Personal and collective respect for law, order, discipline, reasonably-civilised standards of behaviour, service and of living itself. So what’s the foregoing about?
Ironically, elder cynics like myself are quite entitled to a few knowing, indulgent smirks and smiles at my perceived naivete and even over my rampant speculation about one aspect or element of a David Granger presidency – if ever that possibility happens. (“All things are possible. Only believe” – then vote!?)
Even with only a grandmother as “parent” for my own first thirteen years, subtly backed by neighbours and the moral authority of an urban Roman Catholic Primary School, children of my fifties/sixties youth generally inculcated a sense of respect for authority, regard for quality and standards and a sense of discipline even as we enjoyed the pleasures of a poor childhood.
In my own mid-teens in Georgetown between 1962 and 1964, I witnessed the abrupt evolution or was it indeed “revolution” – from innocence and high regard for law and order, to the instant breakdown that, to me, Frankly Speaking, precipitated our sustained descent into rampant, widespread degenerate lawlessness. And disregard for authority along with the disrespect for anything nationalist or patriotic. The robberies, bombings and murders and executions that characterized the 1962-1964 racial riots not only brought the downfall of Cheddi Jagan’s ’61-’64 government, but ushered in an orderly society’s downfall into moral decadence and, by the 1968 elections, political and criminal illegality that would become, ashamedly, a national norm.
As the people’s majority will was denied them by the PNC’s electoral engineering, I even now recall many Indo-Guyanese (PPP) citizens of the new Independent Republic refusing to recognize and stand up for our beautiful national anthem. They regarded it as a symbol of the ruling PNC’s oppression. Sadly, even that was a manifestation of sectarian lawlessness.
General breakdown, national defiance
The electoral cheating and rigging from 1973 through 1985 solidified ingrained dislike for one political sector by the other PPP-oriented groups. But even amongst the supporters of the ruling regime, who did not migrate because of disillusionment or economic hardship, it was easy to discern the impatience with corrupt practices and the general moral degeneration of the youth, especially.
Fast-forward with me now, to the post- 1992 period of ’97 and ’98. To me, the supporters of the Opposition, responding to real or perceived discrimination, loss of equitable opportunity and other PPP/C “evils”, became even more defiant against governmental authority in any form. Then all hell broke loose when the unseated PNC lost the ’97 general elections. Rabid racism against Mrs Jagan, the protest marches with appropriate violence all provided a political-oriented cauldron of discontent, more civic defiance and even more rampant indiscipline. The PPP/C retained the government after the polls of 2001, 2006 and 2011. All manifestations of defiance and of being “dispossessed” have spawned widespread lawlessness and indiscipline. How can this once-tranquil, orderly society be rescued?
Leadership, respect, self-esteem – Granger?
Even if the colonial administrators, who used iron-clad regulations and velvet religious persuasion to instill acceptable order, were to return, they would encounter massive rejection. Justifiably.
So what can be done? I must be allowed to speculate, even dream, man. Cannot some semblance of orderliness, respect for law, personal self-esteem ever again triumph over the indiscipline spawned by corruption, occasional racism and economic need amongst the poor? Before, I A.A. Fenty pass on?
Now all of the foregoing is to contextualize the speculation – and hope – which follow. If you visit the compound of the GDF Headquarters Camp Ayanganna, the orderliness, cleanliness and high standard of behaviour will make you doubt, temporarily, that you are still in the Big Stinking City of Georgetown within which Camp Ayanganna falls. And if the late President L.F.S. Burnham had to pass by Georgetown’s East La Penitence Police Station and see the volume of garbage strewn around that station’s backyard, the Commissioner and the precinct’s head would be roasted! Indeed the mood of those days would not have tolerated such physical/environmental indiscipline in the first place.
So I’m wondering/dreaming folks: with his own sterling personal background of academia, cultured orientation and high military standards, would a President Granger tolerate our current national low levels of quality, behaviour and regard for law?
Won’t a highly-qualified University Graduate and Writer of History, Editorials and Defence/Security Journals be absolutely intolerant of scenes around our public places, on our roads; the disregard for laws and safety for all forms of transportation, unpunctuality and the ridiculously low standards of service, even from our utilities?
I do feel that the Retired Brigadier won’t be a comfortable President of an indisciplined, low-life society. I can’t see an intellectual military man allowing his ministers, ministries, mayors and municipalities to administer a country ravaged by uncouth rowdyism and run-down infrastructure. No Sir. I know that President Granger will face the usual challenges of funding, economic squandering of resources now extant and the ever-present moral decay. But I am reasonably certain that a life-long military strategist will demand that his national constituency be disciplined and law –abiding.
But first, the Brigadier has to be elected! And I no longer vote! This means that every PNC/R – APNU over-17 supporter must vote! At all elections! Discuss…
Wasting tax dollars, two roads, please
If only a fraction of the reported wastage of taxpayers’ money is accurate, then that is already too many millions to bear.
The litany of extravagant failures, cost overruns, delays, shoddy, sub-standard infrastructural works and blatant thievery is too much for a poverty-challenged population of less than a million souls.
And these allegations can’t be all groundless. Incompetence accounts for millions being wasted – – at Skeldon, the High Street building, hinterland road works, overpayments/irregularities at ministries; now we hear of “geo-textile groynes”. When will it end? Some families’ children all can’t attend school daily!
Today I enjoin the Government to build me just two roads before it leaves the scene: The reported Parika-Goshen Road as an alternative to the hinterland and the highway to link the Lower East Coast Demerara to the Diamond/Timehri artery. Please Minister Benn, build those two for Fenty.
Your must ponder…
*1) I know that Atherley and Singh might not be in the Granger Administration. But I hope he includes Alexander, McAllister, Norton, Jerome, Ming and Riehl – if only as advisers.
*2) Hope Springs Eternal in my breast! The Prime Minister’s son appears in court, as does a Magistrate’s husband. Now comes some errant minister!?
*3) How is former Minister Ganga Persaud getting on? Any new responsibilities?
Til next week!
(Comments? Allanafenty@yahoo.com)
