By Stabroek News
Dear Editor,
I have been criticized for encouraging teachers to go to America, with some claiming that I鈥檓 not being nationalistic. But if I weren鈥檛 nationalistic, I would not have given up living in America鈥攁fter over four decades鈥攖o return to Guyana and do volunteer work.
If I weren鈥檛 nationalistic, I wouldn鈥檛 have chosen to live in a country where I must deal with daily corruption, constant blackouts, and water shortages. I wouldn鈥檛 be living here among reckless drivers and in a system where the rule of law barely exists. If I weren鈥檛 nationalistic, I wouldn鈥檛 be trying to make a difference by giving back to the country I was born in.
So I ask鈥攚hy should teachers be expected to be nationalistic and stay in Guyana when many of their leaders send their children to study abroad, and those children often never return? Why should they stay when these same leaders hold dual citizenship and frequently travel overseas for medical care? Why demand loyalty from teachers when our leaders themselves show none?
It is pure hypocrisy when people who have lived abroad鈥攁nd prospered abroad鈥攖ry to discourage others from doing the same. How can you benefit from opportunities overseas, then deny others the same chance? I would encourage not just teachers, but everyone with the chance, to go abroad. Because the sad truth is: people don鈥檛 leave their country when they are treated well. They leave when they are treated poorly.
If we had caring, competent leadership, teachers would want to stay. But when you consistently treat teachers with disrespect and neglect, why should they remain? If encouraging teachers to leave this broken country makes me 鈥渦npatriotic,鈥 then I accept that label. Because in my heart, I know it鈥檚 the most honest and caring advice I can give. I stand by my words.
Anthony Pantlitz