Dear Editor,
It is with great admiration I write to highlight government ministers’ interests and obsession over the children who perished in the fire disaster last week at Mahdia. The authorities’ sudden interests and concerns, out shone everyone else’s, even the churches and pastors who are shepherds of the people in the area; in visiting their flocks. This hyped interest displayed by Government’s paraphernalia is making them take the place of church leaders and others, not giving any chance for the local pastors and priests who know their flocks well, to give their followers consoling sentiments by their prayers and presence.
This being said, I would also like to request for government ministers to tone down the rhetoric of camouflaging the tragedy. Editor, please don’t get me wrong, kudos must be given to the authorities for acting promptly in assisting the victims generously in all forms. However, turning the tragedy into a show where authorities are projecting themselves as the ‘sole saviours and concern over the children’ is getting over exaggerated, as they cover up their weakness, which is, lacking proper fire and security systems at the secondary school dormitory at Madhia.
As ‘One Guyana’, which is government’s current political mantra, we the people must genuinely unite and hold the authorities accountable for the lapse in the systems and make sure we see tangible changes made early as possible so that our hinterland students will be safe to reside in dormitories, as they pursue secondary education in the interior.
Sincerely,
Medino Abraham MSc,
Indigenous Researcher