Dear Editor,
In Guyana, we see unfolding before our eyes, steps by our Leaders. All of our Opposition political parties 鈥 new, old and traditional 鈥 have claimed from their roof tops that the current administration has spawned corruption, and politicized every branch of Government. This unfortunately includes the Guyana Police Force, and worst of all, the policies being pursued are discernible steps of re-colonization by the same people who enslaved some of our ancestors and had others toiling for long hours as indentured labourers on the sugar plantations, giving us token benefits, while as Robin Blackburn noted in his Book, 鈥淭he Overthrow of Colonial Slavery鈥, making fabulous fortunes.
If those who subscribe to the notion that the time is now, then together hold hands to dislodge the incumbent PPP. Good sense and logic must prevail for every vote for these relatively small groups is a vote in favour of the PPP, the Party which they all claim they wish to dislodge. Why intelligent men and women cannot understand this fact is beyond belief. One gets the impression that for some of my friends, what is paramount, is what individual leaders would get if we overcome the present decay. It should be crystal clear that those of us who recognize the need for an immediate change for administration, that professed desire has placed us in the proverbial same canoe. A canoe that is now caught in the swift current of the river, heading towards the edge of the waterfall to our collective death, disgrace and damnation. There can be only one saving grace: jump out of the canoe and hold on to a tree that is planted by the river bank.
If we display that good sense, such commonsense, our children and grandchildren will honour us and thank us, for putting aside pettiness, personal benefits and pique. Look around at the present political environment in Guyana, one gets the impression that some nice folks with pleasant personalities feel that unless they are at the helm of the ship in the captain鈥檚 cabin, no one else is worthy and the ship cannot set sail. Let me make it crystal clear, it is the right of everyone and anyone to establish political groups, however at this juncture, where there is so much at stake, that right and personal ambition needs to be subordinated, for the people of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the people in the field, office and factory who note unbelievable wealth being extracted from our ocean-bed and our land, but have not been in receipt of this massive billions flowing into our coffers every day.
Editor, let us deal with the reality on the ground. Even though the demographics and circumstances in Guyana would have changed, the fact remains that since the mid-50鈥檚, the dominant political groups remain, the People鈥檚 Progressive Party and the People鈥檚 National Congress, the latter in a formal relationship constitutes the APNU 鈥 A Partnership for National Unity.
At a democratically structured Party Congress, the Party elected out of other contestants, Aubrey Campton Norton, as Leader. The General Council this year, representing groups from all ten regions of Guyana, met and reaffirmed Congress鈥 decision that Aubrey Norton must be their Leader and Presidential Candidate. This represents the will of the Party. I was General Secretary of the Party when Norton, from Christianburg, Upper Demerara River, while still a teenager, sought and obtained membership of the youth movement known as the PNCYO 鈥 People鈥檚 National Congress Youth Organization. For good times and bad times, he has stayed with the Party. I believe in Party democracy, which require us to respect the will of the people, who represent the Party through the established group system.
Time is of essence, and I can speak on behalf of a group of Elders and Patriots, that those who come aboard now, and speak with one voice and make a clarion call to remove the present burden on our shoulders, those who work and toil, their labour and sacrifice of time and energy would not go unnoticed and unrewarded. Let us avoid further missteps, let the canoe go over the waterfall empty. We must hold on bravely to the proverbial tree, with solid roots planted by the river bank, and so make our ancestors who came in different ships, be proud of us. That we did not succumb to platitudes and money for pride is priceless and our soul everlasting. In other words, avoid being narrow minded, shortsighted and therefore failing to see the wider picture and opportunities that beckon.
Hamilton Green