Dear Editor,

I was awakened this New Year's morn with the sunlight tapping at my window. As I tugged at the curtain to welcome the glow into the room there seemed to be something different today. Maybe, it was the brightness of the sun on this first day of the year. I gazed at the sky and wondered was this an omen for Guyana, a ray of light some hope for us this year.

And yet, my mind retraced its footsteps to that night in 1966, when we raised our flag of Independence. Like the masses I too was caught up with the crowd. Yes I donned the shirtjac and dashiki for the suit and tie. I exchanged the sandals for the comfort and walked sockless. But, like our clothes which we changed and later replaced with the colonial dress so has been our progress. We have walked back to where we had started and never seem to be getting to the promised land of our politicians.

We changed leaders but they too made the same mistakes of the past. Oh Guyana this virgin country raped over and over again by politicians and yet we love you .

As I look out my window on this New Year's morn I ask did the sunlight have a message of hope? I plead and pray that those in whose hands our destiny relies will tread carefully lest our mistakes become permanent scars in the minds of our youths.