— young politician

Guyanese should tone down the rhetoric, stop fighting because of ethnicity or party politics and instead focus on solving the problems facing the country, Attorney James Anthony Bond has said.

The political rhetoric gathered steam on December 21 when AFC Member of Parliament Charrandass Persaud voted in favour of a no-confidence motion, ensuring its passage in the National Assembly.

Private Citizen Compton Reid has since filed proceedings in the High Court challenging the no-confidence vote. Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire, who hears constitutional matters, is expected to set a date for hearing.

“I think it should go beyond the no-confidence motion. Charrandass is a blessing in disguise; this should not just stop at a no-confidence motion or choosing a date for elections, why not collaborate on issues of oil and gas, collaborate on issues of youths, collaborate on issues of national development, why not let’s get together for a conversation and sort things out,” Bond said.

Bond said he is looking for a greater future for his family and all Guyanese.
“I do not like what Guyana looks like, it looks nasty, I am tired fighting, I am at the age where I just want to build my country, it’s good to see the leaders leading by example. I advise all Guyanese to tone down the rhetoric, you don’t need to fight on the grounds of who is Indian, who is Black and who is PNC or PPP; that is nonsense, we don’t need that, put your heads together and see what is the solutions to the problems we face, and that is a better fight for me,” he said.

Describing the recent meeting between President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo as a step in the right direction, Bond said the leaders realise that Guyana should be placed on the front burner instead of party politics.

“We all had our suspicions and most of us would have thought that the dialogue would have gone left field, that there would have been excessive demands on the government due to the calls emanating from the opposition circles, but it appears that once the parties got together, Guyana came first,” the PNC executive said.

Underscoring that the exceptional outcome in dialogue should motivate Guyanese, Bond said putting Guyana first is putting all the people first.

“We have been given a number of opportunities to change course; if you look at our history we have had a number of opportunities to put Guyana first, to always look for the best in the country, to always look for the best and the brightest amongst us and issues of fair play and the equitable distribution of wealth. We have had the opportunities, but now it appears that we are ready to seize them and what better time than now when Guyana is going to be one of the richest countries in this hemisphere that we find opposition and government working together,” Bond asserted.

He noted that for Guyana to succeed, the distrust between races must be addressed and everyone must see themselves first as Guyanese. “I am Guyanese, my race does not matter”.

Bond acknowledged that race and politics for the most part go hand-in-hand and has been the sole reason for the distrust within the political processes.
He explained that the idea of national growth is sustained and enjoyed when all groups and interests share national resources and national responsibilities.