As a result, over the ages there have been violent battles for supremacy, resulting in militarily weaker nations being conquered by more powerful ones, giving birth to various empires around the world.

With modernisation and industrialisation and increasing sophistry in the world, there was a shift away from violence and wars as a means of ending conflicts. But yet the world experienced two world wars during the last century along with many other battles limited to countries in various continents.

World War 11 alone engulfed 50 million lives and saw the use of nuclear weapons for the first time at the end of that war.

The results of war and violence have caused untold and incalculable sufferings and destruction and it boggles the mind that humans have not been learning from the animals in the jungle which have been co-existing without any major wars among themselves. These animals enter into battle only when their very survival or that of their young is threatened.

Today, there are conflicts in so many different regions around the world - in Palestine, India/Pakistan, in some areas of Africa, Afghanistan, Colombia.

The lesson to be learnt from all these violent conflicts is that innocent men, women and children are killed and suffer immensely and no one is gaining from them. And those who initiate and fuel these confrontations, in many instances for narrow self-interests, are not the ones who suffer.

The only sensible and reasonable way to resolve societal conflicts, especially when it cuts across the political and ethnic turf, is for the leaders, parties and all stakeholders to sit down and talk in a business-like, responsible and unselfish manner.

In the context of Guyana, any other approach would take the country down the road of destruction and this is a path only a small minority would contemplate.

The dialogue process is the sensible way to go because it offers a forum at which compromises and reason can prevail. Street protests and other such adventurisms will not allow for compromises and reason to prevail, and will not solve anything.

Guyanese from all sections of the society are sick and tired of the wanton destruction of life and property and the demoralising of innocent citizens through terrorism.

The main Opposition party contends that certain things agreed to during the dialogue process were not implemented by the Government. Even if that were the case, would what has been taking place and the "pause" ensure that these are implemented?

The way to go is to sit down and thrash out all differences and grievances in the interest of Guyana. After all, that was the intended purpose of the dialogue.

The political leaders have to put Guyana first or else all may be lost.