Dear Editor,
I refer to President David Granger dismissing Mr Donald Ramotar’s calls for the army to join the crime fight. For someone to express a genuine concern about crime in one’s country, and then be made the victim of public ridicule is characteristic of a nation where “Judgment has fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason.”
One can point to the role Jimmy Carter, a former President of the USA, played in Guyana and other countries of the world, in promoting democracy. Jimmy Carter served as the USA’s President during a time of serious problems at home and abroad. Carter’s perceived mishandling of these issues led to defeat in his bid for re-election. He later turned to diplomacy and advocacy, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2002. I believe that Jimmy Carter today would rank higher than President Obama, in terms of endearment in the eyes of the public.
In that suggestion from former President Ramotar, there were several hidden messages: Let’s be proactive on crime; I would welcome the opportunity to continue making a contribution to the development of this country; I represent a lot more credibility and integrity than Mr Bharrat Jagdeo; I need an opportunity to redeem myself.
Mr Ramotar’s plea for help, was crudely dismissed by a political neophyte. This was someone who felt their authority was being threatened. Déjà vu? This response reflected the individual’s personal insecurities. An opportunity for healing and a display of magnaminity was spurned. Now is the time to put egos aside and put this nation first.
I am in tune with Mr Ramotar’s concerns on crime. I live in a state often referred to as ‘Cowboy Town’, where there is an ‘open carry’ law, viz, you are not required to conceal your guns. I feel safer here than in Guyana, and that’s why I am actively pursuing plans for my retirement here, even though there would be more economic benefits in Guyana. I may not agree with what Mr Ramotar had to say, but “I will defend to the death, his right to say it.”
Yours faithfully,
George Daniels
