The Founding Fathers, Mothers and Children of the pre-independence society delivered to us, on 26th May 1966, a nation called Guyana.

By their actions, including the institutions that established the nation-state, they have laid the foundation, put up the pillars, enclosed the walls, and put within that space the essentials that would ensure survival and security. We of the present generation, as heirs of their pains, struggles and sacrifices must find it incumbent upon us to build on what they have laid. As society becomes more complex, domestic and foreign, it becomes necessary to build in recognition of the prevailing dynamics, and also to anticipate and plan for future development and protection.

Where this nation continues to debate its history and be preoccupied with who is/are to be blamed for the state of affairs today, if truth be told, those who came before did what they thought was best at the time. It is now our time to build on what we think is best for this nation at this period of our existence, given the resources at our disposal.

It is appropriate to say that, outside of the era of the Guyana National Service, this nation has not had the needed injection of self-sufficiency to drive its people, more particularly the young, to think and dream big, and act in accordance with those dreams. This is not to say that Guyanese lack the capacity and capability to distinguish themselves, or to engage in the necessary struggles and sacrifices to achieve those dreams. No; ever so often, there is news of a student distinguishing him/herself at CXC and CAPE, or besting their Caribbean counterparts in some endeavour.

An overseas-based Guyanese, whose educational foundation was laid here, has been accepted by 21 universities in the United States, inclusive of all its ivy leagues. Four children of Guyanese parentage have won global awards and recognition for a technological security application. Our youth here have created an E-Directory. Others are distinguishing themselves in sports, culture, music and so forth.

There is no shortage of talent within the Guyanese genes pool; yet, within recent years, the concept of development has taken on a different meaning. The society was made to feel that development meant opportunities created for few to cash in at the expense of the people; the disregard for their rights, resources and institutions established to protect them. This is a call to action: Guyanese have to go back to the drawing board and pick up from where their forebears left off. It is not, and never was, an admirable place to find ourselves — blaming others for what is in the past, when the opportunity is present to learn from mistakes, right the wrongs, and build on the achievements.

The challenges this nation faces at the social and political levels will not be fixed overnight. No one is delusional. However, what is expected is that Guyanese stop and take stock of the manner in which we treat each other and start now to address the decline in social grace, etiquette, protocol and civility. A heterogeneous society by its very nature brings with it conflicts, given competing interests, scarce resources, diverse cultural outlook and preferences.

Conflict, while it creates the space for animosity and intolerance, also allows for opportunities for bringing together diverse forces to find, arrive at, and work through consensus. This continues to present a challenge to Guyana and it is not that Guyanese lack the ability to do so. What is evident is the absence of will to make consensus the guiding principle for engagement which is important for forging nationhood. There is no need for spectators to the things considered wrong, equally as it is important to disabuse ourselves of the notion that things will change without our input.