Breaking the journalistic rules of captioning and proper sub-heads, I direct the personalised caption above to my many fans, especially. Not my few foes and detractors, of course.

It is a genuine plea for help; a sincere request for your guidance and counselling with regard to coming to terms with a few (self-imposed) dilemmas and conundrums. Call me, stop me, somehow contact me and teach me how to be flexible and forgiving; how to modify my attitudes toward certain principles I hold dear. Come help me overlook the recent past to be pragmatic in the interest of the nation. In a word, guide me to see the light of healing, "dialogue" and reconciliation, which, frankly speaking, I tend to reject. In their present guises, at least.

You see, I still have difficulty with being Christian in my approach to political mischief of recent vintage; in being Mandela-like where "forgiving-and-forgetting" is concerned. For example, my fans know I have grave difficulty with supporting enterprises which derive their existence from narco-trafficking. My position is when ever, or if ever, I buy in a store, or stay in a hotel, or travel in a vehicle funded by drugs money - knowingly - my moral authority or standing to criticise the evils of drug is compromised. How many upright honest Christians gleefully support the business of the purveyors of narcotic wickedness- Help me, please.

Guide me to ignore the fact that though Prime Minister Samuel Hinds does not have an electric personality reeking of handsome macho charisma, he is, never-the-less, one of the most decent gentlemen - politicians amidst the murky waters of local politics. Two Sundays ago a fellow Stabroek columnist showered praises on Mr Hinds, as a person. I guess he could assist me with continuing to accept Mr Hinds.

I also really yearn for your assistance with accepting the role of all the bi-partisan "Dialogue Committees" spawned by our local political phenomenon named "Dialogue". Teach me to understand and accept the concept and practice of power-sharing - even if fuelled by the menace of destructive protects and demonstrations. Teach me too, to accept that the major opposition's role is to keep the fires of criticism and exposure alight under the government at all times.

And most of all my dear friends, guide me in seeing the wisdom of trying to forget all the post-elections violence, robberies, murders, arson and intimidation provoked and promoted by those who stood to gain from them all - politically. (Or so they thought.) Show me how to overlook the murder of a little boy, the abduction of people for "interrogation" in one political party's compound and the alleged attack on that very party's headquarters one night.

You'll help me to exorcise from my being all my residual hatred I have for the journalistic vulgarities which passed for television, as executed by well-known professional bigots. Show me how to purify my spirit even though I feel that these evil deeds could be re-started and repeated at the at the drop of a cup. I will then appreciate the profound remarks by a young attorney of rising ambitions that journalists didn't or couldn't ever see any criminals in his party's compound. Yes, and when you've assisted me with this personal purging, I will also, I'm sure, be in a position to ignore all my commissioner of police told me recently - about political crimes.

I understand that it's never too late for spiritual guidance. I await your help in the freeing up of my shackled spirit.

Black freedom? Ethnic specific?

Well, after February's African History Month, it's that time of year again. Next Wednesday is Freedom Day in Guyana. I refer to the First-of-August Emancipation Celebrations which herald activities to mark the freeing of African slaves here in 1834 and 1838.

Every time February and August come around I impose upon myself the cynical assignment of questioning the present descendants of Africans in Guyana about just where they are; how and why their status is what it is. I tell them I care not anymore of the numerous firsts the Black man established in the life of this planet. I ask: tell me of the here-and-now.

That's why I'll not dwell this time on the dubious wisdom distilled by a political party by the 1763 Monument in Georgetown. Those political words of wisdom invariably lead to demonstrations and/or destruction. I want to see more Afro-Guyanese importing zinc sheets and cement. Or manufacturing them. Black heritage and pride are inspirationally O.K. but I long for them to own and manage efficiently many means of production.

So today I emphasise the activities of the ethnic specific organisation that is the African Cultural Development Association (ACDA). ACDA is in the habit of distancing itself from political parties no matter how co-incidental objectives might be from time to time. It claims to be "ethnic specific" in that, as its name implies, it seeks to promote all values and virtues African - at least in origin.

More to my liking are these activities: five television programmes - Things African, Small Business Perspectives, Your Health and You, African Perspectives and African Presence. Ambitious and/or exciting too are the ACDA Unit Trust - a savings and loans scheme meant to mobilise funding for small business development. (Here's hoping those funds are saved from the embarrassment of what's taking place at the Middle street financial institution.) After all ACDA still has as an objective the establishment of a full-fledged bank.

Then there are the remedial classes being conducted for under-privileged young people, as well as other skills training projects. All this is soon to be combined and crystallised into a Hadfield street-based centre of learning where those who can't afford the exorbitant CXC fees can benefit from CXC classes and re?writes at modest costs.

Now, 'til next week, I say happy Emancipation ? for the above is the way to go!

******

Dialogue!

1. Let there be no apathy on our borders. Be friendly but be informed and prepared.

2. The issue of the laws printing contract is, to me, the most embarrassing to this government, so far.

3. Justice Donald Trotman told me on TV that his Peace Project is challenging in terms of being accepted. Peace is not as popular amongst political parties or in newspapers, it seems. Strange but true.

4. I'll be discussing the United Nations Association of Guyana (UNAG) and its current peace project from time to time.

5. After the Elections Commission audit, will our old ID cards still be valid?

6. The Guyana Cook-Up Show on Channel 6 is three years old this weekend!

7. Mayorga is, reportedly, the strongest yet that Six Head will face. Let's stick with Six! Because we must have three world champions in a matter of months! Andrew is just sorry that his favourite sports journalist from this newspaper won't be there this time.