AS Guyanese continue to celebrate the arrival of first oil here, Minister of Health Volda Lawrence has made an impassioned plea to the religious community and society at large for more messages of unity and oneness.

She made the call while delivering the feature address at a religious function titled “Destroying the Spirit of Racism”, held Sunday at the National Cultural Centre.
The event saw performances from by renowned psalmist Samuel Medas, and other gospel singers, including Trenacia Esseboom, and Ken Clarke. There was also a hope-inspiring piece by dancers from the Cathleen Smith’s Ministries, in addition to poetry, and scripture readings. Emcee was Pastor Terrence Esseboom.

Minister Lawrence lauded the event for being timely and tackling a serious issue.
“It’s mind-blowing that we would be here bringing down all of the angels of heaven to help us to destroy the spirit of racism,” Minister Lawrence said.

“Even as we pray to destroy the spirit of racism, we have to pray for something else,” she said, “because the nation has had a dream. We are a nation whose foreparents would’ve spoken about our richness, and passed on but never witnessed that richness.”
Quoting from Guyana’s national song “Hymn for Guyana’s Children”, Minister Lawrence said that it is time for us “to teach ourselves that we are one.”

“It says ‘With humble hearts and heads bowed down, in thanks for each new day of toil, we kneel before thine altar Lord’. The verses are so telling,” she elaborated.
While underscoring the importance of ‘first oil’ to Guyana, Minister Lawrence said that as much as many are celebrating, there are those who are out to dampen the significance of the celebration by spreading negativity.

“They have not been able to understand their value as Guyanese, because of this force that has suddenly sprung up. Everybody is an expert; and that cannot be natural alone. If we believe in God, we ought to understand this walk that we’re walking,” she said.

Noting that President Granger is doing his best to ensure that systems are in place to ensure the proper management of Guyana’s newest resource, Minister Lawrence said:
“This is beyond our imagination. The people who have oil understand, so indeed we need a soldier to protect Guyana; to protect the country’s patrimony, and to ensure the protection of finite hydrocarbon resources. This is over the top for many Guyanese, but there is a spirit to block this joy. From the first day that well was declared, we saw a feeling of negativity,” she said.

President David Granger last Friday declared December 20 as ‘National Petroleum Day’ as he simultaneously announced the production of first oil.

American oil giant, ExxonMobil became the first company to pump oil for commercial purposes in Guyana, as production begun at the Liza-1 well, after previous estimations initially placed first oil in the first quarter of 2020.

The President said that the proclamation will remind Guyanese “of our duty to protect the country’s patrimony, and to ensure the sustainable management of finite hydrocarbon resources.”

Delivering the closing remark at last Sunday’s event, Pastor Whitefield White of Barbados underscored the need for Guyanese to fight against racism.

“It’s a spirit we have to pray desperately against. It will rise up, and it will come at all angles. Racism may come, and jealousy will be there, but we have to cure and cast out the spirit of racism,” he said.