Dear Editor,
Guyana must come good, and not just for our sake but for the sake of future generations. The inspiration of the Obama success story will unlock the gate that has for so long barred the road to more general constitutional change for more inclusive government in Guyana.
The urgency of the task has suddenly become apparent. All through the extraordinary scenes following Obama’s victory the Guyanese public’s impatience with the values and structures of Guyana was plain and almost palpable. Constitutional modernization is becoming an imperative. In short, the relationship between the governed and the governors needs to be recast if Guyana is to survive and take its rightful place as one of the Caribbean’s leading countries in economic, social and political terms.
The notion that Guyana can stay on course to fulfil its destiny of one people and one nation under one central crown and pliant parliament, with a centralized bureaucracy and minimal local decision making, is no longer sustainable.
The case for Guyana having its own Obama-like realignment with the people of this country is now overwhelming. The national parliament does not have the legislative time, power or inclination to pass the many second-order laws needed to address particular community and citizens’ concerns. Decision-making needs to be brought closer to the Guyanese people.
There are knock-on consequences for the Guyanese economy and society. As political power passes to the people − all the people − so financial and business power will follow, reversing the long process by which the “grafting on of the Westminster model of parliamentary democracy virtually on the eve of political independence” has weakened our potential for greatness. Equally, the trust and social capital that are an essential component of the good society and economy need to be constantly replenished, and one of the best means of instilling the values of co-operation and collaboration is through working together in local and national initiatives. Guyana will find the Obama affect a means to such rejuvenation.
Shared governance or government for the people by the people should hold few fears for the Guyanese people. Advocates for maintaining our present political system have always suffered from a certain political and cultural schizophrenia while resilient national consciousness has struggled with the fear that exclusion from the larger polity will endure. On such anxieties the opponents of shared governance have repeatedly played using emotive imagery and terms like ‘seizing power through the back door.’
The same dreary tunes will continue to the heard until the good people of Guyana stand up and demand to be included. But Guyanese should not be afraid. It should not take street demonstrations for the feelings of ordinary people to be made known; they should flow spontaneously into the political system. That means developing new institutions from the grass-roots up. Obama has shown us the way. We now have the chance and the inspiration to begin a process of profound importance for the Guyanese people.
We must seize the day even as we thank Obama for opening our eyes to what can be achieved if we want change badly enough.
Yours faithfully,
F Hamley Case
Obama has done nothing except win an American election. There were others before him, there was Martin Luther King, Neslon Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi, yet we took no lessons from their experience.
The only achievement that Obama has accomplished so far, is that he won an election in the most powerful white dominated country of the world, for that we now seem to conclude that he is some sort of Messiah, for which everyone should follow or look up to as a shining example.
We are now prepared to believe-somewhat prematurely- that the world has been healed of all its ills, or will soon be healed anyway. What we are not taking into consideration, is that people of color in the USA can no longer say that the system is keeping them down, that they need affirmative action to balance the playing field, that they are still entitled to welfare and subsidised housing by a system that left them no other alternative.
On the international front, we can no longer say that the white western powers are taking advantage of us any longer, no sirree, all of our sorrowful cries and excuses has now got to be dumped into the garbage heap of history past.
No more excuses left my firends, because the achievement of Obama will be thrown back into our faces. Instead of looking at Obama as our shining example, we should fall back on the famous or infamous quote -depending at how you look at it- of Forbes Burnham, “Thighten your belts some more” It will be a rough ride my friends, trust me on that.
Joe.
…………i beg to differ joe…….do you know what is tobe isolated for many years in the white only exercise……..do you know what is it to be reduce to 3/5 of a man for many years………..i was force to rebut……..it was only recently in the city of newark njit open up it doors to blacks…….i would like to share this with you……..in america some companies would take a white kid with a ged place him/her in a position to interview you with a phd………there are companies you will not get a job by white design……….during the election can you remember white people said they were scare because obama will give away the money to haiti…….do a little more research and you will see why and how many white people loosing there homes and why…….have you ever hear about ptss (post tramatic slave sindrum) ………we must thank our founding fathers in guyana for the help or you call hall up or the hand that guide us before we depart the sweet gt………..our guyanese history is much different to history of black american………. to guide in the right direction please read this book, “from slavery to freedom” ( a history of negro america) by john hope franklin & alfred a. moss, jr. (isbn 0-07-554041-x)…..
enjoy reading joe…..
What Obama should inspire in Guyanese is a path to a positive approach in bringing about changes, rather than a path of violence and criminal activities as has been the case of some trying to wrest power in Guyana. Political changes can come about with the right attitude of leaders, and not by threats of murders and the embrace of criminals and violence instigated by so called leaders, trying to usurp power from a legitimate elected government. Obama has shown us there is a non violence path, where with extensive grass root work and organization, and with a message of hope, one can bring about the changes some of us crave for.
So Case should tell his friends in Congress Place down in Sophia that they need to change their approach, and it doesn’t matter which race is the majority, it is the messenger and the nature of the message that will bring about the changes.
Joe, sniff, sniff, sniff…. do I smell of whiff of…?… nah man couldn’t be… but still… sniff sniff…hmmmmm…. ah wonder
no joe, obama is not just president because he won the election
he’s also president because the early euro-american made the ‘mistake’ of importing unpaid forced labourers from africa and then putting in their declaration of independence: all men are created equal…
While we are dancing on streets and are very happy about Obama’s victory, Joe, I see it this way: You enter a very progressive and a Fortune 500 company, the person out front greeting you is Joemo. But as you perambulate towards the back of the office passing several other offices there is no office of signifance occupied by Joemo,Ezie,Salam, Instead you see,John, Hank,Aaron. Food for thought. Will of the people at work? ISNM
Hey Uncle Joe! I heard the familiar words (“Tighten belts”) again today; but, this time around they were not those from the late L. F. S. Burnham but from President-Elect Barack Obama. Quite a coincidence according to your statement/comment. ;-)
We in the US do not know what all the hullaboo outside of the US is, concerning Obama. The guy is just another president elect. It is advisable for the Third and Fourth World like Guyana to focus on their own national issues instead of looking abroad and day dreaming. This is not the first half black ever to be elected to any top position anywhere in the world. Many blacks were elected with the same adulation by fellow blacks,only to disapoint with a reign of chaos,oppression, and incomptence.In Obama’ s case he is lucky. Unaccustomed to high standards set by whites in the White House, pushed by whites into the top seat because of promises he made,he has a goal to live up to expectations.
Caesar and Joe are stuck in the realm of rot and status quo, not challenged in their thinking that the realm of possibilities for greater things do exist. It is such disposition that has kept us contented as spiritual sluggards. The blacks that has preceded this celebrated moment have over the period of time shown they were never rooted in change but were atomistic agents who spouted things they never believed in. I am not disappointed in you both, given the fact that men who walked with Dr. King never saw the leadership qualities of Obama, until a pure white state like Iowa said YES HE/WE CAN AND WOULD.
The Idea that the only black leaders who assume to power are those who are despotic in nature is an ingrained philosophy which seems difficult to remove. Whether he is mixture of black and white or white and black, it is imperative to recognize that the paradigm shift has begun. Even though the power to be has made his entry a challenging one, he would be divinely guided to produce the best results, and opportunities for all, especially black Americans to cease making excuses for their continued slumber.
THE TIME HAS COME FOR CHANGE TO BEGIN ITS WORK, JOIN THE LOVE TRAIN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
Ur rite. After all… “All men are creat equal:…. equal to achieve and equal to mess up afterwards like all who have gone on before…
Joe Coxall will do will well with a regimen of Prozac. He’s gone way ahead of all of us. In fact, he’s now ready to trumpet the “I told you so” story as soon as Obama falters.
That rhythm you are so dancing on is quite a popular sentiment with some in Canada today. I have read parts of that script before.
C’mon Joe, calm down. Obama’s victory was clean and, yes, let the black folks savor it, for Christ’s sake. More importantly, Obama’s victory (across the board) came about because of how the leaders of the most powerful nation in the world behaved like quasi-Nazis.
Let the Obama adminstration play out. Let’s see how innovative his ideas are in practice. Don’t use Obama’s name as the symbol for black resentment.
Ghost Rider,
I’ll seriously consider your advice on the Prozac, and as for the behaviour of the of the present administration, that is exactly the point I am trying to stress on, nothing has changed, and nothing will change anytime soon.
While we savor the victory, we are being distracted from what is really taking place at this very moment. I am not one that will be blaming Obama for anything. I already know what is taking place and who is behind all of it.
So go ahead and celebrate my friend, I will take my Prozac, and try to figure out how I am going to come up with my portion of the 700 billion tax bill that’s coming my way.
Joe
We who!, speak for yourself…………………… I am sure every civic minded Americans can speak for themselves. As for those who are Americans but are civic minded each would by now know the deleterious effects of an American Government domestic- foreign policy that produces the current economic woes the world now faces.
A shrewed person would never wonder aloud why the world is so obsessed.
Yeh, Obama mania, is rampant, all over, with Guyana, leading the world, poor souls, we continue to catch at straws, and see our predicament, in every one elses success….. I mean some Guyanese… those that never heard the term…. The fault lies with me, dear Caesar…. .. for us all to be saved, we need an Obama in Jamaica, in Haiti; IN Zimbabwe; Congo; ….and so on and so on… come brothers ., don’t sell yourselves short……. To thine ownself be true., Guyana is doing well without Obama, ….. ..see if you can help out some of the other countries I’ve named…. we in Guy. would be doing much better if we can depend on the loyalty, cooperation an good will, …. of decent and patriotic citizens….. America, will remain the greatest nation the world will ever see…. with or without OObama …. Good Luck..
Guyana is doing well then why are you so far off in Canada. Charity begins at home and if you so desire to inspire others then leave the maple state go to Guyana and demonstrate to all where others who have tried before failed so miserably.
At this critical junction of our history even those who have remained home subscribes to the ME FIRST MENTALITY. THOSE WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS JUST LOOK AT ITS SYMPTOMS IN THE USA AND EUROPE AND ASK WHY AND HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPEN.
We each need to be truthful and only when this begins to happen will solutions to our problems be forth coming and effectual. This is applicable to the continent of Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia as well.
Why are you still sleeping? If Guyana is doing so well, why are we in another country. Face the facts, Guyana is still begging after Burnham, Hoyte, Jagans and now Bharrat.
How dd america became great?
joe you are so right
joe you should run for president of guyana
eloise, thanks for the compliment, but I have no political ambitions, It was never my calling, I would much more prefer to work with the ordinary citizens of Guyana and show them that it is possible to create a self sustaining lifestyle with the same resources that they are now wasting.
The life of a politician is too rigorous for me, I prefer a more simple style.
thanks anyway.
Joe
Obama has indeed become romanticized by many, particularly those who see only the black in him, as a messiah.
The slippery slope and non sequitur fallacies abound in these musings:
Obama has won, so that change should reflect constitutional and other changes in Guyana. Or as one pastor inferred- “Ten days ago a black man won the presidency in the US, so I tell you brethren, it is the season of the unusual.”
Well, let me add my bit. I hope that inspires Jagdeo and Sattaur to reduce the taxes on John Public and increase them on the aristocracy. Obama promises it as change, and it is only logical we do it as well.
Many cried murder when Bush invaded Iraq, but dear Obama has changed that policy already- there will be increase of troops in Iraq, only an increase in Afghanistan.
CHANGE- only Obama brings it. Give us a break, those of you who suffer from Obamaism. Stop romanticizing an individual who is yet to prove his mettle as president, and whose whiteness is lost to an idolizing of his blackness.
It is not Joe Coxall who could do with a regimen of Prozac, Ghost Rider.
Please re-read his posting and understand that every word is measured and accurate.
Obama’s victory was clean, as you say and there is much for all of us to celebrate. No doubt he will come up with innovative his ideas and will try to dig the US out of the gargantuan hole which the two terms of the idiot Bush has dropped the world into but you see THAT HOLE IS THE PROBLEM which will face Obama.
Worse still, Obama HAS PROMISED TO DELIVER CHANGE. This is a rash promise which will be expensive to finance. Obama may have been able to deliver changes when times were good but as you know things are very very bad indeed.
I say Obama may be unable to reverse the decline in America and is therefore unlikely to be able to pioneer innovative ideas because America has to borrow money from other countries as it is.
I do think Obama may have accepted the proverbial ‘poisoned chalice’ from the Republicans.
Sadly, I have a feeling that the Republicans will try to nail Obama’s incomplete work at next election time as his FAILURE TO DELIVER CHANGE and the fickle US public who have short memories will not remember that it was indeed President Bush who caused Obama’s difficulties… in the first place.
As Joe says, we will now find it difficult to claim discrimination because the achievement of Obama will be thrown back into our faces.
Let us nevertheless wish Mr Obama god’s guidance and wisdom.
Satish, Ibelieve you missed a very important component of Obama’s promise of change. I certainly don’t blame you for not catching it, it probably flew right over your head. I can assure you it didnt for the Republicans or atleast the sensible ones.
Obama promised change, Yes. Obama also promised that this change may not come to being in one term and he certainly cannot do it alone. He has conceded that the Democrats cannot do it alone. This in itself is a step in the right direction:-Obama reacing out to all Americans (Democrats, Republicans and Independents) to aid the process. Shall we interpret that as a prelude to “shared governance” or “inclusivity”?
any way , JOE guyana neads you very much in deed
the citiizens does
To: Mr. Hamley Case
The lessons from the Obama’s victory are simple.
(1) He never appealed to race to win votes. He ran mainly an issues-based
campaign.
(2) The overwhelming majority of approx. 115 million voters decided they want
“change” – as in change from Republican to Democrat party. (Tired of
Bush War, De-regulation (responsible for the financial meltdown); lack of
Energy Policy; Need for Universal Health Care etc.
(3) The Great Fear was that the majority of the American Voters would not be
able to overcome their racial prejudices – and vote for an African-American
candidate. But they did with flying colors. This process was helped
immensely by the brilliance of candidate Obama himself – calm and cool as a cucumber; always right on the issues; always presented the arguments in a
non-threatening way; always appeared confident and knowledgeable. Etc.
This election was a show-case Democracy in action: a model exercise in campaigns, voting behavior, voting on issues – not race. Etc.
Hamley Case has not recognized and learned a single thing about this great American election.
He railed against Westminster model constitution. What’s wrong with the constitution of Guyana? And, how has the American election point out or expose any fault of the constitution of Guyana; or the free and fair elections we have been having in Guyana since 1992?
Hamley Case called for SHARED GOVERNANCE. Does Obama’s election demonstrate the need for shared governance in America or Guyana? Doesn’t shared governance in itself negate the meaning of democracy? (If Obama picks or retains one or two Republicans in his Cabinet – as Bill Clinton did, it is because he wants to forge bipartisanship to aid passage of crucial legislation in the Congress – but this is not shared governance).
NOW I CONCEDE THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM IN GUYANA. It is called ethnic parties and ethnic voting in a country that has two almost equally large ethnic groups. The Indian group has a slight numerical majority – and given the culture of ethnic voting the Indian-ethnic party has won the last four elections, and they will win for the next 100 years. The African-Guyanese feel excluded from political power. And, they are seething with rage. A whole school of thought has given birth (led by Dr. David Hinds and Ogunseye) and is agitating for Shared Governance.
This is a genuine and grave problem. As a Guyanese I am deeply concerned about this problem. So how do we fix this problem?
The recently concluded American election does teach a valuable lesson that can and must be applied to Guyana. End ethnic parties and free-up the political atmosphere so that people will be not be constrained to vote for ethnic parties; but rather be emboldened to vote on issues.
Hamley Case called for Constitutional changes. The only change that has merit is that the victorious party’s mandate must consist of at least 20 percent cross-racial support. But this is better dealt with by adopting it as an unwritten rule – and let the burden rest on the parties themselves to achieve such a bi-racial mandate.
Let me conclude by saying that there is nothing genetic about voting race – it is not coded in the DNA of the Guyanese people – and they, like the American people – will also vote on issues, once the ethnic parties are put out of business.
For the sake of Hamley Case, David Hinds, Ogunseye and the out-of-power Afro-ethnic PNC, I would like to see the PNC win the next election in 2011. We need
genuine multi-racial democracy to evolve in Guyana. And, the true test of democracy is that the baton of power must pass from one party to another every few election cycles. Indeed no party can command majority support forever. There are so many unhappy Indians in Guyana, disenchanted with the ruling Indian-ethnic PPP that they will gladly vote for any reasonable alternative. Indeed, like the American people ,they will easily overcome their racial prejudices, and vote on issues – but there has to be a reasonable alternative. The PNC continues to have a life-and-death hold on the principle that the PNC can only be led by an African and is seen as catering to the needs of Africans only. As Shakespeare might say , the fault, dear Brutus, lies with the existence of ethnic parties which encourage and reinforce – and is forever committed to the idea of ethnic voting.
Mr. Persaud, I have long waited for someone of your ethnic persuasion and understanding of the plight that beset Guyana to present such a viewpoint. As an Afro-Guyanese I am of the same view that no amount of tinkering of any of our foundational pillars of Governance will change this morass.
I will not endeavour to assay the fabric of your social thinking, but such demonstration is a hallmark of your strength, emotional and thus intellectual intelligence.
Whatever lies ahead for this nation of Guyana, both the afro- and indo- Guyanese will have themselves to be blamed, since we never sought to established systems of accountability for our leaders, but merely sought to entrenched our respective ethnic group at the expense of the nation benefit.
In order to put our nation first, an end to ethnic voting must begin and Government must be held accountable for their action or inaction. Freedom of information must begin now for such transparency would be deemed self-evidence of a fledgling democracy.
Anything short of this will only connotes tautological democracy, A HOLLOW DEBATE AND DISCUSSION WHICH MERELY REPRESENT FREE SPEECH AND EXPRESSION OF OPINION(S) WHETHER INFORMED OR A DEMONSTRATION OF IGNORANCE.
Re: “[...Let me conclude by saying that there is nothing genetic about voting race - it is not coded in the DNA of the Guyanese people - and they, like the American people - will also vote on issues, once the ethnic parties are put out of business.
For the sake of Hamley Case, David Hinds, Ogunseye and the out-of-power Afro-ethnic PNC, I would like to see the PNC win the next election in 2011. We need
genuine multi-racial democracy to evolve in Guyana...]”
What’s the point in being victorious at the polls and issues (social, economic, educational….) affecting the electorate cannot be solved. Besides, to which “bank” can you take your political rantings/ramblings “Mike Persaud”?