Dear Editor:
We need to serve an injunction on History now, in this moment before September 1, 2025 when we, the peoples of “oil-rich” Guyana, are about to elect a new President. My mirror reflects an octogenarian Black woman—double jeopardy for me— desperately trying to redefine the old age stereotype that informs ageist philosophies … especially those allied with racist ideals in these times. Embracing second childhood with all its wild imaginings inspired by hindsight, has been helpful as well as motivating and instructive. Yet—I am afraid.
“Guyana is facing a crisis ” is a statement, a sentiment, with echoes from the Burnham era when, in the midst of the euphoria of the nation’s thrust to Feed House and Clothe The Nation by 1976, Julian Mayfield, Forbes Burnham’s Senior Political Adviser, called up Kit Nascimento at the Ministry of information after talking to our gardener Harold (for an entire day) about conditions on the sugar estates. “Kit, ” he said, “Guyana is Facing a Crisis”…. seems he’d shared a joke with with Nascimento who set the whole Ministry laughing….wonder if he remembers? My Guyana’s in Crisis fear is that the “Editors of the World” led by American President Donald Trump, will be selecting our next President for us.
In times like these we need the leadership of someone—man or woman—with statesmanlike qualities (much like President Forbes Burnham possessed and is sadly lacking in our nation’s current leaders). Someone with conviction… a center that holds, and fortitude sufficient to stand up to imperialist bullies—the ilk of Donald Trump, racist tyrant of the north… currently sending troops our way while preparing the pitch for his government’s response to a brewing civil war at home in America.
Even now those of our so-called “enemy” Venezuela—may be massing on our northwestern border. Trump claims to be fighting Latin American narco states led by Maduro. That is B.S. Trump’s not interested in stopping drug trafficking—he is more concerned about protecting Exxon Mobil’s imperialist interests in Guyana. He wants to “keep the oil” as he has told us “Over and over again”., …. remember Iraq and Syria?
We need to understand who and what we will be up against in our near future. Guyana’s potential President needs to assure us that he or she does… In this last week prior to Elections, we the electorate, need a statement from each and every one of the candidates to this end.
A LUTA CONTINUA!
Yours truly,
Joan Cambridge-Mayfield
