A salute to indigenous communities that placed village before personal and other interests

Dear Editor, The deliberate, conscious effort we must make to choose our leaders is absolutely critical.

Editor, I take the opportunity during this month dedicated to Indigenous heritage to make special reference to Indigenous communities.

Let it be said that as a contributor on Indigenous issues I honestly make general references only.

At every level of governance nothing is more important than having the right people in the right positions if we are to foster development, forge unity and get the job done. Editor, you will agree that at every level this is crucial.

Some villages, though, might have made decisions in the past that cannot be rated as the best but we’re all in the process, thus the reason for this letter.

While we all have political considerations, no matter where we live, this should not be allowed to colour (or discolour) our views on community related matters. True patriots, we all know, place their communities, towns, regions and by extension their country first, not any political party.

Nothing divides people like party politics whether here in Guyana, or elsewhere. However, no community should suffer if community affairs and interests take precedence.

Guyana is due to break new ground in terms of creating an investment climate that can foster development and it may be time enough for hinterland communities too, to take note. Sometimes it is felt that we’re not part of the process, but definitely Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples will benefit, directly or indirectly.

Guyana’s interior, one may concur, is a hotbed for investment. It is full of great potential and especially in Indigenous communities there are tremendous opportunities for growth and development.

Investing in eco- tourism can be lucrative business, etc., so communities with the right leaders will of course have the advantage.

Indeed, evidence in the past pointed to residents taking their councils to task to ensure their priorities were being met. This kind of climate is so crucial, too, and points to all that democracy is alive and well. In those villages are success stories which point to one thing - good leadership and placing community first is sine qua non. Not politics, mind you.

People began to consider placing interest in their community first and foremost before party politics, even if it meant electing someone who was not born in that community. Throughout Guyana we see examples of this. Today these very communities are enjoying success beyond measure, while others because they suffer from the divisive ‘he come ya, but we born ya’ syndrome, continue to lag behind.

It is disheartening to say this, but when the necessary evil like politics creeps into a little community and takes on prominence, it becomes akin to cancer; it eats at the very social fabric of that little community and slowly but surely kills unity, peace and ultimately stagnates development. Not to mention, everyone suffers.

Refinement, courage, foresight, honesty, etc. you will agree, Editor, are all qualities of a good leader, but without one’s love, loyalty, passion for community’s growth and development, irrespective of the resources with which it may be endowed, human and otherwise, there is no hope.

Editor, I take this opportunity to salute communities that always placed village before personal and other interests when making critical choices.

They are taking the lead. Yes, they are indeed ‘blazing the trail’. Yours faithfully, Joseph C. Atkinson (Indigenous first and foremost)