Dear Editor,
Guyana’s GDP per capita has risen over the last couple of years and, if projections are correct, is set to rise further. This is due primarily to the oil industry. With it has come higher wages and higher cost of living.
But while I, for one, welcome higher living standards are we in danger of becoming a monetized society whereby we seek money above everything else?
What about care for our environment? Do we even acknowledge that we need to live in a sustainable way and not destroy our environment through deforestation and over-mining?
What about moral values?
Some would scoff at the idea of God, but The Good Book (The Christian Bible) teaches us that man cannot live alone on bread but on believing on the Word of God by having faith.
What about being a good neighbour? Do we really want to live in concrete houses with iron bars on the windows? Or, would we prefer to be Good Samaritans (that is, being Good Neighbours)?
Where do we go from here? Do we continue along this path? Or, do we take time to think and say “Yes, to development but in a sustainable manner”. Which means reduction in deforestation, reduction in mining and reduction in pumping more oil which seems to be benefiting ExxonMobil more than Guyanese.
In the UK, we have become so used to relying on money that when the supermarkets shelves are empty (or, half empty) no amount of money is going to matter. Yes, we do have relatively higher living standards than the average Guyanese person. But, it is a higher living standard in how not to live. As an example, a family has three cars when there is only two of them, both retired.
I accept that many Guyanese do not have a choice but to accept what those in authority prescribe for us.
Yes, we do want higher living standards but we also want a higher quality of life.
Yours faithfully,
Sean Ori
