By Rabindra Rooplall

REGARDLESS of location, Catholics consider the breakdown of family structures and challenges within the home to be a key driver of injustice and violence in Guyana. This is according to a social study by the Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Georgetown, Guyana. The report entitled, “Reconciliation and Trust” was released this week and highlights key findings emerging from the engagement process with Catholics and Catholic groups across the country.
According to the study, in comparison to violence, racism is experienced at a notably higher level, even accounting for the perception of racism (it is harder to merely perceive violence, in contrast), the fact that almost half of the respondents experienced racism in the past year is cause for worry.
“It is true that this data was collected in the months immediately ahead of a national election and we cannot say whether the identified level of experienced racism correlates with race-based electoral politics. Still, we know that racism is a problem in Guyana and this finding confirms it to be a problem for Catholics,” the study stated.
Catholics also felt that Guyanese had become exceedingly greedy, selfish, envious, ambitious, individualistic and materialistic, with a resultant emphasis on individual progress at the expense of others.

Growing Disrespect
“There is thus a dangerous and growing disrespect for each other, with discrimination growing along ethnic, gender and other lines. This attitude to life has produced greater inequalities among citizens, who increasingly use all means possible (as opposed to all means permissible) to progress in life.”
The report further noted that in the hinterland, there was further concern that impunity was growing, that there was no real fear of punishment for wrongdoing. To some extent, this was due to ignorance and the inability of religious groups to provide much more than an “opium” effect. It was also due to a breakdown in local governance structures, including the police, and a lack of accountability to the citizens for the quality of service delivery.
To begin, the study disclosed that there is a mutually reinforcing linkage between poverty, levels of education, and violence. This linkage results in, among other things, a lowered spirituality. For another, already weak relationships between family members means that relationships within the community and the nation (and even international relations) will be similarly weak, as people increasingly lack the capacity to relate constructively with each other, particularly across differences.

Growing Up ‘Force Ripe’
Inability to express love or the lack of love within family relationships was also cited. In all of this, children are particularly affected as they lose the innocence of childhood and grow up ‘force ripe’. Families can make a positive contribution to improved justice.
Guyana, the study cited, suffers from social, economic, political and economic conflicts that are manifestly unjust. These conflicts threaten the already weak fabric of the society and are being accompanied by increased inequality, violence and hopelessness.
While the Church has made significant contributions to addressing issues of injustice in Guyana, its record in recent decades does not match the efforts of earlier years.
Gino Persaud and Lawrence Lachmansingh undertook the engagement process and prepared this report, with the support of Commission members and Bishop Francis Alleyne, within a mandate provided by him.