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Continuing on his series on the importance of Social Cohesion, former President David Granger has said that Guyana’s identity is essential for its stability. He expressed the view that Social Cohesion cannot be treated as a side show. To buttress his point, Mr. Granger articulated that countries with high levels of social cohesion like Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden display strong national identities and tend to be stable.
“National identity enhances physical security, ensures good governance facilitates, economic development and fosters public trust. It also engenders support for social protection and, ultimately, makes progress, even prosperity possible,” Mr. Granger said on his weekly Public Interest Programme aired on 107.1FM aired on Friday.
The former Guyanese Leader who promulgated the first Department of Social Cohesion in the hemisphere says Guyana’s sense of identity enhances administrative efficiency and territorial security.
“The stronger our ‘national identity’– our sense of belonging here and confidence in its political system – the easier it will be for us to prosper,” Mr. Granger reasoned.
Apart from the establishment of the Departments of Citizenship and Social Cohesion, Mr. Granger reminded that the coalition also re-introduced Local Government Elections in 2016 and 2018, created capital towns to intensify integration, reduce disparities among hinterland regions and regionalise public and police services and utilities- all of which were intended to enhance the country’s national identity.
“Recognition of diversity ratifies our ‘national identity.’ Respect for symbols affirm our ‘national identity.’ Revering martyrs of the struggle for freedom from enslavement and indentureship and for civil rights sanctify our ‘national identity,’ Mr. Granger opined.
Mr. Granger says Guyana is a unique melting pot of African, Amerindian, Chinese, European and Indian cultures and that forging a common identity has always been a difficult, though not unsolvable, challenge. He posited that most of the problems the country faces today in relation to social cohesion were inherited from colonialism.
Note:The Public Interest is aired every Friday @ 11:00 hrs on 107.1FM.
