Guyana only wins when we strive for inclusiveness for all

Aug 07, 2020 Letters

Dear Editor,

Throughout these recently concluded elections, Guyanese have since, had a golden opportunity not only to vote, but to become aware of all things as it relates to the Electoral Processes. To a much bigger extent, it also exposed the inability of GECOM to properly conduct an election, even after given an allocated three billion Guyanese dollars for same. It exposed how, through appointments, both the government and the opposition can control the workings of a statutorily independent body. This, in my view, must stop.

Guyanese have been given another chance at rewriting the history books. We have been given another chance at correcting the ills of our past leaders, whose mistakes were predominantly based on the premise of who looked like them. Our new found resource in oil will definitely open up some cans we had no equipment to open before. Financial benefits will come our way through direct and indirect investment opportunities. To put this into perspective, Guyana will be controlling a lot of added monies, thus this sector should be carefully and transparently managed, in the sole interest of the Guyanese people.

While oil presents added monies into the economy, it must not be managed in isolation to other resources and monies there from should be used to balance out or attempt to balance our economy. Baring this in mind, a young agriculture minister should be appointed who has portrayed a progressive mindset as it is my view that the sector needs to modernize its approach to the industries that fall under it. I feel as though an older or old person (above 45) will be reluctant to change many of our outdated techniques still being employed by the state through this apparatus.

Mining reform is much needed. I am not educated on this enough so I would not lend you my two cents on exactly what this means in detail. The small miners must feel protected by the state and not exploited. They must not be at the mercy of big companies. There is added need for loans accessibility to them and a reduction for them, in the tax paid on equipment, specifically for small miners.

We have longed been an African/Indian dominated country. The source of our unfriendly relationship that seems to be ever-present may stretch as far back as the post-Emancipation era and the beginning of the Immigration schemes. The construct of our society, built by our colonial masters is nothing but a tool to disenfranchise Guyanese from the benefits to which she should enjoy, given our natural resources abundance. The reason we have continued with such a system of Blacks for Blacks and Indians for Indians is one of a selfish nature, selfish in that it stymies the growth of a united Guyana. It stymies the growth of this Country and goes against its very name, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

It is no secret that the Indians dominate the economic class of Guyana. They are the business owners, though not all. As Africans, we can no longer perpetuate dialogues and relationships between us and the Indians as one that is polarizing. The Indians must trust the African and the African must trust the Indians, because quite frankly speaking, these two ethnic groups spill the most hatred in our society, towards one another and towards other groups.

Our unions need to stop being politically motivated, for it hinders the right of the workers under its umbrella to fully enjoy benefits due to them. At the same time, workers must feel protected being a part of union. Negotiations with the powers that be must be in good faith and not to establish a stalemate, so as to give a political party points and thus making a claim that the government is not operating in the interest of workers. Thousands are misled, and we end up in a crisis where the poor suffer and rich eat. There is added need for a workers union in the armed forces, where junior ranks are preyed on sexually by senior officers for favors that are constitutionally owed to them.

I shall now turn my attention to the big bad Linden. First and foremost, we must, as Lindeners, accept that we, like all of Guyana, have had both major parties rule us. We have always been, in all of my life, a PNC dominated town, both in name (Linden – LFS Burnham) and in nature. We need to accept that while both major parties have failed us, it is our local leaders that have failed us the most. We have to move away from the notion of “Once you bad talk we, you is a PPP”. It is not bad talk when it is facts. Our foreigners are coming home less and when they do, it is around carnival time, which means they are coming to spend time out of the town rather than in. The Mackenzie Sports Club is a mess. Almost all of our community grounds are a mess, though we boast the best athletes throughout the land. We need to look past parties and run in the faces of our local leaders. The road on the turn by LECI has been bad all my life. I noticed some stones thrown there but that is temporary. How do we live with ourselves ignoring these signs? Two mayors that nobody in the community speaks of, and if they do not with pleasantries and we accept that? Our highway, to me, represents the most dangerous road in the country yet it remains with the highest speed limit and no serious attempt at modifying the road. Please keep that “we putting lights on the highway” chat for it never was there until after the No Confidence Motion. Linden is the least developed community throughout the country over the past 15 years. I don’t see how we are not blaming the local leaders who continue to send back budgeted monies. Persons in the community are saying you had to marry into or be in an intimate relationship with someone from a particular church to acquire your land. My only hope is for Linden to stop sleeping.

To my Guyanese far and wide, my appeal to you is very simple: When the Indians employ policies that are to the detriment of Africans or other groups in the Society but to the ‘upliftment’ of their people and the Africans (or others) do the same, it only enriches a single group/class. Guyana only wins when we are acting towards to inclusiveness of ALL. And anyone who wishes to rule our land, must at all times, ensure Guyana wins.

Yours truly,
Jafar Gibbons