Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, on Monday urged a national recommitment to building a more caring, compassionate and value-based society, even as Guyana experiences unprecedented economic growth.
Addressing the National Assembly during his Budget presentation, Singh said the issue of social values is one that is often overlooked in national discourse.
“Mr. Speaker, I wish, very briefly, sir, to touch on a matter that we often don’t speak about; building a more humane and caring society,” Singh told the House.
He stressed that economic progress must be matched by moral and ethical development.
“As we navigate this period of unprecedented growth, it is imperative that we cultivate the intrinsic values of a more caring, compassionate, honest, respectful and humane society,” he said, adding that Guyana must become “a society that is value based and where civility in our daily interactions with each other is the new norm.”
Singh said national excellence cannot be separated from morality, ethical conduct and respect for people, animals and the environment.
“As we strive for excellence as a nation, we must all stand steadfast on our morality, our ethical values, our love and respect for each other, our love for animals, our environment,” he said.
He acknowledged that Guyana, like other societies, faces serious social challenges, including gambling, bullying, drug abuse, domestic violence and animal abuse.
“These are realities of societies around the world. They are challenges that we face like every other society,” Singh said, stressing that confronting these issues is a shared responsibility.
“But we have an obligation, all of us. None of us could claim to be exempt from the obligation. Those of us on this side of the house, those of us on that side of the house, and those of us who are not sitting in the house, none of us could claim to be exempt or could disassociate ourselves from a fight against some of these or the call to fight some of these social ills,” he said.
Singh also pointed to the importance of civic education in shaping national character, particularly among young people.
“To cultivate a sense of national pride, we must focus on civic education in our school system and encourage respect, ethical behavior and harmonious living amongst our students and young people,” he said.
He added that civic education should promote democratic values, respect for the rule of law, and participation in community welfare initiatives, including volunteerism.
“This will help produce citizens that will demonstrate empathy and tolerance for each other, as well as for the more vulnerable in our society, including the elderly and those who are differently abled,” Singh said.
He concluded by urging continued national dialogue on addressing social challenges, noting that Guyana’s diversity must be a unifying force.
“Our multicultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious values and identity must be our strength as we strive to realize the objective of one Guyana,” Singh said.
