Dear Editor,
Having seen your imposing headline to the expansive letter by Mr. Mortimer Mingo, Regional Chairman, Region 10, published in Stabroek News, Friday 2nd March, 2007, I wisely decided to put it by for later and detailed attention on Saturday morning. I have just done so and had a long conversation with Mr. Mingo affording him on opportunity to give oral support to the extremely serious content of his letter. It is a sorry tale. This was no ordinary letter to the Editor. Rather, it is the bland report of a conscientious official crying out for response to what is clearly a national disaster, present or in the making.
Mr. Mingo refers to a majority resolution of the Regional Demoroatic Council urging the removal of the (government – appointed) Regional Executive Officer, a public offer. If, as would be expected, the reason for such a resolution and the “litany of issues pointing towards malaise in addressing the developmental concerns of the people of Region 10” have been communicated to both the Minister of Local Government and the Minister of Education, this would surely point to some measure of comfort and protection accorded that officer and by that token, a sharing of the blame for the untidy and highly dangerous situation by those Ministries.
But this is not simply a “who’s to blame” affair. The gist of the complaint is a careless attitude to the grievous matter of denial of education to our children of that Region. The Chairman takes care to list the several school-communities involved. St. Lust, Berbice River, Mackenzie H. S, 1st to 3rd forms, Christian-burg/Wismar Secondary, West Watooka Nursery, Mt. Carmel Primary at Ituni, Berbice River. The Christianburg Nursery constructed contrary to local wisdom two years ago and unoccupiable, yet, the entire contract sum was paid to the builder.
The deeper and more serious question that arises may be “is someone or especially the government, prepared to deal so haphazardly with the lives, present and future, of our human capital? Do they not recognize that every act of educational starvation of any of our children today has its inevitable social and economic impact in the years to come? That every child so malnourished by today’s administrative default becomes the socio-economic problem of many tomorrows, a prey to dependancy, loose-living and worst of all, the attractions of crime?
But something else bothers me. Our local media have been replete with political, religious and commercial/ social criticism regarding casino-gambling, hotel-financing, VAT and the respective merits of competing cellular telephone services. I await, with a fair degree of impatience, the reaction of these groups to the socio-political atrocity being played out before our very eyes and brought to national notice in so poignant a style by the Regional Chairman in his letter. Happily, he does not digress into general comment but sets out with abundant and alarming clarity the particular areas of discontent. They are mainly physical and therefore easily capable of verification.
I am alarmed that with a composition of the Council reflecting a predominance of so-called opposition members, an issue of such profound implications for our country could so negligently remain unattended and await the frustrated outcry of the Chairman.
Mr. Mingo and I shared 19 years as co-employees of the Bauxite Industry in Region 10 and he is without doubt a serious contender, whatever his sphere of operation. His fearless periodic letters to the press on matters relating to his present office are clear testimony to this.
He has raised an issue which in more sensitive communities would suggest the declaration of a disaster area, or at least generate the support and serious reaction normally associated with such a declaration. His voice must not be a solo effort. Mr. Mingo’s cry should, by the grace of God, excite the more perceptive minds among us to respond with urgency to this national clarion call.
This is not a merely matter of Region 10, but indeed the compelling issue of an entire nation in crisis.
Yours faithfully,
Leon O. Rockcliffe
