Congress Place and Freedom House have got to hold a national day of peace

Dear Editor,

It seems abundantly, though unfortunately clear that our political struggle can no longer be settled by the ballot box as can now be seen.

We as a nation have been divided long before our Independence in 1966. We are divided ethnically along party lines, one side PPP and the other PNC with the fringe parties forever trying to break the deadlock albeit without any success.

We the Guyanese people are caught not in the middle but in the chaos which manifests as major disruption to our nation and will continue to be for what looks like a long time to come.

The unfortunate thing is that the 2020 elections have brought these ugly realities into focus in a much more frightening way.

The very system that we have developed to oversee our elections is now attacking us in an unprecedented way in its attempt to favour one side to again take control against the will of the people.

After independence one side ruled, dictated and controlled the destiny of our country for 26 years. Following the untimely death of its leader, our fortunes took a more moderate turn which eventually led to free and fair elections.

In 1992 the other side got its break and ran the country for another period of 23 years laying fears on the former that they may never see that high office ever again.

In 2015 came a break and the whole country rejoiced when not the old PNC but the new APNU along with its fresh and what appeared to be their partner for change AFC.

As was widely assumed, the 2020 elections were likely to swing once again in favour of the PPP, a situation which many on the other side obviously would find unpalatable.

To guard against this, a plan, as now appears evident, seems to have been put into place to frustrate any such outcome but it lacked opacity and was exposed eventually by all observers local and overseas.

This begs the question as to what can we do to end this distrust among two groups who need each other but fail to acknowledge each’s importance in the mix of things. Guyana is now in  checkmate and to overturn the board in vexation will not change the outcome but rather set the two sides going for the jugular of the other with the hope that one will give-in.

Guyanese of all ethnic groups are caught in this endless immature and futile battle for superiority.

It will not end with this or any other letter or opinion no matter how convincing they may be, it has to be something of much greater substance like a Mandela-type plan by our leaders which must have at its core great will and honour.

Congress Place and Freedom House have got to hold a national day of peace with activities that will bring both sides together not particularly at a table but in a more informal way to speak candidly on all the issues which set them apart. Talking separately in their own corners will not do anything to help.  The parties must have a” Peace Party” ending with a pledge to give all Guyanese their sincere undertaking that they are the only ones who can pull this off together.

I like most Guyanese of every political persuasion, ethnicity or religious grouping am tired regardless of what each say among themselves.

They must help us to make the word Guyanese mean something rather than Afro, Indo, Purto, Chino or Mixo.  It must mean out of many one.

This is a time of enormous stress for Guyanese with COVID-19 and unsettled elections. We do not need another protest in this situation, all we need is good old common sense. Surely we still have some left.

Yours faithfully,

B. Ramsay