MY Guyanese people, today I am hoping for a change, a change in our view of each other and our community.

Abraham Lincoln gracefully said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
There are billions of people in this world, hundreds of thousands within our nation, each with uniqueness and opposing view on fundamental aspects of life. Normally, dissimilarities create division and occasional conflict. However, we tend to forget that we all have one common goal – the betterment of our country and its people. This is what brings forth unity.

Opposing views are okay, it is quite easy to agree with others but it takes real strength and courage to respectfully disagree. We truly gain more from unity among opposing views as there as twice as many opinions, three times as many skills, four times as much information, five times as many opportunities and so one.

We learn about extended experiences, values and traditions. This means that the most uniting forces are not laws, constitutions, organisations, roads or buildings but people and their willingness to unify.

One People, One Nation, One Destiny means that Guyana is an independent nation but we are not independent of each other. It takes unity despite opposing views to run your household, to make your businesses function, to create programs to teach in schools so why would you expect any less from a country and its people? Successful entities hire people with different specialities, different backgrounds, different kinds and levels of education and with all that diversity, it thrives. It builds tolerance towards the different and even the difficult.

Without unity, there is no growth, integrity, freedom and definitely no patriotism.
Education, something that doesn’t always happen in a classroom, is always the answer. Many times, basic interaction generates massive education. Allowing differences of opinions/clearing of misconceptions to be respectfully expressed while ridding discomfort, judgement and stigma removes inequality and other social issues like racial discriminations and gender disparity while promoting unity. Guyana, we are internationally admired for our racial and cultural diversity yet these are just a few of the factors which divide us. No team has ever won a game without team spirit with a united front. We want our cricket and football teams to excel yet we don’t independently practice what it takes for a country to win.

Right now, sadly, I do not think we are Guyanese, we are people living in Guyana broken into fragments of what could be. We are denying ourselves safety, cooperation, identity, and the sense of cohesion which effectively help to achieve common goals. How good would it be if Guyana was actually self-reliant?

Don’t just appreciate everyone’s ideas and opinions, validate them. Unless they are directly causing harm, not doing this will result in underachievement on both ends as it closes the possibility to open and honest communication – essential in unity. This creates a solid foundation which can actually rid crises, economic deficiencies, illiteracy, poverty and a wide range of other social ills. It also promotes not only the social but also the country’s economic and political development.

Remember that helping one another ensures that no one is ever left alone in adversity. Unity equals good guidance, proper growth and true development. It provides a constant source of positive motivation and greater accomplishment.

While many factors contribute to the overall development of a country, national unity is the most vital. Let’s stay together and help support one another in times of adversities and privileges’.  “Unity is Strength” and “United we stand, divided we fall”, are common phrases and are true to their every word. Can you really love a nation without loving all its citizens?

Thank you for reading and please continue to write in to caitlinvieira@gmail.com and let me know what you would like to talk about.

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