Dear Editor,
Guyanese, in particular our youths, should be extremely thankful that in spite of the current contortions in our society, we have had patriotic inputs in the form of letters from the likes of Vincent Adams, G. Girdhari, Dr. Jerry Jailall, Lincoln Lewis, G.H. K. Lall, Earl B. John, Janette Bulkan, Clement Rohee, Former President, Donald Ramotar, Dr. David Hinds, and of course, the superb Editorials found in the Stabroek News and Kaieteur News. These all give us good guidance, but I hope that in the not too distant future that their wisdom and patriotism will help save Guyana’s ship of state from hitting the proverbial iceberg, sinking and taking with it the hopes and dreams of Guyanese who, thanks to the enormity of our natural resources, can be happy, prosperous and well educated. We’ve noted for example, that the Administration is sweeping under the carpet a Minister’s banality in Parliament on the ‘dildo’ issue. My friend Gerry Gouveia, businessman and once a key player in the Private Sector Organisation, and now a Presidential Advisor, sought to assure me that President Ali means well. Will the Government fail to discipline a Minister, whose behaviour in Parliament is unacceptable?
The Government’s failure to renegotiate a terrible agreement made by the APNU Administration, which I criticized, and they criticized, is worrisome. I now avoid the nonsense in the ring-fencing agreement which determines that if the oil companies while drilling come up with an empty or dry well, Guyana must pay the cost of their effort. The emasculation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now patent. We now hear that our dumpsite at Eccles must now receive waste from the operations of the Oil Companies, not catered for in the initial planning. When one Government operative says you can’t renegotiate contracts, it shows the dilemma we face. Recent history amongst States, Corporations and Groups show that major agreements are changed if either Party is unhappy with existing conditions, even at the personal level. Guyanese, I believe, that the root cause of their dilemma, is their loss of moral sense and the lack of a moral rudder. If a ship’s rudder is broken, it is bound to either run aground or sink. I lean on a tested theory advanced more than two centuries ago, which is that the moral sense is the faculty by which we distinguish between moral right and wrong.
The deliverance of this faculty are feelings or sentiments; hence, it is counted as a sense. Our observation of an instance of virtuous action is the occasion for a feeling of pleasure or satisfaction, which enables us to distinguish that action as virtuous. Similarly, our observation of an instance or vicious action is the occasion for a feeling of pain or uneasiness, which enables us to distinguish that action as vicious. The moral sense is also an influencing motive in our pursuit of virtue and our avoidance of vicious behaviour, and it plays a part in our bestowal of praise and blame. Dear Editor, herein is our biggest problem when our leaders of the country, genuinely are unable to distinguish between right and wrong. To differentiate what is acceptable and what is unacceptable. You see the environment in which some of our leaders grew up, particularly in the last generation or two, has witnessed the moral decline, here and elsewhere, which for some of these leaders, is now the norm.
Buddhism implores us thus, “though one should conquer a million men on the battlefield, yet he, indeed, is the noblest victor who has conquered himself.”- (Dhammapada 103). Judaism – Who is strong? He who controls his passion.” Islam: – The prophet declared, “We have returned from the lesser Holy war to the greater Holy war.” The acts “Oh Prophet of God, which is the greater war?” he replied, “Struggle against the lower self.” Many Christians have adopted the ideas contained in Isaac Watts’ Statement that “Life is the time to serve the Lord, the time to ensure the great reward; and while the lamp holds out to burn, the vilest sinner may return.” And the Bible reminds us, St. John, Chap 3:3: Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The big question is, will our leaders accept there is an urgent need for them to change course, and abort the present silly steps of dishonouring the sacrifices and suffering of our noble ancestors? Will they recognize that we are slowly being re-colonized and dis-honouring those who struggled through slavery and indentureship for our Independence and to preserve our sovereignty?
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
Elder
