— Minister Frank Anthony
“Little wonder that in the quest to establish historicity, each transplanted group has resorted to chronicling their arrival as if the chronological sequence in arriving will give each a greater claim to a Guyanese identity. There is no lesser or greater claim – we are all Guyanese and our history is our common legacy.” – Dr. Frank Anthony
THE time has come when Guyanese need to think more about their commonalities and less about their differences, according to Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony.

“We need to look at the bigger picture, the shared values, the shared culture, the shared sports, the shared space, the shared relationships, rather than regressing into our ethnic cocoons”, he said.

Speaking on the issue of a Guyanese identity in a lecture series hosted by the Indian High Commission in Guyana, he said if Guyanese are “defined by what we share, we will be able to harness our diversity into a common purpose so that our country can flourish.”

He referred to a recent speech by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown who said, “It is also obvious to me that the nations that will meet and master global change best are not just those whose governments make the right long term decisions on stability, science, trade and education, but whose people come together and share a common view of the challenges and what needs to be done, forge a united and a shared sense of purpose about the long term sacrifices they are prepared to make and the priorities they think important for national successes.”

Anthony argued, “We need not only to rethink how we view ourselves as Guyanese but how others view us.”

“Have we thought about our place in the global community, where are we now and where we will want to be in the future? These soul searching questions should also allow for some introspection on our responsibilities as citizens”, he said.

The minister advocated that citizenship must not be treated lightly or taken for granted.

He said: “As citizens of Guyana it is necessary that we understand that each of us has a part to play in our community, in our region and in our country. We must see it as a duty and obligation to make our contribution, and at the same time we must also be able to enjoy the advantages of being Guyanese. The practice of citizenship is not a one way street — it requires forging of a more contemporary relationship between state, community and individual.”

He noted that becoming good citizens does not mean that there will be agreement on everything, but “what it means is that we must be able to tolerate views and beliefs that might be different from ours.”

Great societies, he pointed out, are able to cope with differences by allowing discussions and debates, by participation and engagement and by channelling the outcomes into a constructive effort.

“The contemporary Guyanese mind must focus on our similarities, living in the same lovely native land, the happy circumstance of peaceful coexistence and the shrewd, sometimes humorous strategies to cope with life’s economic and political challenges of the land of his birth.”

Guyanese citizenship is not a one man show but a community affair, he offered, adding that Guyanese should be offering leadership by volunteering in their communities.

“We must not isolate ourselves from our communities; we can influence the community as much as the community can influence us. Guyanese identity and citizenship is not just about the passport – it is about what we do for ourselves and community”, he said.

He stated that Guyanese today are fortunately not refugees or displaced subjects running from violence and oppression.

“Today’s Guyanese are not physically or mentally starved as others domiciled in so many hostile locations on this planet. Today’s Guyanese enjoy varied educational opportunities, giving him or her, indeed, the aspiration, the power to forge a common destiny.”

Anthony said that while “we cannot erase history and the role the dominant cultures play in propagating differences…we must not allow this toxic legacy to retard our development.”

“The contemporary Guyanese mind must focus on our similarities, living in the same lovely native land, the happy circumstance of peaceful coexistence and the shrewd, sometimes humorous strategies to cope with life’s economic and political challenges of the land of his birth”, he affirmed.

He declared that in seeking to discover and define the Guyanese Identity, “we have much in common — the inheritance of a spirit of resistance to tyranny; the will and attitude to survive in a hostile global world of natural and human-related disasters and crises; the affinity to some form of religion and faith, the love of laughter, humour, sport and the daily preference to live in peace.”

“Our diversity is truly blessed with the overwhelming COMMONALITIES we share. Whether you are at home or abroad, one experiences the Guyaneseness — that spirit of hope and sharing, and our legendary hospitality”, he said.

He noted that the hegemonic colonial culture taught Guyanese how to interpret their history, not holistically, but conveniently highlighting choice dates while suppressing whole cultures.

“Little wonder that in the quest to establish historicity, each transplanted group has resorted to chronicling their arrival as if the chronological sequence in arriving will give each a greater claim to a Guyanese identity”, he noted but added, “There is no lesser or greater claim – we are all Guyanese and our history is our common legacy.”