The Road to National Unity

Feb 25, 2018 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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From its inception A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has been committed to national unity. In fact, achievement of that elusive goal is the primary reason that A Partnership for National Unity was launched in July 2011; National Unity is part of APNU’s name.
APNU’s stated vision continues to be, “The creation of a Guyana in which her citizens can live productive lives free from the ravages of poverty, are secure in their homes and in their communities, and are able to enjoy the benefits of political, social and cultural liberation.” For that vision to be realised, national unity is essential.
So, what is national unity, why do we need such cohesion, and how may we begin to achieve it? Today, we will address those questions.
APNU interprets the concept of unity as one which is all-encompassing in scope; beginning with a firm commitment by individual Guyanese, and extending into neighbourhoods, communities, regions, and finally the whole country.
APNU views the quest for national unity not only as an initiative of political leaders, but rather, an objective to which all Guyanese should strive. Certainly, the coalition having been built on a philosophy of inclusionary democracy will do everything possible at the governmental level, but realistically, each citizen must be committed to that goal before it can be actualised.
Again, unity is a vital prerequisite to a better life for all.
Why is this so? Because, in the absence of unity, we as a people will get nowhere. In the absence of cohesion we will all be so busy fighting with each other, that progress and development will be impossible.
As a result of historical realities of which we are all aware, we live in a country of diverse cultures. Unfortunately, as a consequence of that, there are some self-serving, greedy, power-hungry politicians who use the fact of our diversity to try to divide us.
We have seen how those unscrupulous, unprincipled people do everything that they can to drive wedges between neighbours, and create quarrels among friends. And they do it because they have nothing good to offer Guyanese, so, in order to gain political power – and access to the people’s resources – they try to divide us with their poisonous messages in order to establish a support base. If those toxic political opportunists get their way, Guyanese will continue to suffer, even as those politicians live in the lap of luxury paid for with stolen resources which rightfully belong to the people.
On the other hand, APNU has a different vision for Guyana. The coalition has a vision of a united people. The noted American poet Mattie Stepanek wrote, “Unity is strength . . . when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” The coalition shares that conviction.
The administration sees a future where together, we can work to build a country of which we can all be proud. Where our children can be well educated, and grow into productive, successful adults. A future where our senior citizens are treated with the respect and deference that they deserve. And if they need healthcare, it should be readily available to them, as it should be for all Guyanese, regardless of where they live.
But, some may ask, how is this possible in a country where there are so many different cultures?
Unlike those poisonous politicians, the men and women of APNU view things very differently. Where the selfish seekers of high office see diversity as a weakness to be exploited for their personal enrichment, the leaders of the coalition see a wealth of rich culture, a reservoir of vast knowledge, and a plethora of time-tested traditions. In other words, APNU believes that because we come from different backgrounds and cultures, we can be stronger, because we may all bring different ideas to the table.
President David Granger, recognising this, said that he is of the firm view that the different ethnic and religious groups in Guyana need to develop a greater understanding of each other, so as to fully appreciate the richness of the nation’s diversity and strength of the country as a whole.
His Excellency was, at that time, speaking at the Prana Pratistha or consecration ceremony of a 4.5 metre tall ‘murti’ (statue) of the Hindu God, Lord Hanuman at the Blairmont Mandir. He said too, “We cannot be strong if we are ignorant. We cannot be strong if we misunderstand each other, but through understanding we will be better able to combine our energies and our strengths and ensure that our children live in an age of enlightenment rather than an age of darkness.”
His Excellency in making the point that understanding and knowledge of our diversity is indeed our strength, pointed the way to the beginning of the path towards national unity.
APNU acknowledges that the path may not be straight and smooth, we accept that the road to unity will be strewn with challenges and littered with obstacles – including hindrances created by those so-called leaders who peddle hate and division. The coalition, though, stands by the conviction that unity equal good, and division equal evil. As such, we know that through our individual and collective efforts; by means of the power of our determination, strength of will, and oneness of purpose, good will triumph over evil.
In the struggle to reach the noble goal that will translate to benefits for all Guyanese, each tier of government – local, regional, and central – have roles to play. Those roles include practicing inclusionary democracy, fostering the empowerment of citizens, and leading by example.
Equally importantly, individual citizens have responsibilities too, including rejecting any attempts by anyone to divide us, working to better understand each other, and overcoming our own prejudices. Those subjects will be explored in future articles.

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