Dear Editor,
In writing this I recall the political culture of a time when the printing of the Dayclean, the Catholic Standard and above all the Mirror was restricted. The political animosity was such at that period of strange obsessions, that it led to the death of Father Darke (SJ) and Walter Rodney, and the inevitable sale of PPP assets to maintain the Mirror printing press. With the advent of Stabroek News, Guyanese of all shades began to enjoy the views of the progressive.
In our quest to establish democratic norms in Guyana, our history cannot be complete without mentioning the role of the Stabroek News, and above all the significant presence of former US President Jimmy Carter in our political domain, when it appeared that hope and social security were invisible. As we have read over the years Stabroek News was labelled as anti-government, or part of the ‘Putagee Mafia,’ but even in that period as well as nowadays Stabroek News’ columns offer much advice that could keep a government in office or if it fails to observe the rules that deal with progress or repression then the dialectics of change will prevail.
For me, a multifunctional personality with credentials, who had the record of being the first member of parliament in Guyana, to be expelled from the National Assembly in February 1991, without considering all the Standing Orders was an unceremonial precedent. So for all Guyanese, I regard Stabroek News as my private university to be one step ahead in the quest for academic equilibrium.
So for our New Year 2013, I appreciate Dr Ian McDonald (philosopher) with his recent column on ‘Friendship,’ Dr Clive Thomas, Christopher Ram, my Pomeroon colleague Dave Martins, whose father donated part of his estate to build Martindale Primary School in 1947, Mr Andres Oppenheimer, Mr David Jessop and his recent reference to German Chancellor Angela Markel, and last but not least Omar Sharif [Goren bridge], Peggy Chin, Minerva, Holiday Mathis and cartoonist P Harris. On the other side, with the exception of Mr Fenton Ramsahoye and Fred Wills, the presiding Attorney General Anil Nandlall has overshadowed his predecessors as a good operator – he should keep on talking, keep on writing.
Yours faithfully,
I Basir
