No soil to nurture the concepts of democracy
Stabroek News
May 25, 2002
Dear Editor,
Your editorial captioned "The irrationality of ethnicity" (23.5.2002) was stimulating and I think of real reference to Guyana. I was constantly dismayed by the "chat shows" that spewed out a cocktail of either outright lies or at best dubious innuendo while living in Guyana at the end of the nineties.
One could argue that balanced political debate and freedom of speech can't take place in Guyana, that after 35 years of dysfunctional government, emigration, and politics based on racial lines there is(to use a horticultural metaphor) no soil to nurture the concepts of democracy which is not just a word but an actual living emotion. In its most simplistic terms, it requires politicians and public alike to be tolerant, to respect each other's views, and be responsible for their actions.
Yours faithfully,
Nigel Buckley