People eventually get the true picture

Jul 19, 2014 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
Someone was lamenting the fact to me that the elderly in this place do not get a fair deal. She was particularly concerned at the time about an elderly gentleman who resides on the street. He used to go to a nearby shelter but he found it too crowded, so he chose to live on the street instead. We may say chose to live there.
For whatever reasons he chose not to go to the shelter, we should not be hasty in judging him, but examine our own thoughts and see that we would like to know that we had some choice about the conditions under which we live. Many more elderly people would be on the streets if they didn’t have relatives who included them in their household or sent money for them from abroad. No adequate, comprehensive arrangement is in place to provide for the retirement needs of the majority of Guyanese people.
Thinking of the state of the elderly and other vulnerable persons in our society, like children, women and young people who live in difficult circumstances, I wondered whether more could not be done for such persons. I wondered this when I saw that the former president’s “pension package” was making the news again lately. I appreciate that former presidents should live in dignity, but surely one can live with dignity in a developing country on less than three million dollars ($3,000,000) a month?
I wonder even more how anyone who is acquainted, or allows him/herself to be acquainted with the circumstances of the poor in this country could find this acceptable.
A visit to some of the rural and not so rural areas may be enlightening for those who do not wish to see the condition of the houses, the roads, etc. The old housing schemes in places like Laing Avenue and the Ruimveldt areas sure played a part in providing affordable housing. Thanks go out to those NGOs and FBOs that do their best to alleviate the situation.
On July 14 this year, Malala Day was observed. Malala Yousafzai is a courageous young lady who at the age of eleven began to speak out for educating young girls in her homeland, Afghanistan. At the age of fifteen, she was shot in the head for pursuing her education, by a masked member of the Taliban. She recovered and is now a global education advocate for young girls. Her birthday wish for this year is that we all raise our voices to show that we are stronger than fear, hatred, violence and poverty.
The courage she exhibited after the attempt on her life is to be admired. She did not stop advocating for what she believed in, even though her own life was endangered. Not many of us allow ourselves to exhibit that kind of courage, but we are thankful for those who do.
In Malala’s case the tragic event that occurred, rather than silencing her, caused her and more advocates to rise up. There is a saying: Out of evil cometh good! The incident led to her developing more determination and getting a global stage to pursue her agenda for the improvement of young lives. There is some solace in the fact that tragic and disappointing incidents, though they seem reprehensible at the time, serve to strengthen the resolve and determination of ordinary people to bring about changes for the good of humanity.
There is a lot that we can learn from TV shows, both good and bad. I tend to focus on the ones that have a good message. On the NBC Today Show this week, there was an item relating to mannequins that put various body types and disabilities on show; representative of ordinary people. This was one refreshing item that helps in championing diversity.
We have our differences, but we are all part of humanity, and we all need to feel that we are acceptable, and accepted in spite of those differences. I envisage the day when people would not be manipulated by politicians to see only their own race as good, no matter how many atrocities they perpetrate. Then we can all truly live as one in Guyana, in and out of election time.
Extremists and dictators should come out of their self-absorbed circumstance and learn from views that do not necessarily coincide with theirs, rather than use subterfuge to silence them. No amount of self-deception can survive indefinitely. People eventually get the true picture.
Rosemarie Terborg Davis

Latest News

People eventually get the true picture

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

NSC, Office of the DPP to host Criminal Law and Sexual Offences Act...

Lucas Chung maintains strong standing at 2nd...

Farm Supplies Ltd. supports Bartica Regatta 2025

Legislation and Investment: Trinidad to Brazil,...

Three more matches billed for this weekend

CM Khan rules at 2025 National Blitz Chess...

Features/Columnists

“One Guyana” is no less a national slogan than “Green Guyana”

If Guyana’s President Ali is the “Zelensky of the Caribbean”, who is the Putin?

Partner v. investor

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

People eventually get the true picture

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]