Social cohesion officer encourages

By Telesha Ramnarine 

SHONELLE Smith-Daniels is a beautiful, feisty, young politician, who says she believes in treating everyone equally irrespective of their race or the type of work that they do. She grew up with relatives who instilled in her the importance of being respectful to everyone she meets.

And it is this upbringing that makes Shonelle very passionate about the issue of racism in Guyana, and that makes her dream of a time when it will end.
“I want to see racism ended. I don’t believe it is impossible. That’s all I would like to see. If we could have that, I think everything else will fall into place,” she expressed during an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine a few days ago.

Shonelle, who looks way younger than 37, has been a ‘Georgetown girl’ all her life, although she has her roots in New Amsterdam, Berbice, where she was born.

Her vibrant personality makes it easy for her to carry out her functions as Georgetown City Councillor for Constituency Nine (Lodge/Meadow Brook), and further, as a social cohesion officer for Region Four at the Ministry of the Presidency.

“I love what I do because I get to meet different people. It’s exciting meeting them,” Shonelle said, adding, “I am someone who cares about everyone despite their race, gender, colour, creed; and I want everyone to look at each other as equal. I don’t look down on anyone, anyone!”

Shonelle said nothing matters more to her than receiving the respect she knows she deserves. “Respect for me is the biggest thing. You meet someone and they ask where you work. Why? Because they want to judge you from that; that’s how they know how to treat you. I’m not that type of person. I can care less about what you do for work. I grew up with my grandmother who always taught me, you don’t know who is going to give you a cup of water. So I don’t disrespect anyone; I love people.”

‘The Silly Season’

Shonelle can still recall the days her grandmother would take her to meetings that the People’s National Congress (PNC) would hold under the late President Forbes Burnham.
“I am a very active member of the PNC. I was actually born into it, but I like the policies and they have a vision and that’s why I remained. I want to make a change and I see a change being made with the party,” she expressed.

But Shonelle has not always had an interest in politics and remembers the days when she thought that voting made no sense. “Growing up as a teenager I would say I don’t have time with voting,” she said, but things took a change for her when she got her daughter, Tamera, and realised that she wanted a bright future for her. Her son Tevon was later born.

“I actually got a party card when I was about 18 and I decided to stay with the PNC because of what they had to offer in terms of their vision. I wasn’t even working when I got her and couldn’t get a job. In fact, there were so many other persons who couldn’t get a job although we were studying, and that’s when I got really serious about making a change,” she said. “People call this the silly season [elections period], but there is no silly season for me, because at the end of the day, we are all Guyanese. That’s how I see it,” she said.