Dear Editor,
Many commendations to President David Granger and these focus only on his demeanour. From the outset, he acknowledged God, and I cannot remember any past leader really doing this. On Saturday May 16, he invoked the Bible and declared that “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” I highlight here that the man seems very God-conscious and totally nationalistic. I notice that a part of his rhetoric is ‘the people’ and what they want. Personally this kind of outlook augurs well for all Guyana.
Let me add a few cautions: First, Guyana is multi-religious and Christians must realise this; they should not even think that this means that under this present administration, they can seek to sideline other mainstream religions, namely Hindus and Moslems. Secondly, Guyana is very pluralistic and the new leader must not be perceived as Afrocentric. I just love one Facebook post: “Indians have the IAC; Africans have ACDA (etc.). There is nothing wrong with these kinds of things. One can and should be proud of his race, Indian or African, in a Guyanese context, yet not be a racist …
“All of Guyana should recognise peculiarities, whether racial or religious, but still foster a Guyanese canopy.”
I go back again to what President Granger said: “Guyanese, the elections are over. The Guyanese people have chosen their representatives. The constitution has been respected. Our democracy has been fortified. Let us now put past rivalries behind us and work in unity to banish poverty, ignorance, fear and hatred. We assemble here today to witness the swearing in, not of a party leader, but of the president of all the people. I shall be a good president for all the people.”
I will be most naïve not to admit that many non-Christians and non-African Guyanese will still be bothered. They will want to know if they will be sidelined or just ignored. I say that we must observe the trend of the amalgamation of Guyana. Also we need to take the President at his word. He seems destined to be the one who will finally achieve what no other even came close to doing.
It is indeed time to sing: “Let us co-operate for Guyana, Let us co-operate for our land…”
Yours faithfully,
Michael Thomas
