Dear Editor,
I like the idea. This one about gathering five presidents (former and present) in one room. It was something I have always pushed for, but I confess that the PPP did me one better. My thinking was of two at a table; President Ali called for five at the same time. This is way better than the three kings of Christmas carol fame.
I have a few suggestions on what should be high up on the agenda of conversation. Only three of them, and there are in this order: truth and reconciliation, oil management, and the economy. As I visualize this, the event of the 15th (if it occurs) does not have to deteriorate to the Ides of December, but the first step in our thousand-mile-long journey to finding out who we are, what we can do, and which starts with how we should be. Come to think of it: how we must be, no ifs ands or buts about it. I take my three suggestions one by one, and make a start myself from my lowly rung at the bottom of the ladder.
Truth and reconciliation, or race relations to some others, many others who are conscientious and patriotic Guyanese. The two (conscientious and patriotic) do not necessarily go together in this society. For as I have found out, there are many-pious, dedicated, even honest-who are desirous of truth and reconciliation, but only if it is their truths, solely on their terms. Their truths, as reinforced by their passions and convictions. One sided and prejudiced, to be sure; unhelpful and uninspiring, without a doubt. For if we are going to embark (starting with our presidents) to converse about truths that could possibly offer a glimmer of the way toward much-needed reconciliation, then those truths must be of both sides, of both fears, of the totality of our misgivings and our hurts.
We have to speak not only of the evils delivered with dozens of young men killed in the circumstances before and after the Mash Jailbreak, but we must also be brave enough and honest enough to speak to Lusignan and Rose Hall and Bartica and Lindo Creek and Linden, and all that were swept into the outer darkness of nonevents and non-priorities; perhaps, even non-truths. When we are principled enough to lay out the whole dirty history of our political and racial lingerie, then we would have made a start to talking about truth. To those who are wise enough to appreciate the nuance, it should be noticed that I substituted ‘lingerie’ for laundry. It is deliberate and intended to convey the intimacy of our disfigured nakedness where matters of racial and political truths are concerned. We cannot continue to be so deceptive and selective with our memories, or our practices. We cannot afford the expenditure in time and opportunity and hopes squandered.
From the first sobering truths that could foster some elements of communal and national reconciliation, I dare to sail into the seas of our oil. At this time, I am so far gone, there is no turning back. We-our political leaders, our very own selves-have not been truthful on the way that is known to best manage this oil of ours. We cannot even manage to the best our day-to-day public service, our courts, our police, our capital city, because we are so divided, but we think that we can manage this oil wealth wisely with one side flapping futilely and the other flopping around powerlessly. This is what Exxon loves; this is what keeps us apart and truncates our massive oil potentials; this is what renders us flipping the finger and more at each other, as the frustrations and suspicions pile from hell to heaven. In a word or phrase: our oil is best managed with heads and hearts together. If this is too much for any one president to comprehend, then I would be flabbergasted that five of them, in the combined wisdoms of their years, their graces, and their visions, would find this to be uninterpretable, therefore elusive.
And on my last humble suggestion to Guyana’s five presidents-whether sitting together or far apart-is that they understand and discern what truth and reconciliation, and inclusive and robust oil management could do for the economy of this country and its citizens. And then where that could take us and make of us. It is about cautioning about preemptive borrowings on a grand scale; about prudent selection of viable projects and still more careful midwifery of spending; it is about clean governance, through impeccable stewardship of money and matters that belong to the people, and should be for the people. I think much could come out of a presidential powwow and peace pipe occasion. I exhort that it happens. I urge that the collective efforts of men for whom I hold varying measures of regard, ranging from below zero to not so far from there, to take us to higher ground. If I can manage my many disappointments in all of them, then they can and must foster the goodwill to go somewhere together and take Guyana there.
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
