Dear Editor,
There was a period in my life when I did not work. Although I had an income from social benefit I felt as if I could not do anything. Needless to say, my confidence took a battering. So did my self-esteem. I felt totally disempowered.
I know this resonates with many Guyanese especially the unemployed.
Guyanese feel as if they do not have the skills to develop themselves. Hence, we turn to politicians to resolve our problems. That is why politicians are held in such awe in Guyana and why politics plays such a big role in Guyanese society.
Give people the skills then they will be able to help themselves as opposed to having to rely on others. This is call empowerment.
Once people are empowered, then politics will not play such a big role in their lives. People will then turn to voting on issues as opposed to supporting people who look like them (racial voting).
Learn from Burnham and Jagan, both of whom had skills to trade on to feed themselves and their families. Hence, they were able to continue their sustained activism leading to Guyana becoming an independent nation.
Yours faithfully,
Sean Ori
