“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you do for me.”

Dec 29, 2019 Eye on Guyana with Lincoln Lewis, Features / Columnists

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In this Christmas Season it is easy for mankind to be swept away in the festivity of Jesus Christ’s birth and ignore or place on the back burner the philosophical reason for same.
According to the Holy Bible, God sending His only begotten Son on earth was an act of love in that through Him we can be saved (John 3:16). The need for salvation came at a time of rampant injustices, debauchery and the absence of a moral compass. It was a period of disregard for our fellowmen.
Christ’s birth was not only to have us revisit the errant of our ways, but seek salvation through liberating approaches that found favour with God. His teaching amongst us, a quote (Matthew 25:45 NIV) from which the title of this article borrowed, requires of us embracing the brotherhood of man. Realising this camaraderie meant new thinking, new ways of doing things.
And it is encouraging to note that He who came from ultimate greatness was not uncomfortable being amongst the least of us, listening to stories of injustices, marginalisation, discrimination, deprivation, etc., then acting to correct these ills. His sojourn was speeches buttressed by actions, exemplifying that true leadership is leading by example.
He was a practitioner of what is articulated as Liberation Theology. This teaching recognises the wholeness of one’s being by addressing social injustices, the problems of poverty, as well as matters relating to the spiritual. It is Christ who taught us, by words and deeds, that irrespective of ethnicity and social standing we are all equals and deserving to be treated with dignity and respect.
To Him the poor and afflicted are no lesser of importance than the rich, powerful and well connected. He made known persons of shortcomings reside across the social spectrum, and it’s okay to question and disrupt an order that operates inimical to our collective well-being. This is well recounted in the story of Jerusalem where he entered the temple courts and proceeded to cleanse the unsavory environment (John 2:13-16).
Christ’s conduct remains the standard-bearer that living by Him and His Father’s principles are the only true measurement of a man’s worth in their eyesight, and it matters not as to one’s station in life. It is hoped in this season of merriment, we can find a place in our heart to give true meaning to the essence of His birth and His reason for walking amongst us.
Where persons fall prey to treating others lesser than; denying Social Justice upon which human rights are premised because the levers of power are placed in your hands; and undermining the oneness/cooperation upon which Social Cohesion is founded, such conduct mocks the reason for the season, and particularly this era of our Lord.
Instructively, our Constitution addresses the said principles, impressing upon us the necessity for compliance in forging One Nation of One People with One Destiny. To this end, said instrument guarantees the protection of human rights, freedom from want, and citizens’ participation as equal members of the society.
Thus, the trade unionist in me, in and out of this season, will rail against transgressing the right to collective bargaining for workers employed at the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI), GuySuCo, public and teaching sectors, Demerara Timbers, and wherever this right faces a threat.
It is incumbent upon me, therefore, as done with previous administrations, to continue to hold the Coalition Government accountable to respect collective bargaining and all other rights. Not only because such was a promise made to workers/citizens in the 2015 elections, but because the Constitution protects same and enforcement is critical to Social Justice and Social Cohesion. Christian believers appreciate its value to Liberation Theology.
Further, as a citizen I condemn in the strongest possible terms those businesses in Regent Street and other commercial areas that shut their doors to Guyanese shoppers, but throw them wide open for foreigners. There is equal condemnation for the Regent Street business that denied the request for a discount to a customer, of mixed Guyanese heritage, who wanted to buy a shirt for his school’s Christmas Party, but turned around and granted a discount to another customer, of East Indian heritage, in the presence of the one he denied.
Whether race or class played a factor in the mistreatment being meted out to Guyanese shoppers, such is prevalent, and those who have recounted similar experiences to me, hold their view.
Where discrimination and injustices are present we must move to right these wrongs. Government and the Opposition, who are the elected and paid representatives of the people, are being called on to act forthwith. They must set the tone, through enforcement, as to how we will live within the borders of this country, in keeping with our motto and the institutions established to protect and safeguard us.
As Christ reminds us, “whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25:45 NIV).

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

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