| Related Links: | Articles on Yohance Douglas affair |
| Letters Menu | Archival Menu |
There is no question that the perpetrators of this shocking incident must be brought to justice and that this must be done fairly and expeditiously. The demand for action is therefore justifiable. However, this action alone will not lessen the burden of national guilt we carry that such an incident could have taken place at all.
We must see this moment in our history as an imperative not only to stop the killing, but also to halt the present rush to self-destruction redolent of the Biblical story of the Gadarene swine.
We are indeed on the brink of an abyss and it is difficult to entertain any hope of a brighter future for our country unless we all see the absolute need to manifest a greater determination to rid ourselves of the uncompromising hatred and suspicion we harbour at present one towards another. And this web tightens at every turn.
Those of us who are old enough will remember the description of Gaul in the Latin Reader, which stated, “All Gaul is divided into two parts.” Today all Guyana is divided into two parts; those for and those against - we are a polarised society and generally supporters hold intransigent positions which often defy reason. Whatever the issues may be it is very clear that these pitched battles are more important than the well being of our country. Generations to come will hardly look back on our efforts at nation building with gratitude and admiration.
The failure to bring some semblance of cohesion to the society has impacted directly on the criminal activities we are experiencing today. The violence which the February 23rd of 2002 jailbreak unleashed has intensified over the past year. We have moved dramatically from the legitimate pursuit of criminals to the indiscriminate killing of innocent citizens. Things have spiralled out of control and we are all held hostage to fear and suspicion.
Our retreat into our perceived safety enclaves reflects the polarisation in our national life where dialogue has come to mean a continuation of the war between our main political groupings. When will we ever learn? When will we understand that this continuous warfare will end in the destruction of this nation?
It is of the greatest importance that we make a concerted effort to create a unified society that will offer some hope to so many of our young people who regard emigration as the obvious direction to follow. When will we rid ourselves of the burden of racial animosity and suspicion? May we see the need to have an infusion of trust, compassion and open communication both at the national and the personal level before it is too late.