We must end the victimisation and discrimination, and strive for unity

Dear Editor,
I am saying from the outset that the contents proffered in this missive are not meant to offend anyone, whether in Government or in Opposition, or any organisation or as an individual. Rather, it is intended for all to have a mature discussion on the problems facing the country, and its present and future direction. Facts, truth, and our conscience, and not falsehoods or parochialism, should be our guide in a frank and serious discussion.
It is a fact that His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali is loved by the people all over the country, and that since taking office in August 2020, he has done a stupendous job in laying the foundation for a bright and prosperous Guyana for all Guyanese. Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips has, on several outreaches, stated that the primary goal of President Dr. Ali’s Government is to improve the lives of the poor, and develop Guyana to such an extent that no one would be excluded or left out.
As Guyanese, we have been blessed by the Creator with an abundance of natural resources; we have more than all the countries of the Caribbean combined. Along with gold, bauxite, timber, rice, sugar and pristine rainforests, Guyana is sanctified with the recent discovery of huge reserves of oil, and this has dominated the economy and has increased its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to a level never seen before in the country or in the Caribbean. With oil revenues averaging over US$1 billion annually, metaphorically speaking, the country seems to be operating on all its cylinders.
Lest we forget, Guyana is also a land of many waters, six races, and boasts the Kaieteur Falls – the highest single-drop waterfall in the world. That said, in under three years, President Ali’s government has provided more than 20,000 house lots to the residents, built more than 1000 houses for first-time homeowners, and it seems that the 50,000 jobs promised by President Ali during the campaign will be achieved on or before 2025.
Additionally, Government has succeeded in attracting foreign and local investments, and is in the process of modernising the age-old infrastructure, building new roads, improving education and health care, and has furnished rice farmers with free manure and more acreage of land to increase their yield and reap a bountiful harvest. But, more importantly, as announced by Minister of Agriculture Mr. Zulfikar Mustapha, the Rose Hall Sugar Factory which was shuttered by the Granger Administration is scheduled to reopen in October 2023.
With these countless achievements, coupled with the huge discoveries of oil, there is no doubt that President Dr. Ali, Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips, and the Cabinet have placed Guyana in a unique position globally, and have made it the envy of the Caribbean and its Latin American neighbours.
While many have applauded the Government for all its accomplishments, some have sensed that something is amiss in the country, especially since there has been a massive exodus of qualified youths to the Caribbean and North America. Statistics have shown that some 12,000 persons, including 85 percent of youths with degrees from the University of Guyana, are leaving or have left the shores of Guyana annually. Many have cited the low wages/salaries paid to workers as one of the reasons for the brain drain never seen before in Guyana, not even during the reign of the PNC, when there was a ban on toiletries and key food items to sustain life.
Another reason cited by the youths is the nascent and unfashionable victimisation and discrimination based on race or ethnicity. It should be clear to all and sundry that our youths are not prepared to accept the discrimination and victimisation meted out to their parents and grandparents decades ago because of their race or political affiliation.
It is my conviction that these issues must be addressed to allay the fears of our youths, who are 66 percent of the population. We are in the 21st century, and there should be no place in society for victimisation, discrimination, and petty politics. These decades-old issues cannot be ignored or swept under the rug; they must be addressed to ensure that peace and tranquility prevail in the country. This is the gut-wrenching reality all of us must face to help promote unity and President Dr. Ali’s “One Guyana” initiative.
As Guyanese, we must be true to ourselves, and not apportion blame to any organisation, group, or person, but endeavour to end victimisation and discrimination, and strive for unity. We should not be afraid of the challenges.
It is said that no country can be developed without its most precious youths, who are the future of the country. While the time has come to reconcile what is happening, many of our youths have felt restricted and left out of the political and policy decision-making processes. Others are of the opinion that political power has changed the civil dynamics in the country, and that they are being dictated to, frowned upon, talked down to, and ostracised by some in authority.
In a democracy, people – regardless of race, ethnicity or party affiliation – should be free to express their views and vote for the party of their choice without fear of reprisal or victimisation. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, pronounced in Article 21 that everyone has the right to vote for a party of his or her choice, without fear of reprisals or victimisation.
We must acknowledge that we are, first and foremost, Guyanese; and, as such, we are our brothers and sisters’ keepers. But, most importantly, we are all God’s children, created in his own image and likeness. So, as part of the human family resident in Guyana, I am appealing to all to please stop the victimisation and discrimination, and unite, love, and respect one another as one people, one nation, with one destiny.

Sincerely,
Dr Asquith Rose