To the President, take the high road with Opposition Leaders: END THE FEUD and handout strip of dignity

Sep 19, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

“Begin With the End in Mind.” This is the title of Habit 2 of Dr. Stephen Covey’s No. 1 International Best Seller: “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” Dr. Covey wants you to imagine that you are at your own funeral – what would you want the people who are paying you tribute to say about you? Let that become your legacy! Stephen Covey’s advice to us is that we should live our lives in the way we would like to be remembered.
Maybe his suggestion should be put to everyone who aspires to hold public office. In addition, if I might be bold, I would like to invite the President and the Leader of the Opposition to take up the challenge, if they have not done so yet. Sirs, what tribute would you like to be paid to you when that final day comes, which, by the way, none of us can escape.
In August 2020, when Dr. Irfaan Ali became President, his mother told News Room that being President was his childhood dream. Congratulations, Mr. President, you are now living that dream! I believe that the principal reason you wanted to be President was to satisfy a burning desire to make your country realise its full potentials and become the Pride of the Caribbean.
His reason for wanting to attain the highest office in the land could not be because of an obsession with power, but rather to do everything in his power to make Guyana shine and surpass our neighbours in the Caribbean. That’s what a little patriotic boy growing up in the countryside would certainly dream of! Just consider the field of study, which Dr. Ali chose to pursue for his doctorate – it was Urban and Regional Planning, to equip himself with the academic wherewithal
Well, Sir, if I am right, then you must know that bringing your burning desire to fruition is no ordinary feat. It would require all hands on deck. Of necessity, you must “go high” (that’s what winners are expected to do) and reach across to your counterpart, the Leader of the Opposition, to hammer out the way forward, in partnership. While it is recognised that this is a very unpalatable proposition because of the age-old toxic relationship, which exists between your two parties, you must know that you have to cross that bridge if you want to reach your destination. A good place to start the journey is to agree on a national strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic – SICK AND DEAD PEOPLE CAN’T BUILD A NATION!
Sirs, what has your country gained from the over six decades of rivalry and hostility between your two parties? Absolutely nothing! Hostilities are destructive, not constructive. You must know that our oil and other resources will mean nothing, if the people we rely on to manage the exploitation and utilisation of those resources are stuck in a never-ending game of tug-o-war! IT IS TIME TO END THE FEUD!!!
Sirs, the divisiveness of your politics impedes development and fosters political and racial discrimination. You must be told, in case you didn’t know, that depending on handouts for one’s livelihood is demeaning and strips the ordinary man and woman in the street of their pride and dignity. Are you not concerned about this? Doesn’t it disturb your sleep at night? Alternatively, is it a deliberate ploy to make the people feel obligated for your “generosity” in order to garner support in future elections?
Sirs, at the end of your tenure, how would you like to be remembered? I wish to put it to you that working together to make Guyana the Pride of the Caribbean would be a legacy carved in diamond. And you, sirs, have a golden opportunity to make it happen. So why don’t you take up the challenge and “begin with the end in mind.” Fellow Guyanese, GET VACCINATED IF YOU ARE NOT, WE’VE GOT A COUNTRY TO DEVELOP!
Yours faithfully
Winston Richards

Latest News

To the President, take the high road with Opposition Leaders: END THE FEUD and handout strip of dignity

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 11th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Runsfest ends in draw, as arch rivals play hearts out

Guyana Harpy Eagles trio fined for breaching...

Sport Ministry injects $3M into EDFA League

GCB President meets U15 team ahead of Regional...

Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee, Guyana...

Week 3 of East Bank FA Boys’ U14 League shines...

Features/Columnists

The mirage of citizen investment

Collaborative Government–Private Sector Action Imperative for a Resilient Trade Future

The Great American Experiment

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

To the President, take the high road with Opposition Leaders: END THE FEUD and handout strip of dignity

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 11th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]