Heartening news

Ever so often our newspapers are replete with bad news - accidents, fires, domestic violence etc. but I was heartened to read some encouraging news on Thursday, May 11th in our daily newspapers. Kaieteur News reported that “In an effort to regulate its use, the Guyana government and opposition on Wednesday agreed to amend the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act to provide for the licensing of electronic bikes (E-bikes).”

So the Government and Opposition united in a common cause! and as I was savouring the sweetness of this revelation, I read in Stabroek News that “In another rare moment of consensus, the government and the opposition voted unanimously yesterday to pass the Trafficking in Persons Bill 2023, following its second reading in the National Assembly.”

If only we understood the power of unity! I trust that this is a foretaste of things to come.

I was also heartened to read in the same Stabroek News edition, under the caption “NCERD hosts nursery school sensitization workshop for parents” that a workshop hosted by NCERD in collaboration with the Department of Education - Region Four was held under the theme, “Parents, the Child’s first teacher.”

It is heartening to know that those in authority in our dear land recognize the importance of home, family and the priority of parental involvement in our children’s lives, especially at a time when some foreign powers seek to wrest this right from parents, and give young children the right to do as they please. We must not stand aside and allow foreign powers to determine our path. Parents will continue to be the child’s first teacher.

I call on all Guyanese to pursue unity and not allow our differences to divide us. And let us unite to build strong families, as we instill in our children moral values at home, thus helping them to be teachable students and good citizens.