Dear Editor,
Whether you laughed, cried, celebrated, mourned, embarked on new ventures and projects; got married or had a baby; took over the reins of government, or gave up same; 2015 would go down as a very eventful year in Guyana’s history. It would certainly be remiss of us to allow another calendar year to close without doing some introspection on our lives and all that has happened over the year, and shape better life choices for 2016.
Most notable, perhaps, is the change of government that came about as a result of the May General and Regional Elections ‒ the dawn of a new era, so to speak, resulting in a wave of confidence, expectation and joy for a wide cross-section of the Guyanese people. For the rest, there has been disenchantment and dissatisfaction about the outcome, while many to this day only bring forth negativity in their daily outpourings. Fear and fright were injected into the minds of many prior to and just after the new transition in government, but as many would see, rice flour has certainly not made a comeback. Instead, it is enlightening to watch a society try various new ways of doing things. I am excited and would be keenly watching the decisions and policies that would be made in the coming year, starting with the budget.
I felt disenfranchised and pretty much robbed in 2015. People you trusted and had hopes for, did not keep their word. After doing much work for the former administration and their political party, myself and at least one New Amsterdam television station with whom they partnered for the hosting of live interviews with government ministers during election time, have still not been paid. These were people for whom I stood up and for whom I eventually lost my job at the nation’s top-selling newspaper; that was a very sad day.
Today the McCoys and Jaffarallys, even the Hassans of a certain state-owned media entity, are all silent about that meeting at the Office of the President last January about these programmes in Berbice. Several letters too were sent to the current administration ‒ the Ministry of the Presidency, both to the Sharifs and Harmons ‒ which have merited not a single acknowledgment or reply. I am surprised at the Minister’s non-acknowledgement of my letter, which enquired how myself and the TV station would be paid, and by whom.
In 2015, I had to stop doing what I loved with all my heart. Even though I still write for a little newspaper in the Catholic Church, my journalistic pen has pretty much been put down for now. I feel sad as I flip the pages of my former newspaper today as the memories and efforts of a time that used to be, flow again in my mind.
Clashes of egos are destroying Guyana. Every person feels he or she is too ‘big’ for the other person. At the top of the list are our politicians, who make themselves very hard to be emulated.
Let’s forget past hurts and move bravely into the coming year. Out with the old and in with the new as they say, right? It’s never too late to start afresh. We have passed through a very tough election year, but heading into another year where there will be elections at the local level. Let there be maturity and less mud-slinging. Let there be talk about issues and not personalities. Guyanese cannot afford to be further divided and polarised as they are at the moment. The current administration needs to strengthen its bonds with the section of the population that voted for the party which is now the opposition.
These are my sanguine thoughts and sentiments as 2016 dawns. And before I go, please permit me, Editor, to recognize veteran nursery educator, Berbician Ingrid Warner, who gave most of her life to the nurturing of the young minds of Manchester, Alness and other nearby villages. Her inspirational story would never be told because I was let go from the newspaper a few days after her interview. These special persons among us bring the hope we all expect would inspire each and every one of us for 2016 and beyond. Happy New Year!
Yours faithfully,
Leon Suseran
