Dear Editor,
A great future for Guyana beckons. It is for us as a nation to take advantage of the enormous opportunities that are before us by ensuring that the economic and social gains we have made over the years are consolidated and accelerated.
I have always maintained that the best days are still ahead of us. The potential to transform this country to a high income country are enormous. Few countries in the region, indeed the world are as endowed as we are in terms of natural and mineral resources. We are blessed with rich and fertile agricultural lands and vast swathes of savannah lands.
Regrettably, this potential for development was thwarted by the curse of colonialism and dictatorial rule which spawned several decades of our pre and post colonial history. The vast resources of our country were not exploited for the benefit of the Guyanese people but to swell the pockets of foreign and local vested interests.
It is a lasting shame that Guyana was left behind despite our vast potential to become most prosperous in the region. The scars of our undemocratic and ruthless past are gradually being erased with the passage of time. We are moving on in the true spirit of peace and national reconciliation.
The tide has now changed and Guyana has now taken its place as a proud and well respected member of the commonwealth of democratic nations. This fresh air of democracy which is now blowing over our land must be appreciated and preserved.
This is not the time to deny our past. Mistakes were made which ought not to be buried in the sands of time but boldly acknowledged. Our democracy was raped and our freedoms taken away. The nation perished under the stultifying environment of repressive rule.
This is the context in which our people must exercise their franchise in the upcoming poll. Too much is at stake. This election transcends the narrow confines of race and culture. It is about our present and future.
Yours faithfully,
Hydar Ally
