 2009 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

Distribution of toys at Linden

By Latchmin Punalall MP

We are just a few days away from the commencement of a New Year. It is a time when we review the old year to rejoice over our achievements and also a time when we identify areas of disappointments, weaknesses and failures so that we can improve in the coming year. As we reflect, one of the things we can be very proud of as a nation is the fact that peace prevailed across our dear land. This is a blessing for which we must thank Almighty God and something which we should strive to maintain throughout the New Year and for all time.
PEACE BUILDERS
The Alliance For Change recognizes the crucial truth that peace has to be created in order to be maintained and therefore we call on all of our Guyanese brothers and sisters to see themselves as peace builders in our various regions and communities. In this regard we are reminded of words of wisdom of the late Indira Gandhi who said “You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist”.
May those who present themselves as various leaders in our land take note of this simple but yet profound truth. Too often those in this category of our citizenry engage in unnecessary “fist clenching”. This has been a poor example to emulate, especially for our youths. Let us continue to be vigilant and be wise and be our brother’s keeper Peace has never been achieved by passivity or quietism. It has always come through effort and resolve. It has always been the product of faith, strength, willpower, sympathy, justice, imagination and wisdom.
OUR GOAL
The Alliance For Change will continue to work hard to eradicate racial disharmony from the face of our land. As we pursue this splendid goal we will keep in mind the words of Martin Luther King Jr. (American Baptist Minister & Civil Rights Leader 1929-1968) who once said “Peace is not only a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal”. Mahatma Gandhi echoed a similar principle in these words “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary, but the evil it does is permanent”. Simply stated we must employ peaceful means in our pursuit of peace.
LOVE
Many of you may remember these words composed by Jimi Hendrix (American Guitarist, Composer & Singer 1942-1970). He said “When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace”. These are really excellent words of guidance for us. Those who love power look after themselves and will even destroy peace in order to maintain power. Those whose lives are characterized by the power of love behave in a peaceful and helpful way toward one another. In the Holy Bible the Apostle Paul warned in Galatians 5:15 “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another”. The divine teaching here is that mankind must put an end to hatred or hatred will put an end to mankind.
REMEMBERING OUR CHILDREN
In the spirit of the Christmas Season, the Alliance For Change organized and distributed Christmas Cheer to the less-fortunate children in the ten regions of Guyana. The areas visited as part of the Christmas Cheer between December 10 and 20, were Mahdia, Lethem, Bartica, New Amsterdam, Essequibo Coast, Linden, Corentyne, West Coast Berbice, Pomeroon, Hague, Kwakwani, Georgetown and Moruca.
The AFC thus recognises the value of our children – that precious human resource of tomorrow. May we join hearts and hands to keep the peace for our children.