It is the advice, the appeal that came in an inspiring address by Trinidad and Tobago's Kenneth Gordon, Chairman of the Caribbean Communications Network (CCN), at the recent Annual Presentation Awards Dinner of the Guyana Manufacturers Association.

Speaking against the background of his own wide experience in the politics and related socio-economic problems of the Caribbean Community, Gordon cited examples in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and also Guyana of the responses of civil society to problems of political conflicts, crime and violence.

Without being aware of the initiative by the local social partners of the private sector, labour movement and bar association to foster broad-based dialogue with the government and parliamentary parties, Gordon had himself initiated interest, during a visit to Jamaica, to get West Indians involved in promoting a bilateral parliamentary approach to crime and violence in Guyana.

By then, a three-member team from the 'Social Partners Group' (SPG), was quite active in moves designed to get the government and parliamentary parties to, first, address the pressing problems of crime and violence, and then proceed to wider issues to help guarantee peace, social justice and better governance.

Frustration was very much in evidence among the representatives of civil society and also by some of the parliamentary parties over the failure to achieve a consensus on the wording of the draft communiqué from the SPG when Gordon appeared in Guyana as the guest speaker for the GMA's awards dinner event.

In his address, he raised a number of important points for reflection by decision-makers of the region's public and private sector. But of relevance are the examples he cited of how the Government and Opposition in Jamaica finally came to an agreement, in the national interest, to tackle crime and violence and other issues of national importance.

We may add here that the Joint Communiqué issued on November 1 by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Opposition Leader Edward Seaga, could serve as a useful reference by the government and parliamentary parties as well as the social partners representatives in the search for compromise on the much discussed draft anti-crime communiqué.

Blunt Assessment
Some may not wish to be reminded but the CCN Chairman was blunt in his assessment when he declared that "the turning around of the economy and achieving of Guyana's potential will never be accomplished as long as the current conditions of racial divisiveness and a crime situation which is out of control remain...."

But he did not stop there. Resorting to his own knowledge of the Caribbean's social and political environment, Gordon reminded his audience, among them decision makers of both the private and public sectors, that: "Whatever the differing size of the problem, the fact is that crime, tribalism and/or racism, are issues which threaten Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago in a serious way. Where these issues move out of control, growth and development become a myth..."

It was in this context that he chose to emphasise the very important role that civil society organisations in Guyana can and must play, as previously done, and still being done, elsewhere in the region

As Gordon sees it, and as a lot of Guyanese well understand, the obstacles which inhibit a national assault on the evils like crime and violence must be urgently addressed and the role of Civil Society must keep expanding to help meet the challenges. Too much is at stake to do otherwise.

Not only do we endorse greater involvement of civil society in conflict resolutions, but urge the current three-member group of social partners to press ahead with efforts, daunting as the challenge may be to reach an agreement on the proposed joint anti-crime communiqué.