WORDS of hope poured forth freely in the National Assembly yesterday afternoon as debate ended on the 2001 Budget, presented on June 15 by Finance Minister, Mr. Saisnarine Kowlessar.

Guyanese can take heart from the sentiments expressed yesterday after the sometimes bitter exchanges that flowed during the debate.

It was a memorable closing to the debate with Opposition Leader and leader of the main Opposition People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R), Mr. Desmond Hoyte, concluding, "At the end of the day, this is our country; at the end of the day I believe that most people have nowhere else to go."

Some Guyanese, especially those who declared that hope had been lost for the country in the unrest and disturbances since the March 19 elections, would be forgiven for being wary of some of the things the politicians said in the National Assembly yesterday afternoon.

Some would no doubt wonder, `Fine words, but haven't we heard similar things before?'

True enough. But here was Mr. Hoyte, who only recently defended his `slow fire, more fire' slogan, declaring, "I believe that we have an opportunity for a fresh beginning, (a fresh) start. All I say (is) let us seize the opportunity."

In addition, he said his ongoing talks with President Bharrat Jagdeo have a significance which will soon dawn on people.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. Reepu Daman Persaud, correctly welcomed the approach adopted by Mr. Hoyte, noting "today has been a special day in the National Assembly".

"I think I can tell him he has an important role to play and I say publicly, not only that he has that role to play, I think that he can play it and play it well", Mr. Persaud said to Mr. Hoyte.

Mr. Persaud, a veteran politician and parliamentarian, found the note on which the Opposition Leader chose to end his presentation "reassuring" and urged Mr. Hoyte as leader of his party, "let us not allow conflicts and confusion and chaos to get the better of this country or our people."

Mr. Hoyte is pinning a lot of hope on the dialogue he started with President Bharrat Jagdeo in April at the invitation of the President.

Of those talks, he feels "we have almost...imperceptibly reached a significant stage in the political evolution of our country".

Mr. Hoyte also believes the arrangement can be extended to include others in what he said was an "open agenda".

For his part, Mr. Persaud praised the President and Mr. Hoyte for embarking on the dialogue, noting this has been criticised.

He said the move by the President was "an act of courage and equally I want to say the response of Mr. Hoyte is an act of courage."

"It was frightening to live in the post-election period 2001 and we must ensure...that those days never return", he urged.

This is the hope of those who dearly want to see Guyana move on because this is the only place they feel is home.

It is our hope that the words of hope that came forth yesterday do not fall on barren ground and that the nation indeed faces a fresh beginning.