Dear Editor,
This Christmas, I’m spending time in America, a place I love deeply and where I’ve spent more than half my life. It has always felt like home to me, a country where I once felt safer than in Guyana. But recently, that sense of security has begun to fade.
Since my arrival here a few weeks ago, I’ve been overwhelmed by stories of senseless violence. Just the other day, I heard about a 15-year-old girl who shot and killed several people at her school. Incidents like this have made me question the safety of living here.
For the first time in my life, I find myself feeling uneasy in places I never thought twice about before. Today, for instance, as I sat in church, instead of feeling peace, I was watching my back, worried about the possibility of someone starting to shoot.
Despite the challenges and crime in Guyana, I now realize that I feel safer there. If you’re living in America, I would encourage you to consider retiring in Guyana. Life there may come with its own risks, but the sense of security it offers is something I’ve come to value deeply.
Yours faithfully,
Anthony Pantlitz
