We are better than this: a plea for respect in our politics

Dear Editor,
In recent months, I have watched with growing sadness as the tone of our public discourse has spiralled downward. The vulgarity and profanity directed at our public officials are not just disappointing – they are heart-breaking. We can disagree. We can debate. We can demand better. But we must never lose our basic respect for the institutions that hold our country together. This behaviour cannot be condoned and certainly must not be encouraged by those who hold influence.
We are living in a time when our nation is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world – a place admired, studied, and envied by many. At a moment when we should be showcasing our unity, our pride, and our intelligence, too many are choosing to drag our conversation into the gutter. Our progress means nothing if our conduct as citizens does not rise with it.
As a former public servant who served this country with love, loyalty, and a deep sense of duty, I feel this decline personally. I am, and will always be, proud to be a son of the soil. That pride makes it painful to see us slipping into a culture that tears down instead of builds up.
We must remember that the younger generation is watching us every day – listening to our words, copying our tone, and learning from our behaviour. What legacy are we leaving them? Are we teaching them to reason, to lead, to uplift? Or are we teaching them to insult and demean?
This is a moment for all of us to pause and think. Our actions today will shape the leaders of tomorrow. Let us choose to elevate our political conversations. Let us commit to intelligence over ignorance, respect over ridicule, and nation-building over division. Our country deserves nothing less.

Yours sincerely,
Julian Williams, CPA
Former public servant & proud son of Guyana