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A spiritual man of substance

Apr 01, 2022 Editorial

Kaieteur News – We had to go outside of Guyana to find a spiritual man of substance, since it is so difficult to find one here. A man who could be bold enough and principled enough to be concerned about the greater welfare, and say so publicly in the position(s) that he takes.

We found him in Barbados, and we now elaborate on this man of God, who caught the attention, and stirred with his wisdom and strength. The caption is from our regional news page, and it should convey the extent of the story. “Atherley wants Symmonds to fill Opposition void in Parliament” (KN January 22). As originally carried in Barbados Today, Bishop Joseph Atherley is urging Mr. Kerrie Symmonds to cross the floor and take up the role of Leader of the Opposition in Barbados. Mr. Symmonds crossed the floor before in 2018, despite the barrage of criticism that came his way for doing so, believed hidden motives that prompted his startling move in 2018, when his Barbados Labour Party won the general elections.
What Bishop Atherley is calling on Mr. Symmonds to do today takes a lot of guts, requires much heart, on the part of both men to think of, and then to do. The Bishop has made up his mind as to where he stands, and he has made no bones about placing his sure to be controversial position in the public domain. It is a peculiar one, but one that makes for much sense, that which benefits not an overwhelmingly victorious political group, but the bigger, wider national constituency of every citizen. If only we could see and hear some of that from our own spiritual leaders in this country, we may be able to make a start at being a better society.

According to the thinking of Bishop Atherley, it would be dangerous for the Mia Mottley-led administration to operate unchallenged. We have high regard for Ms. Mottley, who we think is a leader in a class by herself, and of which calibre we don’t have in Guyana. But we agree with the Bishop’s thinking and his frank and fearless public posture, for which he says he expects to be denounced. Regardless, Guyanese citizens who follow politics locally and in the larger international environment are well aware that even in the presence of the best of governments and the best of leaders, there is weakness, the tendency to human haughtiness and human error. We have not had the best of governments here, nowhere near such, and we have paid terrible prices here for continuing leadership failures and excesses.

As Bishop Atherley said, such a move by Mr. Symmonds would be in the best interests of Barbados. And further, “The interests of the country always come first, and whatever flack I take for the pursuit of those interests then let the flack come.” Spoken like a true and courageous man and servant of God, a man concerned about the wellbeing of the people, all of them. He has challenged those on the winning side: “I would really like to make a call on somebody…to be man enough or woman enough to cross the floor and constitute a proper opposition to the Government of Barbados.” Try that in this country and it is not interpreted as principled and patriotic thinking, but that which qualifies for the damnation of sedition and subservice activity.
We at this paper applaud Bishop Joseph Atherley, and as we do so, the wish was that we had some spiritual shepherds who were cut from the same cloth. It doesn’t matter which denomination they are a part of in our land of many religious persuasions and followings. What does matter above all else is that they have the courage and character to take a stand at what could be better for this country, given all our wealth. Our own religious leaders across the board are too silent. They are too involved in the partisan political and racial sweetness that plagues us. They are too distant from making what could be a needed and effective contribution.
The only way they can do so is by being honest and thoughtful, by being about country, what benefits all.

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