Dear Editor,
As the date of elections approaches, it appears that many Guyanese may have already closed their minds, reached a decision and are now just waiting for May 11. Young Guyanese – to whom the future belongs – particularly those who wish to advance their education, may recognise that this is the wrong approach. Guyanese should be thinking critically; our future depends on it.
Critical thinking is the process of actively conceptualising, applying, analysing and evaluating information, to reach an answer or conclusion. Such thinking is always clear, disciplined, rational and focused. It is characterised by open-mindedness, scepticism, and consideration of the evidence. It is the way in which smart people think.
As the day draws near, politicians will make many more promises. To arrive at a correct decision, we must listen to all sides with an open mind.
Then, we must critically evaluate what we hear. A few days ago, it was reported that President Ramotar said that if the PPP is re-elected, universal secondary education will be achieved, within months. One must ask, is this promise realistic? Does it even make sense? President Ramotar has also promised to tackle corruption if he is re-elected.
The smart, critical thinker would ask, why only after the election? Since the President has acknowledged the existence of corruption by making the promise, why does he not take action now? Can we conclude that making outlandish and condition-based promises is an indictment of his credibility? Should we vote for someone of dubious credibility? We must question everything.
The coalition has made many promises, too. The coalition has promised to remove the VAT from ‘household items,’ improve the conditions at UG, provide a computer to every teacher, among others. I had questioned, where will the money come from to do those things? I employed critical thinking.
I got my answer in one of APNU’s columns which is published every Thursday by SN. The article explained that if corruption is eliminated, there would be more money available for developmental projects. The billions of dollars now flowing into private pockets would be used instead to benefit ordinary citizens.
Guyanese have a future to build and a nation to heal. We cannot afford to make the wrong decision. We must listen to what politicians say and decide if they can deliver on their promises, or not. We must watch how they behave: do they act in an open and transparent manner, or are they secretive? Do they dodge debates and public appearances at which questions will be asked? Do they contradict themselves? PPP prime ministerial candidate Elisabeth Harper had said that she will fight against domestic violence, but does she have any record of doing so? When she was asked by a journalist in the US about her position on the allegation of domestic abuse against Bharrat Jagdeo, her response implied that the allegation made by Ms Varshnie Singh was part of Mr Jagdeo’s private life. One must think critically. Is Ms Harper now saying that domestic abuse, in this case, is a private matter?
Questioning everything is a useful habit. Thinking critically is a skill that is invariably beneficial. If we haven’t already, we should start developing those practices. Our choice on election day should be the result of critical thinking.
Yours faithfully,
Mark DaCosta
