Dear Editor,
In the text of the Art of War it is said, “Therefore a wise general strives to feed off the enemy. Each pound of food taken from the enemy is equivalent to twenty pounds you provide by yourself.” Considering both internal and external strife, we can clearly see the fragility of the One Guyana approach. The ease of an oil spill occurring also shows how quickly the country could lose the progress it has made during the last decade. Our past history and ties to nationalism places the country on a thin line where the wealth and security of newly strengthened relations can cause a break in relations in favour of self-preservation of the strong, while weakening new allies with strong ties to adversaries on the rise.
These considerations have been
overlooked in a euphoria of new found but easy to lose wealth that hinges on the global political climate and religious development in the leadership and path of the country. I wrote this on September 11th, a day when emotions run high and old wounds reopened during an atmosphere that still wreaks of the smell of death from Covid 19. A virus that many capitalists blame on China. We do live in precarious times. A new King of England is upon us and the changing of the guard occurs during a war in Europe and a weakening global economy. The time for war is tempting to those who see a need to strengthen after suffering numerous losses. Conserving one’s strength is a must.
If the young leaders of the day do not push for risk reduction and conservative spending, our vulnerable nation will be at the whim of those holding the global and oil sector’s purse strings. The past has not been forgotten, nor the acts of nationalism forgiven. There must be a distinction made between the must haves and the nice to have. A lot can be learned from a simple example. If a citizen cannot afford to feed a child and breakfast in school has to be provided, then that citizen will not be able to purchase a car to drive on a new road. Much less will that citizen be able to build a new home.
What will benefit that citizen is the preservation of what the citizen already has, which can be easily lost when flooding occurs. It is simple to see what needs to be addressed to conserve one’s strength during these delicate times. Be wise and act swiftly. One drum of oil spilled can easily become a million if so desired. The world is filled with all sorts of people, some good and some bad. Protecting the nation is of utmost importance. Wish for the best and plan for the worst is a good way of ensuring that the future prosperity of the nation is not lost.
Sincerely,
Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans of
Guyana
