Dear Editor,
If your knee is on my neck, you will not find me. Mr. Emile Mervin wrote a brilliant letter (SN, June 5th, 2020). I haven’t seen such matured writing in months. Actually, if I may confess, I tend to look out for anything certain writers pen in Guyana’s social, economic, political, educational and now oil and gas landscapes that seeks to educate, uplift and empower to action. Thus, I often look for Mr. Mervin’s ideas, thoughts and perspectives that pushes an independent voice and narrative. In a recent letter by Mr. Sean Ori (SN, June 7th, 2020), the letter writer thinks that Mr. Mervin ‘seems to have lost hope in Guyana ever being successful’. This I believe is far from the truth. Mr. Mervin has laid out factual information. It is up to the reader to use one’s heart to determine what will/should happen next given the factual information.
Mr. Ori is asking important and interesting questions. He is searching for ‘progressive thinking Guyanese’. He is asking, ‘do such a group of Guyanese exist’? Second, he asks, ‘how do we find them’? As a Guyanese by birth, I spent 25 years in the USA and the last 20 years living in Guyana as an independent thinker. There are many like us – ‘independent thinkers’. Many of these thinkers and doers are at the local, national and international levels in areas of education, community development, religion and even in politics. Mr. Ori just take a look at five daily newspapers for the last year (particularly the Sunday papers) for the special Guyanese who are making a difference in the nation.
I really wonder what others like Mr. Ori will do when such independent progressives are found? Will he like so many others suppress them, oppress them, intimidate them or disrespect them? On the other hand, will he and others invite them, embrace them, respect them, support them and listen (really listen) to them? An Economist wrote to me in an email the other day. He said, ‘Denise, Guyana is a touch place’. Yes indeed. However, I have made it with the help of Almighty God. We shouldn’t really be looking for ‘progressive thinking Guyanese’. We should be looking for who we are as a person, a Guyanese and as a nation. After 54 years of independence, a nation is still votes race. This is not good. Thus, we deserve the descending spiral of oppression, depression and suppression before lessons are learnt.
As a person in my early 50s, I vowed to God, I will never vote along racial lines. I will not follow family, friends, co-workers, Pastors, and leaders at any level in voting along racial lines. Mr. Ori, I have found myself and it feels very progressive. May we humble ourselves before God, seek him only, turn from our wicked ways, so God can heal each person and our land.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:15 NRSV)
Yours faithfully,
Denise Murray
