By Melina Harris
THE theme for our Jubilee anniversary celebrations could not be more apt. The 50th republic anniversary theme; “Guyana Together – reflect, celebrate and transform”, I believe, perfectly captures the sentiments of the citizenry at this point in Guyanese history. Although we are in the final weeks of elections season, I still stand behind my initial observations; mainly that, Guyanese are campaigning for unity and prosperity in 2020. Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen massive crowds gathering all across the nation to rally behind their political parties and even though our politics might differ, we have remained unified in respecting each other’s views. I am also certain that this elections season has been one of the most peaceful we have had in decades.

So what does this theme really mean? At the launch of the 50th Republic Anniversary celebrations on October 26 2019, Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, explained the theme thus; “Reflect emphasises the need for us to reminisce from whence we came, and acknowledge the struggles and sacrifices our ancestors made for us to get here. Celebrate refers to our innate ‘Guyaneseness’ to mark every milestone. Transform signifies the need for us to take Guyana to the next level. It speaks to the future, the decade of development and our country’s move to becoming a Green State.”

Guyanese are often reticent about reflecting on our past. Although there is so much to love about Guyana, like many post-colonial nations, reflections on the past are marred by brutality, oppression and violence. Consequently, the hard fought struggle to break free from those regimes brings back painful memories. I however, believe that there is much more to be gained when reflecting on our past. Guyanese history tells the story of our ancestors who, against all odds, fought and strived for many of the freedoms we now enjoy. Their resilience and resolute goal to emancipate themselves from physical, social and economic bondage is awe inspiring and evokes a great sense of pride. Our ancestors, wherever they might have come from, understood the value of freedom and fought with everything they had, to ensure that their descendants would, one day, be able to take their rightful place in this world.

“Guyana is not a real place” is a statement I often say on a daily basis. This paradoxical statement can be read in a positive or negative light, depending on the day one is having in Guyana. Guyana to most Guyanese is a veritable paradise; rich in culture, sunshine, pristine natural beauty and a sense of freedom that is hard to find in most places in the world. Yet, on a bad day, Guyana can be hellish. But like most Guyanese, I have come to accept that certain things are uniquely Guyanese and it is perhaps that “Guyaneseness” that is so alluring. The unmistakable Guyanese sense of humour and “island vibe” way of life are as Guyanese as pepperpot and bread on Christmas morning.

Our similarities far outweigh our differences in Guyana and I have always felt that more of us need to realise that. We have to become more comfortable with celebrating our uniqueness because it really is one of our defining characteristics as a people and nation. For instance, one thing every Guyanese can agree on is our love of food. We are totally and completely spoiled to have so much fresh, unique, unusual beautiful fruits and vegetables available in abundance to us. We also have plentiful varieties of seafood and wild meats, for the more adventurous among us. The proverbial cherry on top comes from the way in which our various peoples combine these ingredients to create dishes that are loved by all. In Guyana, everybody eats from everybody’s pot.

Our capacity for transformation is boundless. With the right type of leadership, Guyana has the potential to be become a Cinderella story, a true fairy-tale. We have always had that potential but like many other young nations, we have sometimes faltered. However, as we start to make our way through this “decade of development”, we are already starting to see the buds of prosperity take form. For instance, Guyana’s tourism industry, though fairly young, is already starting to make huge contributions to the local economy. It was estimated that in 2019, the sector raked in some GYD$66B. Tourism, along with the rice and construction industries, contributed to economic growth of 4.7 per cent for 2019, the highest growth rate since 2014.

It is high time we take Guyana to the next level indeed, for there is no greater waste than wasted potential. The present administration’s plan to turn Guyana into a ‘green’ state, education nation, digital state and petroleum nation is ambitious and stands up to scrutiny.

All of the ingredients are present to turn these plans into a solid reality. Guyana has always been a ‘green’ state and we are only now seeing the importance and benefits of having preserved our protected areas and unspoiled rainforests manifest through success with tourism. Guyana has always excelled in education, producing many great talents, dispersed throughout the world. The Education nation would however transform Guyanese potential to become true world leaders. The potential is there and the need to nurture our young and future innovators is already being felt. The digital state and petroleum nation are fairly new concepts but I believe they present the opportunity for Guyana to get things right from the start. We have to ensure that our resources are protected, properly managed and that the benefits deriving from their proper exploitation are felt by the entire citizenry, from the coast through to the hinterlands.

By the time this goes to print, we would have revelled and danced through the streets of Georgetown in true Guyanese style. I hope that as we move further into this year, we continue to embody the theme of this most auspicious year. Let us reflect, celebrate and transform Guyana.