We must speak even when it is the ones, we endorse that offend. There is too much silence and excuses around the offensive in Guyana. There is too much turning of the blind eye while others are being slapped on both cheeks.
We must not dance around offences because we are in the same bubble. The bubbles in Guyana look like groups of political placements and hopefuls; of opportunists who will sell their souls for the right price and of skin-folk, social classes, and religious folk. Here where our chosen men and women are flawed and we can see their flaws, we must speak. We must not only speak when it is our unchosen that err.
In this nation divided into two wings of the same bird or two sides of the same coin, each wing is not broken in the same place at the same time and each side of the coin is not of the same value. In trying times one wing rises above the next. In trying times one side of the coin shines while the other rusts. When has it not been a trying time in Guyana? When has the bird flown gloriously with both its wings intact? When were we whole and all fairly held the shiny coin?
In trying times out of the mouths of men hate is spoken and the divide widens. In trying times men’s words can start civil wars. In a fragile nation where we typically do not vote on issues or for our best interests, but our preferences whether honourable or dishonourable we continue to blindly support them with our Xs.
In trying times, whether their names are Rodrigues, Accra, or Singh and their hate is permeating the air, we must condemn them. Was there ever a time when there was no need to condemn?
In trying times when tunes of ‘One Guyana’ ring through the air, we must not ignore when we see the examples of two and three Guyanas. Of a Guyana for the oil rich and expats in gated communities or US rental prices houses and apartments; of a Guyana where some of the wealthy or most do not care whether the poor are paid living wages or can afford to eat; of a Guyana where the people must wait for roads and bridges to be built before their urgent needs might be considered – there will be too many skeletons and ashes before it seems their dreams will be realized. We must speak of a Guyana where desperation may lead to the poor eating the bridges and roads; of a Guyana where we clearly see two faces of a nation; of a Guyana where the descendants of those whose blood and sweat built this country now have to fight for what belongs to them.
Here there are multiple faces of hypocrisy; ones who believe they can bully and take like Guyana belongs to only them; and these same ones do not mind outsiders robbing us. Guyanese can be bulldozed on ancestral lands in the name of development; Guyanese can wait years for a plot of land while acres can be given to men of foreign origins for their investments.
Here, sections of the population are neglected until votes are needed; like some Indigenous nations forgotten somewhere where the drive is long, the roads are in disrepair, mobile service is nonexistent, and the poverty is shocking.
There are mainly two faces of staunch supporters of the political demigod like men they helped to create; they are willing to die in the name of stupidity defending their actions even when unjust.
We must speak. But free speech must not be abused but must encourage healing. Free speech must encourage the people to stand strong. Free speech must encourage people to think. Free speech should not be hateful. Hate speech must not only be condemned for a few. There should be no reasons to accuse organisations like the Ethnic Relations Commission of being biased.
The Guyana Police Force also should not appear biased. But are people delusional for thinking this? Are there people suspected of serious offences walking free while some for whom wanted bulletins are issued leave heads scratching? Our officers must not be seen as puppets. But have they showed themselves to be puppets? Have they invaded the dreams of innocent men and killed them?
We must speak when degenerates denigrate entire groups of people and think it is a joke. You cannot be bold and wrong as you decide who deserves punishment when the sins of men are conspicuous. Many often laugh and mock when the blood splatters in certain bubbles and a church, mosque or temple boy is killed.
Here in trying times many of the people refuse to think. They allow their creations of the demigod like men to think for them and out of their mouth the fruits of foolishness are spewed. Many intelligent ones stay silent. The intelligent ones appear to be a minority in Guyana.
Who are the ones who have died for this nation? Do we honour all of them? Who are the ones that fought for Independence? Who are the ones to save this nation? Are they, our politicians? Are they the ordinary man? Are they our preachers and teachers? Our former colonizers and present continuous? We must speak.
When they speak of chasing people out of villages, when they speak of war, when they speak of equality but all we see is division, we must not be selective in what we condemn. When they speak of the errors of past leaders, but we see errors of the present, we must speak. How many times has Guyana been a dictatorship? Has the meaning of the word ever changed?
We must speak and think about who in positions of power are without sin in Guyana? Are any without?
When markets are destroyed, roads are blocked, vehicles are burned or school children are stoned, we must speak. When innocent men are assassinated, we must speak. When they pretend that their hands have not been stained by blood and they have not fed the Guyanese people hogwash, we must speak.
We must speak when there are serious allegations of corruption even when it is the ones we endorse. Is there evidence of corruption here? Is there evidence of race being used to control and keep the people divided? Is there evidence that somewhere along the line we were broken and remain broken? Perhaps we were always broken.
We must speak for if we do not speak, the ones who seek to create more hostility, will lead us deeper into destruction from which we may never recover.
