Dear Editor,

THE recent appointment of the new GECOM chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission has created a lot of political controversies recently in our nation.

While I believe that it is a right for people to protest in the streets, I found it very disrespectful, immoral and vulgar behaviour by members of the opposition to take their placards inside of Parliament to heckle and disturb President Granger while he was speaking.

That behaviour of the PPP sets a bad example to the people of this nation and the younger generation.
Whatever disagreements and grievances the members of the PPP have with President Granger can be addressed through debates and dialogues and at the High Court. It’s very wicked and demeaning for these MPs to carry their placards inside of Parliament. It’s clear that they have no respect for authority in Guyana.

What bothers me most is we have a Bishop Juan Edghill who joined the PPP’s immoral bandwagon to heckle the President.
As a Bishop, he ought to have known better and how to answer every man in authority. If Bishop Edghill is reading the Bible he uses to preach then I want to refer him to these scriptures.

Romans 13:1-2, Submission to the authorities. “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”

Our Members of Parliament are behaving worse than folk in the fish market and this fish market politics is not going to take our country anywhere.

Just last week I saw Jagdeo and Bishop Edghill at a church in Berbice, then I saw them at several Hindu mandirs. I am wondering if they were just going there for elections campaign or to hear a sermon. Then these same guys showed up inside of Parliament with their placards to heckle the President. Jesus said: Luke 6:31-33

“Do unto others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.”
Our Motto of Guyana reads: “One People, One Nation, One Destiny,” but I see a lot of racial divisions and power struggles in our country, where there is no love and unity among our political leaders. When I was at university I read some great books by John Maxwell and I wish to quote him below:

“True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned. The only thing a title can buy is a little time — either to increase your level of influence with others or to undermine it. Leadership is influence. Just because someone has a title, doesn’t mean that person is a leader.”
I would like to recommend John Maxwell’s books to the members of the PPP and to our current administration.

”The character of a leader will filter into the entire organisation and its employees. Great character will create potential for a great organisation. But, it all begins with the leader’s heart.”
I think the opposition leader lacks the character to lead our people; they also lack attitude. If both sides of the House would lead this nation forward, they need to work on their characters and attitudes.

They must be morally upright and be men and women of profound integrity. They need to respect each other. Sometimes I hear they address each other as ”Hon. Members.” I wonder how are they addressing the President? It’s my firm view that we need security checks at Parliament to avoid placards as well as knives and guns, lest we have some Parliament massacres, because everyone wants power and they can murder each other to get it.

The key to our success as a nation is love and respect for each other, but that respect must be earned. We must learn simple, insightful ways to interact more positively with others; that will bring great unity and love in our nation. Our politicians should not ridicule each other, but bring out the best in each other as Gandhi said: ” An eye for an eye gives the whole world a blind eye.”

Regards,
Rev. Gideon Cecil