The IRO should not only engage Mr. Vieira but also various segments of our society

May 20, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I refer to a letter captioned, “IRO rebukes Mr. Vieira and calls for a full retraction of his commentary. (Kaieteur News, May 12, 2011)
I was very shocked that this Inter Religious Organisation (IRO) has the time and the energy to comment on Mr. Tony Vieira’s commentary while it remains silent on other very critical issues affecting the lives of Guyanese, particularly the poor and needy.
The IRO has not spoken with any pointed specificity to the issues of corruption, poverty and crime and the high level of executive lawlessness prevailing in our society. They should be ashamed to even talk about a religious television channel in the midst of so much economic hardship and poverty.
The IRO has not called the government to a higher standard of governance. Many of them speak for the government rather than the God they claim they are serving. It is hardly likely that they will challenge the action of the government and their agents.
Fighting over the establishment of a religious channel will not change anything in Guyana for the poor and those who suffer injustices in our land.
More television like more entertainment shows by international entertainers supported by this government through sponsorship will not help; people need to see their religious leaders setting higher standards.
In any case, why do we want a religious channel in Guyana? The people have the prophets in their communities let them hear them and follow the teachings of the holy one. But the behaviour and action of the religious community have being alienating people from religion.
The IRO by focusing on a television channel, which after many months, they cannot even come together, in unity, to make a reality, and other narrow issues such as peace, which by itself can achieve nothing, and religious interaction among the different religions, has diluted the richness of religious traditions and values.
It is true that all the prophets of old spent significant portions of their lives fighting injustices and representing the poor and vulnerable in their age. They did not speak out of their own comfort.
The IRO should forget Vieira’s commentary; even if he misspoke, it is a rebuke to the noticeable complacency of the religious community against bad governance and their lack of will or willingness to confront the things that are wrong in our society. It would be more useful for the IRO to engage not only Mr. Vieira but also various segments of our society to see if it is addressing the felt needs of the society and to reflect upon the way its approach to the expectations of the people
Adam Mitchell

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The IRO should not only engage Mr. Vieira but also various segments of our society

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