BY MICHAEL YOUNGE
ON Tuesday, Guyana celebrates its 51st Anniversary as a Republic at a time of great international socio-economic uncertainty and political divisiveness.

These problems are made, much more complex, by the current COVID-19 Pandemic which has engulfed the world infecting 110M persons and killing 2.44M people or more worldwide.

Added to this health emergency, politicians across the world are wreaking havoc to some of the most sacred and ancient organisations that exist in the modern world to regulate their access to power and wealth in the developed, developing and underdeveloped economies.

Coupled with this, Guyana at the turn of its semicentennial anniversary had to co-exist in a world where the dynamics of climate change were changing so rapidly, with the bigger countries not doing enough to stop it, and change course by using their renewable and non-renewable energy more sustainably.

At home, Guyana found itself dealing with those three critical issues listed above, in addition, to the normal challenges of building a more cohesive and multicultural society where the distribution of wealth reaches every citizen, thereby creating the necessary changes in the standard of living.

Already, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government elected to office in August of last year understands this very well. Afterall, they waited five months to get into power, and an even longer time to deliver the change that was so badly needed to confront the second and third problems mentioned specifically above.
This is not to say that A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change Government, was not trying but they had the policy mixture all wrong. And the officials who were charged with implementing these piece-meal policies were not making any real or tangible progress to say the least.

So, it took a new mind in the person of President, Dr Irfaan Ali to inspire the right policies initiative to bolster change in the right direction. This wasn’t hard because the President was a minister already and served under the watchful eyes of then President Bharrat Jagdeo who is still very integral in Government, even after being named the ‘Champion of the Earth’ for his work on climate affairs internationally.

President Ali seems committed to realising the full climate pact and all the policies needed to produce a cleaner energy base for generations to come. The environment will play a critical role in ensuring Guyana’s development of oil, gas and its other natural resources. These must be done in the most sustainable manner if we are expected to continue reaping the benefits for generations to come.

Similarly, the same zeal is needed when dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government has been doing a remarkable job in tackling this issue in a transparent and open manner that is leading more people to get lined up for testing. The policy initiatives adumbrated have even reached those who had doubts about the wearing of masks, hand-washing and other steps taken to prevent a COVID-19 health crisis. Now with the advent of the vaccine, the authorities need to secure enough doses for the population. President Ali has already taken up this mantle and more work needs to be done in tackling the frontline workers who still have issues related to their working conditions which will be addressed in short order by the ministers responsible.

And finally, the political divisiveness which must be addressed as Guyana marks its 51st anniversary. This nonsense must end when we are dealing with our nation’s development and patrimony. We must never be a part of acts which can lead to our patriotic right being called into question.

There must be “oneness” as the President referred to it in our nation. That is why, the Commission which was announced a few days ago is being seen as taking a step in the right direction.

And though it will seem highly unlikely, there must be ethnic solidarity as well as unity against those politicians that seem to pit us apart because they are not getting their way in the halls of our National Assembly. The budget debates scheduled after Mashramani will prove this point when the politicians stand to speak. As the public prepare for a very spirted and lively debate, it must decipher truth from the untruths that will be told in the Assembly.

As Guyana is now beaming with the hope and a new dawn, let us celebrate the things that make us “one” and truly Guyanese. Let us be thankful that we are not going through the motion with having a puppet or caretaker government but one that’s strong, effective and decisive when it matters the most.