This year is our country's 36th Independence anniversary, and despite the attention grabbing daily news about our problems or progress, I do believe our country has a soul and a heart.

It breathes and moves as manifested in the innovativeness and resilience of our people. It has a past and a future. It had dreams that were dashed to pieces largely because of selfishness. It has feelings, often expressed in a strange mixture of moods and attitudes depending on the prevailing political, economic or social circumstances of the day.

And the degree of the circumstances that may prevail against our people's ability to enjoy the comfort and benefits of the land and life itself, may be judged by the extent of our interest in our history and our memory of it all.

That is why it is good that we sometimes have our collective memory refreshed with pictures and stories that have so wonderfully or not so wonderfully characterized our past. Is there an available-upon-request television documentary of our country with stories and pictures extracted from news events covering our past and leading up to the present time? If not, I want to submit that since the Guyana Chronicle is the oldest daily newspaper around, with access to or in possession of photographs and stories depicting vitally interesting aspects of our past, it may be able to collaborate with the Guyana National Information Agency (the former GIS which also has still and motion pictures of Guyana's past) to produce a made for television series to commemorate our nation's 36th Independence anniversary.

Mention of the Independence anniversary is just to give it some kind of context. Not only is it likely to invoke a sense of national pride and unity, but it will show us what we have accomplished or passed through and what we need to do to move to the next level as would be expected of any progressive society. I do not know how much this exercise will cost or how long it will take to complete, but I believe it will be invaluable to Guyanese at home and abroad.

I mention abroad because it might be a good idea if the documentary can be packaged and sold, thereby offsetting production costs and at the same time spreading the joys of our country's rich history with Guyanese and others interested in our past, present and future.

This project does not replace the need for a chronological documentation in book form of our country's history particularly in the decade or two preceding Independence and the post-Independence years. One of the human interest aspects of this made for television project is to draw on the resourcefulness of those Guyanese who are alive, and who are knowledgeable of the stories and picture that would make up the main story. Have their recollections and opinions video recorded for a touch of authenticity and a sense of connection.

If this is a project worthy of becoming a reality in time for May 26, next, then I hope to be looking at a bit of my country's history very shortly, whether in Guyana or in New York. If this time is too short, then what about in time for Christmas 2002, making an excellent idea for a Christmas gift? I am sure other Guyanese would be happy to see such a documentary.
Emile Mervin,
Brooklyn, New York