Dear Editor,
I write today, but my heart is not in it. I believe that I articulate the thoughts of a great many Guyanese. They are expressive of high disappointment and subsequent lowered expectations.
The Hon. Raphael Trotman, a man I know well, spoke of “fair” and “necessary” on that troubling matter. I leave alone those two words, even as I disagree, especially with “necessary.”
On the other hand, the appeal for “trust” stirs other reflections. Trust is something earned. It can be blind, but is mainly fragile. It is easily lost through disregard, abuse, or betrayal. It is neither unlimited nor renewable, in certain circumstances. Like glass, trust can be transparent, and shatters effortlessly; the pieces resist reassembling.
As the situation stands, the trust account is severely depleted; the deficit brought about by wastage. The disappointment lingers. Still, I know enough to give space, courtesy, and opportunity to the new government for the trust asked for to be redeemed. Call me naïve (or too trusting), but I believe that this same new government can (re)claim lost territory, as well as the high ground. But only if there follows a string of wise, far-reaching, enduring works that encourage, even inspire. It has to; it must. I have my own ideas as to what those wise works ought to be. They may differ in vision, principle, and priority to those of the new kids in town. They need to carve their own way forward. Perhaps, it can be illuminating, even illustrious.
If not, then what else is there….? If it fails to do any of this, then all that this society has is the disinterment of all those lost dismal yesterdays, to be once more exhibited and highlighted in graceless shamelessness.
I do hope that those new kids remember that song (kids in the singular) and a lyric or two from it: “Everybody loves you. Don’t let them down.”
Remember: wise works; unselfish works; unchallengeable works.
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
