Dear Editor,
It is no easy task these days to open any of the dailies in Guyana that are not mouthpieces of the current Government of Guyana, as one is invariably confronted with what is, should, could, and ought not to have been. The headlines always seem to greet you with outrageous and incredible occurrences and leave one disturbed, disappointed, and disheartened. Indeed, in conversations with other concerned Guyanese from other regions in the US and elsewhere in the world, I am convinced that the views, comments, and observations I share hereunder are not singular, biased, or prejudiced, and find concordance with those of the vast majority of concerned Guyanese who like myself, have, unfortunately and regrettably, had to remove themselves from the shores of Guyana for one personal or political reason or the other.
Any impartial observer must conclude from current circumstances and occurrences in Guyana that the fabric cloaking Guyanese society is being torn off its back. It had begun to fade under the PNC regime due to lack of attention and some abuse, but it has now been completely ripped off by the PPP. Forging a cultural identity is crucial to nation building and the slight gains we might have made since independence are becoming lost in the social, political, and economic mess created by the PPP regime. These cannot be good omens for Guyana.
Corruption is rampant at all levels in our society; crime is a daily and nightly occurrence; shakedowns à la American West are quite the norm; and deaths whether by suicide or Mafioso-type/drug related killings are becoming the norm in a land that was once known for its beauty, tranquillity, and serenity. This damage, and decay (the PPP is rotting with it), of Guyanese society, if allowed to continue will be irreparable, and is ever more reflected in the political reality. It is a reality where those in power seem bent on enriching themselves through processes fuelled by corruption, avarice, crime, mismanagement, nepotism, reactive policies, and naïve undertakings; an inebriety induced by the hunger for power, policing policies or lack thereof that allow criminals to roam the country with free and gay abandon, and the lack of direction from those leading the education drive which has allowed crime to enter into our schools, and school-age girls to make pornographic videos instead of doing their homework. This is what the future of Guyanese society is being built on.
The nouveau riche, which to a large extent is derived from, and dependent on, the ruling political fiefdom in Guyana, does not have a firm moral base or the educational fortitude and background to support or prolong their existence and, as a consequence, the furtherance and promotion of activities for the good and benefit of all the people are almost all non-existent. Money is the singular driver of purpose and while that may not be a bad thing in itself, in a Guyanese context the means to an end is what must be worrying. As a consequence, priorities become misguided and the preservation of ill-gotten wealth and power becomes sacrosanct if not paramount. It is no wonder that Guyana’s nascent democracy is now threatened by an ill-advised, effete President whose advisers seem only to react to the issues of the day, myopic as they are in all things political, economic, social, and financial. Self-preservation and enrichment at the expense of the public treasures seem to be the goal but, as history has proven, will not sustain them. This is a recipe for decadence, despair, and despondency.
The ABC countries now have to get off their diplomatic backsides and ensure that there is no continuation of the tampering with the fledgling democratic framework, and they need to exert far more pressure on the present government to do more in the name of democracy. Democracy does and will not provide all of the answers, but it is still the best system man has come up with to ensure that the majority and not the few benefit. That the British have finally stepped up to the plate is comforting but we need the US Canada to join it as well. And what are the regional organizations doing? The PPP may yell interference but that was their call under the PNC regime. How ironic. Parliament’s prorogation must be lifted.
Guyanese must rise up from the servile yoke to which they have allowed themselves to be harnessed. I simply cannot see or comprehend how the majority of Guyanese continue to remain silent over, supportive of, and turn a blind eye to, the many wrongs the current regime has brought their way. Guyanese, despite their resilient and accommodating nature, now have to decide how much more of the same they want to endure. Indeed, if they are comfortable with and want more of the same they should turn out in greater numbers at the next elections and either simply return the PPP to power, or go for the sensible alternative and boot them out. A change in political power will certainly give Guyana a new lease on life.
The bright spots that remain in Guyana are the free press, the courts, and the Office of the Ombudsman. These institutions must be given all of our support as they continue to focus on the negatives that impinge on the progress of democracy, and which, if allowed to continue, will utterly destroy Guyanese society. These are the fundamentals of democracy and are the only institutions reminding us that sanity can, indeed, prevail if not overcome.
Theorists and empirical studies have concluded that the environment exerts a powerful influence on behavioural patterns. The question must be asked, therefore, what is our present political, economic, social, and cultural system forging in Guyana? And will it be of benefit to Guyana now and in the future? I am sure this was not the change Cheddi Jagan was looking for in 1992 and where he wanted to take Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
R N Mungol