At the start of the campaign leading up to the May 11 elections, there were many talks from people across the racial and political divide as to how close the results would have been.
And yet there were those who were adamant that the party they supported would have won; but they too did not know how close it would have been.The real worry however, was what happens the day after? This question was asked to several of the politicians who were seeking office and even ordinary citizens mindful of pre and post elections violence that has dogged this nation over the years. No big words, no empty name dropping. Just clear talk, with the kind of simplicity that takes real work. When there was a change of government, the expectations were high indeed. We, the people, expected immediate change, immediate results. If we had scored 9.9 out of 10, it would seem as if we had failed. Disillusionment and cynicism are just a heartbeat away and the greater our hope, the deeper will be the resentment if that hope fails.

In his first speech to the 11th Parliament President David Granger spoke about the fact that his Government recognises that our fore-parents came from four continents, that we, their heirs and successors must resolve to work together to pursue the ideal of making Guyana ‘One Nation.’ He emphasised that “we must, in so doing, combine our efforts, concentrate our energy and endeavour to defeat the real enemies of our people – crime, disease, ignorance and poverty.”
Above all he also spoke about the elimination of ethnic insecurity; the expansion of economic enterprise; the enrichment of cultural life and the deepening of national consciousness. It is clear from the President’s pronouncements that his intention is to forge a more cohesive society, but amid his aspiration there are those who use their influence in newspapers in columns and letters to incite division that only harm this nation.

They write about “ethnic cleansing” and “racialist hegemony” and all manner of things that we ordinary folk will never understand. This endless bellow, this self-admiration, this foolish arrogance-all of this from so-called academics while the ordinary people try to survive from day to day, wondering from whence cometh the next meal for their children and for themselves.

They turn us against each other, but they are quite comfortable. They complain about not being able to visit a friend, while others hearts break from hearing their children cry out from hunger. They write about “Indian” this and “African” that while our people reach across picket fences passing eggs and getting vegetables in return. Gifts give. Gifts received. We the people seldom look at skin colour or pigmentation. We, the people, know that we are one people under God.

Our cohorts of politicians on both sides of the House are comprised of several well-intentioned people, but sound and well-worked-through ideas are hard to come by. Our well-intentioned politicians need to speak with our citizens, for polite talking and careful listening can yield dividends beyond the measure, benefitting all of us. Screaming and shouting yields nothing except noise. And noise hurts, but then evaporates into nothingness. It is important that we all understand that intensity or passionate feeling may be better conveyed with a whisper than with a loud bray. Shakespeare’s Othello said, in speaking to the senators of Venice: “Rude am I in my speech…”. But his language was poetic. And he was the most “lowly” of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes–a mere general.

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