By Kwesi Isles
President Bharrat Jagdeo’s visit to Buxton last week has rekindled deep-seated resentment in some Buxtonians while others have welcomed it as an event long overdue.
US-based Buxtonian and Political Scientist with the Arizona State University David Hinds is in the forefront of those criticizing Jagdeo’s first trip to the community since becoming president over 10 years ago as a political stunt. Hinds, in a statement released on Friday, was also harsh in his comments against the individuals who organised the community meeting with Jagdeo.
“You have become the model not of a new emancipation but of a new accommodationism. You are teaching Buxtonians and Africans to be mindless beggars and weaklings,” he wrote.
Stabroek News returned to the village yesterday to garner feedback from the residents on the President’s visit and Hinds’ condemnation and found that sentiments ran both for and against what at the time had been referred to as an “historic” occasion by one of the organisers.
Burchnell Duncan, an elderly resident, was firm and instantaneous with his take on Jagdeo’s visit last Wednesday and supported Hinds’ position that it was an election gimmick.
“The man is a hypocrite. I’m a Buxtonian and I live here and I was here when we had the entire disturbance going on and he made a broad statement that Buxtonians are criminals. I watch the programme on television where he’s emphasising on let’s not go back, but when he goes to Babu John he brings back.”
According to Duncan, the visit was “electioneering” and he cautioned his fellow Buxtonians to be careful.
“If they jus go there to hear what he said and don’t worry to put the x on their ballot I’d be happy with that.”
He stated that the President had no right to visit Buxton adding that he was “out of order.”
“I’m surprised there wasn’t protest out on the street. I am absolutely surprised by Buxtonians, we fall down on that. You have a right, now you get the man in your location and now you protest. They went till in Georgetown and protest,” Duncan said.
Joseph Andrews drew attention to the fact that elections were nearing saying that the pledges from Jagdeo were in keeping with the season.
“I deh inside this world now bout 68 years and I know when it comin to election yuh does find all ah dem does come and meet people. Promise is dem main key and after they promise you and them gone in back dem nah gat time,” he said.
All the time when there were “ups and downs’ in the village he was not visiting, Andrews noted, adding that now things are quiet he was visiting as election neared.
“Ah na nuttin else dan duh,” he declared. “Me nah go no way but me know dem action.”
‘Genuine effort’
One young woman who chose not to be identified said she believed that the President’s visit was a genuine effort to help the community. On Hinds’ statement the woman said she did not believe the organisers of the visit were sellouts.
“He speaking like an educated somebody or he speaking like somebody like me who ain’t got education. Even the youngest child in Buxton nobody can’t sell much less the whole of Buxton,” the woman said.
She went on to say she would like to see the President visit the community more often while adding that there were a lot of things with which they needed assistance.
“I glad if he could come in and do other things, help out people. Some of us really need the help from the government.”
Another woman who was accompanying her and also chose to remain unnamed said the President’s visit was a “blow blow.”
“The reason why I know it wasn’t genuine is because he promise he gon help us with the single parents’ loan; some of us can’t pay back this. We would need mo assistance if he could help we with a money and we move on,” she said.
She continued that when they approach the bank for the loans they still have to meet the requirements and the President’s promise to look into it would not be much help if they fall short.
“If he seh pon de mike that he gon assist we when we go in to the bank and we can’t meet the criteria he gon assist we in meeting it dat me gon tek,” the single mother of three boys declared.
Return
Mark Glen, 39, expressed regret at missing the meeting which he said was long overdue.
“He shoulda come when the place was mo hot when dem thiefin; town man and dem Agricola man come and link up with them weakheart from hay suh and who waan tek dem in and suh. But everyting still good same way.”
Glen noted that there was very little in the village in the form of recreation and entertainment with the exception of the parties on the Railway Embankment Road and at the sea wall on Friday and Sunday nights respectively. He added that he would have wanted to raise the issue of house lots with Jagdeo since he had been running to the Housing Ministry since 1996 about a piece of land.
Glen also called on the President to return to the community.
“I would like for the President to come back to Buxton; leh he check the Buxton people dem and listen to we views. Is not no ignorant and stupid people live here,” he said. He also opposed the statement by Hinds.
“They [expletive] foolish bai, they jus want political mileage. Me don’t listen to David Hinds and dem chap duh wen dem talkin dem nonsense, tryin fuh spur up ting inside people. Dem done get a setta money,” Glen stated vehemently.
He added that Buxton people always stand up for their rights and will do so “wen tings nuh regula.”
‘No bribe’
“I feel that he aint come hay to bribe nobody,” was Loretta Yaw’s sentiment on Jagdeo’s visit. “The visit was long overdue and pressure from the overseas Buxtonians cause Mr Jagdeo to come here. We don’t tek bribe.”
Yaw said the next step ought to be ensuring that the promises made to Buxton are kept and added that she believed Jagdeo would keep his word. She was also excited about his pledge to help restore the historic Tipperary Hall which has been reduced to brick stumps on a plot overrun by vegetation.
“If he can say I gon give ayo so much tomorrow, me personally will go and start weed up deh,” she stated.
She dismissed Hinds’ statement as a throwback to a time past and called for Buxtonians to leave the past behind them.
“Ah cuss up this marnin, ah seh leh we try to forget it. At least yuh cyaan forget it but leh we try. Dem a jus ah raise up back ting. Lef it fuh now, leh we watch and see. If he nah come then we can stir up back but we gah fuh leh nature run he course.”
WPA
Meanwhile, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) yesterday joined Hinds in calling Jagdeo’s visit a political charade.
According to the party, it was “a political dance aimed at satisfying the PPP’s quest for respectability and acceptance in the African Guyanese community. While we respect the right of political parties to try to win support in all communities, to do so under the guise of giving a helping hand is nothing short of political deceit,” a party release stated.
It added that a government and party which participated in turning Buxton into a war zone could not now claim to be a friend.
“The least President Jagdeo should do is apologize to Buxtonions for his government’s role during the period under question. WPA also feels that it is an insult to the African Guyanese community in general for the government to treat Buxtonions as if they are beggars.”
According to the WPA, it believes that those Buxtonian activists who mobilized for and facilitated the President’s visit have done their village “a disservice.”
“It is foolhardy to trade dignity for a loaf of bread. It would have helped the organizers’ cause had they consulted the village on what is clearly a controversial issue. Reports from the village indicate that the organizers ignored their own decision to engage the community and opted instead to engage the government,” the statement added.
