Guyana’s leadership culture

Dec 16, 2020 Editorial

Kaieteur News – Among Guyana’s many challenges, there is one that sticks out in the face and disturbs clear thinking, conscientious citizens. It is where the right kind of political leadership need to take this society some place better, that is so glaringly lacking. Corruption – who is clean? Oil – which one is the bigger trickster? Transparency – who can so be?
It is almost a sin, since with the right kind of leadership – clean and incorruptible, resourceful and inclusive – this country can do so much, go so far, with what it has. What we have for political leadership is what we have in its many deficiencies and the smell is of the worst kind of rot.
Look closely, and whoever wants to disagree is free to do so. They ought to remind themselves that some situations apply to some leaders – most of them – indicate an alarming absence of those elements and character traits that could make so much of a difference. We acknowledge that there are skills in some of them. But it must be pointed out that when those same skills are used to trick the population with false cover stories, while ripping it off through under the table practices and backdoor arrangements, then those skills are not just misused and wasted, but they might as well not be there for all that they mean to a poor society.
A simple example should assist. A family or a fellow worker has all the personal tools needed, but when he or she only puts them into action for the self-enriching, then more than material loss occurs. Great disappointment and hopelessness result from the trusts betrayed and the disillusionments that follow.
Much irreparable damage is inflicted, when there is an obvious lack of any moral dimension; there is no moral inhibition or consideration that weighs heavily against and is obeyed. Immoral leadership at the highest is what we have had, haven’t we? Similarly, when there is no ethical leadership feel for what is good, actually doing good, and being for the good of others, then enduring disasters come one after the other. Look at the monies spent, the contracts awarded, the debt accumulated, and then reconcile those against where we are as communities and as a country. For the kind of money and time we spent, we should be going on to newer and bigger things. Instead, we are busy dragging ourselves down, correcting and spending still more.
And when our political and civic leaders lack spiritual content and spiritual visions, then there is not the basis to inspire to those clean and constructive imperatives that could be so productive for the many peoples of this country. What we have had has been all about the self, the self-enriching, thoroughly exploitative.
Our gold, our timber, our bauxite, and the sprawling sum of our natural resources are not the personal property of PPP/C leaders or coalition leaders to do with as they please, be such carelessly or crookedly.
When they do right by getting the most for us (not for themselves) from those God-given natural resources, then the spotlight shifts from them and what once used to be suspicious actions and distrusted standards to applaud and support for the benefits that come into the pockets of the people. The people own the national patrimony, not any political party. And that is why, the biggest inheritance, the largest prize and blessing of all, our oil, must be what is out in the open, and not conducted like some cheap back alley affair.
Our oil, our future, is not any leader’s or party’s birthright; it is a sacred asset that belongs to this country and its children. It is not a personal possession obtained by dint of industry or wisdom or special grace. It is of the people and is always due to them, their aspirations, their trusts vested. Leadership is what can be trusted to rise to the duty to country first and evermore. But this is what we have not had over and over again.
What we have is zero inclination towards the required leadership, self-sacrifice so hopeful citizens can benefit. What we have are leaders reviled for doing wrong and cheating us, after lying to us.

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