Dear Editor,
It is so embarrassing as an overseas Guyanese to read the Transparency International (TI) 2010 report on Guyana.
While like my fellow Guyanese, I am aware of these dreadful shortcomings it is still embarrassing to see such stats. Surely our government is aware that the eyes of the world are forever watching every country’s development from all angles, and it is no longer an option for governments to just deny these reports; they must step up to the wicket and perform or be dropped from the team. It is high time for a change in attitudes and we need substantial help to deal with this chronic situation. Many Guyanese I speak to list corruption as the number one reason they would not consider returning home.
I am aware that while corruption is not peculiar to Guyana, our levels are dangerously high for comfort. We have it at all levels of our lives, and I am aware that control will be extremely difficult to bring about. Since we are such a closed-door society the epide-mic easily affects everyone at different levels. It is common to hear Guyanese on overseas visits display a defensive attitude in their understandable attempts to deny these facts or dismiss them as not just a Guyanese problem, and to compare us to America, a country of over 300 million people to our less than 1 million. I understand this as I too did the same as a visitor before leaving Guyana.
Those Guyanese who still live by higher moral standards must do more than talk to help reduce the levels of corruption. I say reduce, because as humans we will always have corrupt tendencies, but with proper leadership at all levels from government and throughout society, controls, laws and policing can put a tighter lid on this disease.
Many say Guyana is a lost cause, ‘boat go a fall,’ but I say we are just a frustrated nation which will do anything and deny everything to look good. We have to break out of this shallow thinking and negative attitude and take back our country from those who don’t care and who are prepared to accept low standards in exchange for personal favours to promote their own selfish egos. Not all can get out, nor do all want to leave, so there is all the more reason why there is a definite need to speak out and take action.
The new Guyanese leader must want a better Guyana above self; they must be strong in character and be able to control and steer the ship even when some crew and passengers may disagree on their course of action.
Yours faithfully,
Bernard Ramsay
