THE Irfaan Ali-led administration is determined to pursue peaceful means to conflict resolution and the perseverance of the government is seemingly bearing fruit.
A recent visit to Buxton by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, elicited an appreciation by the once-besieged village; and a productive engagement where developmental and restoration ideas were shared and promises made for the resuscitation of that community to its former glory days, making agriculture one of its main developmental planks.
Increasingly fewer persons are heeding calls for protest actions against the months-old government as Guyanese across all the divides are recognising that the current administration is strategising to create synergies to incrementally, as and when funds become available, enhance the quality of life of all the citizens of the land.

Every Saturday AG Nandlall schedules, within a busy calendar, time to listen to the people’s concerns and problems and subsequently find solutions and/or proffer advice on the way forward for anyone seeking resolution to problems.

Every human being aspires for a good, if not luxurious life for themselves and offspring; and the help and facilitation to better lives the government has promised is being delivered to every citizen – without fear or favour, even in the most remote regions.

The reality of the current government’s determination to enhance the lives and lifestyles of every Guyanese citizen, with none left behind, is slowly beginning to be absorbed into the minds of the sceptics and the disbelieving; most of whom have been misled into believing allegations that have no merit against the leadership of the government. The nation is increasingly responding to the overtures of the administration, as is evident by the rapport shared by the Agriculture Minister and the residents of Buxton.

Guyanese are above all a religious and gregarious people, united in times and things that matter; and nowhere is this more evident than when we celebrate and observe our national holidays, when we share our gifts and delicacies with neighbours and friends – Diwali, Phagwah, Easter, Eid-ul-Adha, Youman Nabi and Christmas — are all celebrated on a national scale. All our religions have a common message of peace, love and God’s overarching love for the family of humanity.

Government’s perseverance to achieving peace in the land is prevailing in the national landscape. If, as a nation, we reflect on the underlying messages that are the threadwork of each religion in Guyana and then decide on our focus for the future for ourselves as individuals; and also as responsible citizens of this nation, we would recognise that our foremost priority should be on the upward mobility of national developmental graphs. This could only be achieved and sustained if there is unity in the land; and a recognition that fighting between ourselves is retrograde at every level of individual and national development.

In local parlance, ‘it takes two hands to clap’, and while the government can make monies available and create synergies and policies for development, this cannot eventuate optimally if there is constant bickering in the National Assembly by national leaders and strategies formulated to impede the development momentum that will catalyse Guyana on a trajectory that will lead to faster and expanded economic growth and greater social development.

Many Guyanese attend mosques, temples and churches during festive seasons. These occasions impel need for reflection on the spiritual aspect of these celebrations; and one wonders whether this customary attendance at houses of worship during these festivities are prompted by merely ritualistic adherence to the mores of tradition, a fashion parade, a social outing; or whether the actual spirit of each religious holiday will be observed with the solemn consideration of the uplifting connotations inherent in the observances of these significant holidays, or holy days.