Dear Editor,
The Guyana Review in your paper last week gives rise to much concern. The report by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) refers to child prostitution in Guyana, the implication being that this practice is widespread. If this is indeed true, then so many people and organisations need to hang their heads in shame – parents, guardians, teachers and schools, youth organisations, counselling services and most of all, the countless religious organisations in Guyana. Religious organisations deal with morals and Guyana has more than its fair share of faith groups. The government has responsibilities but it cannot do everything. If, on the other hand, distorted and exaggerated information was supplied to the ITUC in an effort to attack and belittle the government, those doing so have also besmirched the reputations of thousands of Guyanese and others who are working to protect and educate young people and children and are unfair to the majority of Guyanese children.
The review also refers to criticisms made by the United States Department of State’s ‘Report on Human Rights.’ The comments about Guyana are worrying. What bothers me is that there seems to be one rule for developing countries and another for developed countries. It is common knowledge now that the most powerful country in the world indulged in what was grandly called ‘extraordinary rendition.’ This was the process by which a special plane landed in various countries, kidnapped individuals and then took them to Egypt, Morocco or Syria to be tortured and questioned. It would be interesting to know how that particular country is rated with regard to human rights.
There is no doubt that there are many serious issues in Guyana which need to be addressed, but the constant comparison of Guyana with other countries is odious, and encourages feelings of depresion and hopelessness. Moreover, few people know exactly what goes on in another country and perhaps its citizens may not be so anxious to reveal all to global bodies. It has long been established that praise and appreciation encourage people to achieve more while constant criticism stems progress.
Yours faithfully,
D. Howells
