– ‘Heal Guyana’ urges

CRITICISING governments and policies would not be enough to effect changes to key issues affecting Guyanese; but Heal Guyana, a non-profit local organisation, wants each individual to step up and become the ‘instrument’ needed for such change.

Businesswoman and Social Activist, Sharon Lalljee-Richard thought of forming the organisation along with co-founder Arun Sudesh Richard, due to deep concern over the state of Guyana’s “ethnopolitical vulnerabilities” and the apparent loss of will to have certain social problems addressed.

Explaining what she meant by “ethnopolitical vulnerabilities,” Lalljee-Richard told the Pepperpot Magazine, in an interview, that it relates to how politics influence Guyanese, especially as it pertains to ethnic sensitivities and how these are used to cause divisions.
“It is important for our people, the ordinary Guyanese citizen, to understand that they must take their rightful place in national development. In Guyana, we tend to take a very passive approach, leaving all of the major decisions in our country to the Government of the day to conceive and drive forward,” Lalljee-Richard expressed.

“We are now in modern times. We must evolve as citizens to the point where we are no longer just critical of our Governments but we ourselves are willing to become instruments of the changes we need.
By this, she said everyone doesn’t need to be made politicians but must become model citizens and strong advocates who insist on being served by the elected leaders and not the other way around.

“This calls for a more solutions  oriented approach to the issues that affect us. As a matter of urgency, we must do away with blind political loyalty in its many forms and embrace an issues-based approach to holding our leaders accountable,” she said.

NO INCENTIVE TO DO BETTER
Heal Guyana promotes that any politician who realises that regardless of any wrongdoing they will continue to enjoy the benefit of acceptance by a particular ethnic group, will have “absolutely” no incentive to perform at their best and in the interest of others.

“This is where, for decades, we have contributed to our own dilemma when it comes to the corrupt and inefficient leadership we complain about. Our unfortunate culture of ethnic voting over a non-partisan, merit-based approach to evaluating political performance is the single most destructive reality we have brought upon ourselves,” Lalljee-Richard said.
Meanwhile, Heal Guyana, in its research so far, since its establishment in late 2017, has found that Guyanese are most concerned about the issue of racial politics, along with crime and corruption as factors hindering the country’s development.

Since its launch, Lalljee-Richard said a number of ‘public engagement pieces’ has been rolled out by Heal Guyana’s board of directors and wider membership. The organisation has 12 content  contributors  and 89 volunteers. Also sitting on the board are Egbert Alexander Carter and Lawrence Lachmansingh.
“We plan to continue to expand these and other efforts because we are firm believers in a more inclusive, communal approach to positive behaviour change and national development.

We must start with ourselves and when each citizen is made stronger, our country and its leadership will invariably be rendered stronger. Rapid development in Guyana must be a team effort if it is to happen within our lifetime,” expressed Lalljee-Richard.

EXPANDING MEMBERSHIP
Heal Guyana is hoping to extend its membership systematically and to reach out to the private sector and to the citizenry for further voluntary assistance, inclusive of donations in order to continue and expand community efforts.

“A hundred percent of all donations go to the projects themselves. Our directors and members are all volunteers, so no money goes toward paying salaries of officials or personal profits of any kind. As a registered, non-profit organisation, we are governed by strict levels of accountability which includes financial audits.”

Heal Guyana said it makes it a point to use the donations where they count the most. “So far, thousands of Guyanese both locally and within the diaspora have been receptive and we are determined to drive The Heal Guyana initiative forward, regardless of challenges,” Lalljee-Richard said.

“We must press on towards critical thinking and put into practice a new culture of fairness, racial unity, compassion, equality, dignity, respect for our environment, non?violence, integrity and the common cultivation of wisdom within ourselves and each other in order to grow together,” she added.

The organisation can be contacted at www.healguyana.org or on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).