Crime and corruption have led to moral decay in Guyana

DEAR EDITOR,
The social and moral decay in Guyana’s society is perhaps the most important issue facing the people as a nation. It ranks above the challenges in the economy, the failing educational and health systems and that of corruption, crime and violence, although the level of corruption, crime and violence is also a reflection of the moral decadence which prevails.
In 1989, when President Desmond Hoyte launched a programme to reduce corruption, crime and violence, unfortunately, and regrettably, some in the PPP, including its leaders, dubbed it as a political stunt, and this prevented many ordinary and well-intended Guyanese from taking part in the programme. In essence, it was a bold initiative aimed at weeding out those scourges and instilling more moral values in Guyanese. Initially, the programme gained traction but later fizzled because of the PPP criticisms, distortions and propaganda.
Since 2000 when Mr. Jagdeo assumed power, we have and continue to witness a fundamental shift in the moral values of the people for the worse and one critical aspect of this shift is an abandonment by the regime of the moral and altruistic attitudes and the replacement of these by a narrow individualism based on greed and the shallow understanding of what necessitates morality.
Today the situation has reached crisis proportion mainly because of party affiliation and supremacy.  The ruling administration has demanded loyalty for the PPP from almost everyone before giving them a job. It has marginalized a large section of the population, indulged in nepotism and cronyism, and has aided and abetted the corrupt practices that are taking place every day.
Now 25 years after the moral values and attitudes programme was instituted, the country’s social and moral situation has deteriorated beyond belief. Guyana is facing a moral crisis which cuts across all social, political and economic classes. Despite all the efforts by the opposition to stamp out corruption and reduce crime, rather than getting better, the situation is getting worse by the hour while the regime looks the other way. Not only adults killing one another but teenagers are also killing each other as well.
There is a sense that the common bond amongst the people is becoming weaker and weaker; that altercations can develop at any moment; that people hurl abuse at and kill one another in the most violent and brutal manner in response to what seems to be insignificant misunderstandings. In some instances, simple politeness and civility are perceived to be a fatal display of weakness, and that people indulging in such nasty behaviour are not even aware of their action until after the fact.
In Guyana, power and money have become the most important sources of political power, identity, and status, but this came about only in the absence of a social context with rules, norms, shared values, mutual respect and mutual trust which has been discarded by the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal a long time ago.
Today, we have a very sad state of affairs in Guyana with an antiquated judicial system where alleged criminals are locked up for years before trial. These alleged criminals have no recourse against the state if they are not convicted at trial. In fact, their lives are ruined in the same manner Jagdeo ruined the lives of Mark Benschop and those of the Monroes on trumped up charges of treason. What a shame!
We acknowledged that the administration of law and economic prosperity provide a necessary platform for the development of Guyana. However, this is not sufficient. This must be underpinned with a sense of moral obligation and with a sense of duty towards society. The decline in morality in Guyana and the increase in crass and uncivilized behaviour have led to an undermining of moral values among the citizens.
Perhaps the most debilitating and contentious aspect of our drifting moral values is the double standard that exists in our society. We cite a few examples:
1. There are well-heeled persons in Guyana who engage in the practice of the illegal abstraction of electricity without having to suffer the indignity of punitive action. They seem to be viewed in a different way from those who are also found engaged in the same practice.
2. There are some who were charged for serious crimes, including murder and rape, but because of party affiliation, the charges were dismissed or dropped and instead, they are elevated and promoted and given unprecedented power.
3. One well-known member of the medical profession who was charged and convicted some years ago in New York and was barred from practicing medicine in the US, was allowed to work at the Georgetown Hospital and was only fired because of the media.
4. Based on an investigation, a prominent PPP official in an NDC allegedly breached a number of regulations at that institution by awarding contracts to family members, yet he is still on the job and is allowed to continue his illegal practices.
These are just a few examples of the double standards that have occurred under the Jagdeo/Ramotar regime and this has created a serious challenge in the efforts to tackle the moral deterioration in literally every sector of the society.
Let us be very clear in saying that Guyana will only prosper and become the nation that it can be when we restore moral values and altruistic attitudes. Every sector of society, but particularly the government, must play its part in helping to bring back our moral values.
These include: The political parties and their representatives who act and speak on their behalf, but the onus is even more so on the PPP that forms the Government. Nothing must be done or seen to be done to send a mixed signal to the populace as it relates to the ethical and moral efficacy of these representatives. No one under the radar of the police and who is believed to be engaged in illegal activities must be elected or appointed to any position of prominence in government. On the contrary, the ruling party must do everything to distance itself from such persons.
The educational system, which is the national catchment of thousands of students, must find ways and means to wage a systematic and sustained campaign against the social and moral deterioration taking place. Churches, Mosques and Mandirs, despite religious and philosophical differences, must unite and find common ground to help pull Guyana back from the social and moral dilemma in which it finds itself.  The Private Sector must be in the forefront of promoting ethically correct and sound moral behaviour and attitudes. And last but not least, the regime must stop the marginalization of a certain ethnic group and must be more sensitive to what is transmitted and broadcast, particularly to the children and youth, who are themselves confused by the double standards that they established in the society.
It is time to get back to a sense of a nurturing society which promotes civility, compassion and mutual respect, thus leading to the moral order we all desire. It is important for the cabal to protect and preserve what we have left of our moral and shared values. They have a duty to rescue the nation from its corrosive behaviour that they implanted, and focus on achieving political and economic stability.
Asquith Rose and Harish Singh