I sincerely hope that Mr. Krauss will apologize to the people of my country

Jul 24, 2018 Letters

---

DEAR EDITOR,
“Guyana is a vast, watery wilderness with only three paved highways. There are a few dirt roads between villages that sit on stilts along rivers snaking through the rainforest. Children in remote areas go to school in dugout canoes, and play naked in the muggy heat.”
Let me start by addressing the first paragraph of Mr. Clifford Krauss’ article in the New York Times.
Wilderness as described by the Oxford Dictionary states, “An uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region.”
My question is, in the eyes of society, is Guyana so underdeveloped that we would be classified as a “wilderness” or has the world gotten so accustomed to calling us such names from the turmoil of an event that was the Jonestown Massacre? And if so, why do we put up with such defamatory notions?
No, we do not only have three paved highways; yes, we have three major paved highways and so much more. Yes, we have “Children in remote areas going to school in dugout canoes, and (who) play naked in the muggy heat.” But that is part of our heritage, something we are proud of.
With the exploration of oil from the Exxon deal, I’m sure that our nation will progress, but if we have critics such as Mr. Krauss putting in their opinions – not on the economy alone, but our way of life and culture, do we stand back and listen to them?
How much will we listen before we start to change integral parts of our culture? I remember as a child jumping in creeks and playing for hours on a hot sunny day or running through the rain, playing in the mud at my scout camps. Living life; having fun as a child should. But who am I to say all this, I’m just another youth from a “watery wilderness”. The world probably views me as uncultured and uncouth.
I grew up in Georgetown, which according to Mr. Krauss is a “musty clapboard town, which seems forgotten by time.” I’ve seen my beautiful city renovated, updated, progressing. We may not have skyscrapers and superstructures but we’ve been progressing with time. The sandman didn’t suddenly stop by and say, “I have forsaken you.” No, we are blessed by time. We are blessed to have kept our past and have our future integrated within our society so beautifully to create our present. So saying that we have been forgotten by time, I pity Mr. Krauss for not seeing the beauty that is Georgetown.
“A vast majority of college-educated youths emigrate to the United States or Canada, while those who stay behind experience high rates of H.I.V. infection, crime and suicide.”
This statement may have some truth to it, but saying that those who stay behind experience such detrimental factors is an unforgivable insult to those of us who are still here and still working our hardest. Those who migrated made a choice that we respect, just like those who stay should be respected for their choice. There is a vast majority of educated youth in Guyana’s society, those of us who are striving our hardest to be recognized for our efforts, and not by statistics that do us no justice.
Yes, according to the WHO, our suicide rate is among the highest in the world. But this has always been misinterpreted. For a country’s whose population is 750,000 and change, our suicide rate is high compared to other countries. It’s not that we are the worst in the world, but it’s pretty high for our population. And to have a statistic such as this be placed on those like me who’re trying to find our way in the world, is preposterous. Words have power; and maybe if I wasn’t such a strong-willed individual, maybe that statement might have had a more detrimental effect on me, other than being a mere annoyance.
Yes, I agree that money runs this world. Yes this oil exploration will bring loads to our economy and with such exuberance comes the temptation to be corrupt; but that’s the thing about life, it’s never certain. One day you can be the emperor of Rome and the next you have several dozen knives in your back.
There is no reason to compare us to Venezuela and Trinidad because we are our own people. Yes, those who forget the past are bound to repeat it, but those who are haunted by the past are bound to fall prey to misery.
We cannot move forward if all we do is doubt, we cannot progress if we have an unfathomable fear of the negatives. Yes, Mr. Krauss made valid points as it pertains to the Oil endeavours in itself, but I wonder if he has ever truly lived. Has he ever truly enjoyed life the way we do in our country? If not, then that in itself is a sad existence.
I am a Guyanese born and raised, and though my country may not be a first world country, it may not be as technologically and socially advanced as others, it is still MY country, and our culture is not something to scoff at and ridicule.
I am proud of my culture, from our six peoples to our vast waterways and exotic animals. Yes, I believe we have an abundance of potential to progress and improve, but I refuse to have someone insult my country and my culture.
Mr. Krauss’ article was noted and not appreciated. And I thank him for bringing forth the thoughts of someone who is critical, educated and well versed as a national energy business correspondent. Someone who knows business, but not the way of the people. MY people. And for that I sincerely hope that Mr. Krauss will apologize to the people of my country, for we are a prideful people, and we sincerely hope he will understand that this beauty we call home is our pride and joy.
We are Guyanese, born and raised; proud to be One People, One Nation.
Carina Westford

---

---