Dear Editor,
Some of the developments during elections 2015 week are disturbing to contemplate and painful to recall. That is all that I will say about last week. Now those who celebrate the hard work done thus far must quickly gird themselves to work much harder and longer, while recognizing the potent forces arrayed in thwarting postures. In simple terms, it is the substantive enduring work of nation-building. It will make what went before look like a holiday. I humbly offer a few (out of many) areas for immediate prioritization and implementation.
First, this country will not progress if it is satisfied with last year and last week. It needs to embrace tomorrow, starting today. The euphoric and those with resentments must commence being more reserved. Any thinking as to ‘whose turn it is’ to inflict and afflict must be eradicated today; no recriminations. Leaders must take the lead, introduce decentralized healing mechanisms. This is particularly required in the far-flung communities, the known neighbourhood strongholds. Leaders must talk the talk of ‘there are no losers’ and then really walk it all the time, even in the face of ferocious provocations and antagonisms. If not, then this will always be a land of six peoples, sometimes in the worst, most divisive ways possible.
Second, there is a place for those defining people and that sacred principle called patriots and patriotism respectively. Both must be put back in the one place where they belong. That is, in the middle of the activities that matter to this nation. This cannot be taught, but the tenets of selfless dedication, self-sacrifice, and sustained effort can be inculcated. And this country yearns for the truly self-sacrificing.
Having observed some indescribably ugly behaviour, there now must be group and individual resolve. No matter the number of mistakes that might be made, never let them be as many; no matter how low things plunge, they must never travel to the bottomless bottoms reached previously. Somebody has to stand up and stand out − whether inside or out − and say that those places must not be repeated at all costs. It is what patriots do.
Third, just as managing self is vital, it is essential that the corruption way of life be managed wholeheartedly. If not, this raging, runaway genie may well carve out larger unaffordable holes in this society, and make ethics and transparency and accountability all irrelevant. Why, the corruption monster might even make for a crippled existence, if not a wretched almost non-existent place. I recommend a start be made with those great money-eating, money-breathing dragons: the GPF, the GRA, and the court system. A lot of territory would be covered: blue and white collar crime, guns, narcotics, forensics; and justice delayed and denied, as well as freedoms bought and sold. Oh, there are so many other places to start – environment, Georgetown, constitution and on and on. But start where I pointed, as something must give. Give these to the people on a platter.
To summarize: manage the tangibles – people and places; manage the intangibles – conduct and patriotism; and last manage processes and the processors.
Some expect, if not hope, for the coalition to fail. I believe it can deliver in what may even turn out to be a great social and political experiment. It would be heartening to look back a year hence, and discover that ‘Today was indeed, the beginning of a new day for all. For all.’
Yours faithfully,
GHK Lall
