Dear Editor,
We hear often that Guyana has a wealth of commodities. The reality is, with an economy still based on the export of unrefined commodities, we are invariably victim to the vagaries of the markets. (And perhaps those who felt that oil was somehow immune to this syndrome have now learned that it is among the most unpredictable of assets).
There is one commodity that has always been in scarce supply on these shores: trust. Trust in government, trust in public institutions, trust in public office holders, trust in each other. Trust is the thread that binds our social fabric. It has been depleted, almost to vanishing point, by the events of the last six weeks (some would say 18 months).
Oil is a fickle companion on the road to nation-building. Trust is an indispensable one. Guyana can build a future without oil if necessary. We cannot build a future without trust. This is what is at stake. This is what is being squandered.
Yours faithfully,
Isabelle de Caires
