Dear Editor,
People will look back at recent events in Guyana from all over the world. Some persons will be remembered for their integrity, honesty and sincerity. Others will go down far less favourably. Mr Gaskin will, no doubt, be seen in the former category. It will be interesting how many others choose that legacy and stand by the dictates of their conscience.
What will we say to our children and grandchildren concerning the role we played in the recent events? For how many of us will it be a proud moment of reflection and for how many others a time of profound embarrassment and deep shame?
How long will it be before we realise that the systems on offer are fundamentally flawed – not only in Guyana but in all corners of the world? So many nations are in danger of being divided into irreconcilable factions – we are seeing this in the USA, the UK, and Europe. When will we understand that the new wave of unprecedented challenges facing the Old World Order simply cannot be resolved with the adversarial systems on offer? None of the great challenges of today can be resolved in this way.
We watch BBC News and hear the pronouncement that Guyana could be one of the richest countries of the world. But then we look away from the TV and see a different reality. Guyana is being presented with a unique opportunity – similar to the challenge perhaps that South Africa had as it emerged out of apartheid – to go down in history as a country that rose above ethnic divides, that embraced the diversity of its many peoples, and chose a path of transformational leadership.
Surely we have the persons here to offer us this path.
Yours faithfully,
Dr Brian O’Toole, AA, MBE
Director
Nations