One particular philosophy of the Burnham government seems to have rubbed off on me big time and I have experienced extreme difficulty trying to shake it. Hyper allegiance to flag and country – I pledge always to honour the flag of Guyana and to be loyal to my country, etc. etc. I still cling to the idea that it is better struggling for one’s country than to live like rats in another. I mostly wake up in the mornings angry that I have to go out and am forced to toil for a living when that energy is not contributing to the development of Guyana.
From a distance I look at those given the illustrious opportunity by the electorate to toil for their country and marvel at their attitude towards it. In particular, I look at the government of the day. The players seem to be bent on self-aggrandizement at the expense of country. Too many persons use their positions as stepping stones to riches. Foreign investment seems to be considered mainly on personal cash cow potential with no consideration for continuity in a developmental strategy.
The Airport expansion project is on track, the Marriott is in the works, guaranteed to be a reality, I understand. While these projects by themselves are commendable they are like the cart dragging the horse. Plain and simple, I do not see a clear developmental strategy here. Are we for real? Are we investing in a modern Airport and gearing for tourism when our country’s road and transportation networks are in total shambles? This haphazardness in project development can only mean one thing – who ever shows the best potential to pay to play has a deal.
On the other side of the equation I look at the workings of the combined opposition in parliament and am still to come to a concise conclusion as to what is motivating them. Is it just gross incompetence or is there something very sinister and unknown at play. Are they just mouthing great talking points to the masses while they are getting comfortable spin offs.
We are closing in on one year since the electorate gave parliamentarians a great opportunity to fight for the people and country, to help in swinging the country around and point it in the right direction. Today there is tremendous disillusion within the masses.
The greatest scourge affecting this country are the willy-nilly investment projects, the serious upsurge in crime and drug dealings since ’92, yet parliament takes a long recess and is gingerly looking at the frivolous, like trying to get an office and personnel to create bills. I tend to feel that the opposition in parliament is patting their backs with pride for busting the budget – the one so-called achievement they can acclaim. But in fact the other side is better off for it.
The opposition unwisely used up their goodwill and political capital. My contention was always that the budget should have been approved quarterly with government producing concrete numbers and reasons for more approval. That would have taken the shenanigans out of the system. Instead they went in with an axe when a scalpel was needed. They are poised to lose face big time with the Linden situation. Now the government is using that situation to whip up support from the people they lost last November.
I look on at all the present happenings and wonder. Who is this benefiting and what is it all about? For instance, the Linden protest, the Agricola shooting and the aftermath of Roger’s obscene comments. The expected looting and robbery of the innocent after the tyre burning protest. A drug war glaringly playing out in the open with execution after execution.
Why aren’t the Police more proactive? Why weren’t they immediately there at the tyre-burning site to protect bystanders when our history is an indication of these eventualities? Why isn’t Government doing more to protect their people but is quick to cast blame when atrocities are perpetrated on them? Is this a strategy? Are people’s safety deliberately put at risk to continuously generate animosity thus maintaining perpetual political dominance through the ballot box?
I look on at all the above in wonder then I’m hit by the un-timely death of Indranie Shah Lennartson and hereby extend my heartfelt condolences to her surviving sister and her family. I brushed shoulders with Nadira and Indranie Shah in the early seventies and cannot help reflecting on the stark difference in Guyana then and now.
I became acquainted with the sisters and their mother who operated as their strict chaperone in the mid-seventies. Mind you, this was just after the serious racial animosity and disturbances of the sixties.
Forbes Burnham formed a government in 1964 and by the time I met the Shahs this young boy of African descent was playing base guitar in the Indian owned Merrytones Band headed by Ramesh Persaud. We toured the full length of Guyana’s coastline and the Mahaica/Mahaicony riverine areas. To give you a full understanding of the calm after the storm, the stage shows sponsored by people like Arthur Boodram and others were called “East meets West in music”.
The Merrytones backed English singers like Nicky Porter, Ivor Lynch, Tony Goodluck, the Mighty Enchanter and others.
The Shah sisters, pretty young at the time, used to come in and do their dance routine. There was also belly dancing from the late Dolly Baksh. Her brother Sammy pitched in with excellent guitar playing and some soul singing.
I remember performing with the sisters at Indian wedding ceremonies in the most far-reaching extremes and deep down in Indian communities like the Mahaica and Mahaicony creeks, Anna Regina, Blairmont estate and Canje Creek.
Those were the days of the exploits of Eton Drepaul, a restaurant owner from Campbellville who ventured into promoting and singing, along with his daughter Nesha Benjamin who went on to become a recording artiste.
How was I able to do that? On some occasions touring with the band I was the only African at Indian weddings. There were no hotels. On most occasions I slept in Indian homes in those far-reaching places. How was I able to do it? My take – after the disturbances government was able to convincingly quell the nonsense. They were able to stamp their authority on the situation.
I’m not saying that some incidences of injustices did not seep through, but when the sometimes over-the-top actions of the House of Israel was tolerated by one leader the other stepped in and threw Rabbi Washington in jail. When the doll house type of drug pushing in those days seemed to be getting out of hand, Taps and friends were caught with cocaine in a soap powder box and jailed. When kick down the door activities were on the rise, ‘hang them high’ was implemented to curb the situation.
What is the reaction today to crime? Can anyone point to anything substantial except blaming the opposition? Is there any indication that our government seriously wants to curb the atrocities against their supporters?
Roger made some insensitive statements resulting in the burning of tyres and the robbery of defenceless individuals and what is the reaction from those tasked with the safety of those people? Spin. Blame it on the opposition. Government has the power to do something about it. They make the appointments, they choose the leaders, they give the orders, yet it’s the powerless opposition at work. Who believes this nonsense?
Surely it cannot be that there is any interest in curbing the crime situation in Guyana. It works perfectly in creating fear thus pushing certain persons to the ballot box. That means the Diaspora Initiative may very well be a farce. It’s the right place to start, but… can anyone see a positive Diaspora response when just recently the underground forced itself to the aboveground with a spate of executions? Please tell me what I’m seeing is wrong. I’m all ears.
Yours faithfully,
F Skinner
