Clarion call for peace and reconciliation

Dear Editor,
You were kind enough to publish recently an open letter from me to the President asking him to respect the will of the electorate. That letter, on being uploaded on my media page, gained enormous support from the Guyanese diaspora, many commenting on how timely it was knowing that large sections of our brothers and sisters continue to be in a state of acute anxiety through not being prepared by their political leaders to accept that, in a healthy democracy, there must be winners and losers.

Those of us in the diaspora, in particular in the UK, who have been promoting peace and reconciliation dialogue, supporting work that is being done in Guyana, have been heartened by public statements from leading figures associated with the current Administration, urging for there to be an acceptance of the winners of the elections. In the current heightened tense situation, the reported comments, in particular from Mr Khemraj Ramjattan, the Administration’s holder of responsibility for public security, to leaders and staff within his department, is most encouraging as it suggests not only the ready acceptance of the democratic processes but, more importantly, it signals to concerned citizens that there is an ongoing commitment to effective security and impartiality regardless of whoever is in Government.

These are good signs which must be applauded as we seek to break down misinformation, barriers to cohesion and move on in a peaceful and conciliatory manner to take cognisance of the health and mental wellbeing of a troubled population.

Yours truly,
Peter Ramrayka