Dear Editor,
The anguish I experienced was so profound that it is almost indescribable on reading the second paragraph of your editorial, captioned aptly ‘Unfamiliar boundaries,’ and dated December 14, 2014. This paragraph correctly presumed what is an undeniable fact, ie, the Guyana Police Force, justice system and the majority of ordinary Guyanese are disturbingly clueless about the geographic dimensions of Guyana. Imagine, almost five decades after Independence we are having this conversation; sometimes it is difficult to comprehend why the masses in this land allow the political egos of our leaders to mortally wound this nation.
Why can’t we have continuity from one administration to the next in the best interest of our people, with the emphasis of youth development? It is not that the institutions were absent; for instance, the Guyana National Service could have been reformed and retained. Obviously building infrastructure, in the different regions was critical to development of our young minds.
In an earlier letter some years ago I mentioned the frontier border strategy in Israel as a model with whatever modifications were needed to be implemented.
The cynicism in me comes to the fore whenever I hear phrases like “brothers and sisters,” referring to the Indigenous people; I doubt that I ever read about the role the Catholic Church played in their earlier development. The afore-mentioned editorial brought back a feeling of nostalgia that is always just below the surface. I have memories of my first expedition in 1966 to Tassawini in the Barama River, employed by the then Geology and Mines Commission, capably led by two esteemed now deceased geologists, Dr Punwasie and Dr Chris Barron.
These two gentlemen I can never forget, mainly because of an experience I encountered on that trip. We stopped briefly at an Amerindian village, Chinese Landing, and even then I was amazed at how well some of the Amerindians spoke English. I was particularly surprised by the slang used on the coast so far away. I subsequently visited others, but I have often wondered how much improvement has occurred since those days almost fifty years ago.
Editor, no one approaching Kamira, that awesome unforgettable range of rapids, could ever forget the mind-boggling sounds, or the panoramic view of the mouth of the Waini River, or the romantic beaches on a moonlit night at Saxacalli. There are so many unforgettable sights in the vast wilderness of Guyana, we call home, but most of our people have never seen and will never see its true beauty. The fauna and flora are world renowned.
The dismantling of the National Service, along with the uncaring attitude displayed at other institutions is indeed unpardonable. Sadly in Guyana officials in high office do not accept blame for acts perpetrated on the citizens of this country, and this must change. Editor, when an editorial of such clarity and purpose does not awaken people out of their slumber, this in itself speaks of the malaise Guyanese suffer.
A happy New Year to the management and staff of your excellent newspaper.
Yours faithfully,
Lloyd W Davidson
