Dear Editor,
I refer to Mr Bisram’s letter captioned, “Elderly Guyanese say they preferred colonial rule” (08.03.04). I am an elderly Guyanese who doesn’t feel this way about our colonial past, for the simple reason that under colonialism we could not participate in the affairs of our own country,as we were able to do after attaining our Independence from Great Britain. The fact that we couldn’t elect our own leaders and political representatives was a denial of true democracy and individual dignity. To my mind, independence and self-determination are non-negotiable for all people, and as Guyanese people, in spite of our present economic and social circumstances, we still have time to turn things around and to achieve unprecedented levels of prosperity and social progress.
We all know that the situation in Guyana is very difficult at the present time, but we have to see what we are going through with crime and economic stagnation as growing pains that we could eventually overcome by having a more gritty approach to the problems that confront us. We achieved our independence less than fifty years ago. That’s a short time for any nation,and we can certainly turn the situation around, for the simple reason that time is very much on our side.. How can we go back to the colonial days? How can we allow ourselves to think that our former colonial masters can do more for us than we can do for ourselves? How can a foreign entity be more dedicated to a people’s well-being than the people themselves? No, my friends, we have to go forward instead of backwards and we have to continue to struggle in spite of existing obstacles.
Of course, many of us happen to be in North America and elsewhere, but we would like you to know that although we are not struggling with you, side-by-side, we are struggling ,praying, thinking and doing whatever we can to make life better for all Guyanese. We would like to do more, but as you know, we have our own day-to-day struggles to contend with, in this part of the world. And , please do not accuse us of running from one colonial master to live under the rule of another. Because, although we still have many problems to overcome in this part of the world, for a Guyanese, living in North America, it is not the same as living under colonial rule. For one thing, we are equal under the law, and under the constitution, we have the same rights as any other American. We can vote and pursue our dreams like any other American and we can also participate fully in the affairs of the American society. That was not the situation in Guyana under colonial rule.
So, my friends, we have to continue to forge ahead and not allow ourselves to be deterred by obstacles and setbacks. Independence is really an opportunity to live the fullest possible life, and it is an opportunity that colonialism could never offer, nor pretended to offer. Maybe most of us alive today may not be able to live the full life that our Independence still promises, but maybe our grandchildren will, or future generations of Guyanese not yet born.
Yours faithfully,
Rudy Vyfhuis
