Businessmen-cops, the “lessons industry”
Except for the comments on the Procurement Commission, I’m again wearily exploring that which has attracted repeated commentaries and analyses elsewhere.
Take my lead caption: You can make “twenty-five” thirty-five if you like, or if it will make you, a committed but concerned Guyanese, more “comfortable.”
Statistics from the local Immigration Department, the North American embassies, the Caribbean airports and international institutions easily indicate that Guyanese under forty yearn to leave the Land of their Birth. Excuse me for not delving into the wide range of reasons for our minor exodus. I’ll scratch the surface of why the young die, but you-all know they migrate for both opportunity and security.
Frankly Speaking, migration of brains and skills from under-developed to already-developed societies is now a global phenomenon because of real or perceived inequalities brought about by the activities by the more imperial, colonial states of by-gone times. Non-Caucasian immigrants are now swarming Europe and the Americas.
At my age and stage, having always decided to remain in this Green but Blighted Land, I now lament the stark fact that politics, governance, discrimination, corruption, management of resources and lack of employment, among other factors, have caused young Guyanese to yearn to leave this homeland still rich with resources. Do you realize what national hopelessness means amongst the larger, major portion of our population? Discuss.
Daily, they die…
List five reasons our under-thirties die these days. (Yes you may include suicide.)
In my youth of the fifties, early-sixties, when someone died by traffic accident or murder, that was a stunning, shocking, singular event to be spoken about for weeks! Today the young die daily and their peers are now insensitive and nonchalant towards the loss of life. Unless the deceased is really close, too many are now regarding (even early) death as “normal”.
How did we/they get this way? From the television, dance-hall-gangsta music to modern dress, lack of parenting and the greed to get wealth without work, the youth find ways to extinguish themselves.
No acceptable role-models in community or government, the extreme ignorance of absent anger-management and conflict-resolution, all result in fatal confrontations. And they just die daily, appearing on the front pages of local newspapers. Their weapons? That’s another whole story by itself.
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Non “compromise”, the Constitution!
Sometimes the arrogance and contempt displayed by government decision-makers actually seduce Opposition and ordinary citizens into the state of mind of the administration’s autocracy.
So when Mr Ramjattan and others ask the government to compromise and to give way on the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) so that some sort of agreement could see the passing of the Anti-money Laundering legislation, they are themselves being “compromised”. The Procurement Commission is mandated by the Constitution! It must be no “compromise” or bargaining chip!
I’ve just read up on the extensive provision in our Constitution regarding a PPC. Eight (8) pages with Articles 212 W (1) to 212EE tell us about the establishment and role of the Procurement Body. There are thirteen (13) specific functions, plus…
Teach yourselves citizens. My position is that as necessary as this Commission is, those in government can still find methods to manipulate procurement after its establishment. But their deeds will be laid bare as never before. And yes, the government must have a say in the millions of taxpayers’ dollars it will spend on projects but why can’t that “say” be part of a constitutional arrangement?
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Crooked cops, lessons-lessons
To my silent regret, two taxi-drivers, of varied age-groups, last week enlightened me with respect to two issues of some local significance.
I was discussing with the younger driver my wish to see less guns and other weapons in the pockets and waists of young Guyanese. So I told him my favourite experience of many decades ago at a night show in the Metropole cinema: Management stopped the movie suddenly and announced that the police would be searching us late-night patrons for illegal weapons. If you saw dozens of dangerous implements on the floors of House and Pit – in seconds!
I still recommend surprise cordons and searches at public fetes, Town/Village Days, Night Clubs, football matches. Respect the privacy and the rights but lessen the weapons! The young taxi-driver then told me that there are cops who would conduct fake searches; some would allow certain armed fellows “to go” – for obvious reasons. He also told me of unlicensed fire-arm holders travelling with their illegal weapons as well as $100,000.00 to $200,000.00 to use if found out at nightly police road-blocks. I gave up…
Genuinely curious, I asked the second matured father-driver why he was taking his daughter to after-four (pm) – lessons. (Every night I see scores of uniformed children emerging from bottom-house lesson-places. No rest for them?). I suspected that that caring father regarded me as a dolt for asking the question.
Patiently he explained: “Mr Fenty for various reasons, what is taught at her school (Christ Church Secondary) between 9:00am to 3:00pm can never equip her to pass her exams.” He then gave various reasons. As an old teacher myself, I had to appreciate some of the reasons for extra lessons. I do know that I, nor my daughters, ever knew those lessons.
Times, ambitions – and pressure – have changed circumstances and people. From Burnham’s “free education” to today’s paid lessons. The rush is for qualifications. And sometimes real education! *Watching and listening to Roger Luncheon on Public Servants’ salary increases should heighten citizens’ disdain for arrogance ..and mockery.
*In other societies citizens would be entitled to know of the minister’s illness. I suppose not many actually care here.
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Guess who, what?
1) Who identified the Guyanese-Canadian who wishes to build a recycling plant here?
2) Which government official will soon own lots of Rupununi land?
3) Have you seen it? The real-looking electronic cigarette? With real-looking smoke?
Til next week!
(comments: allanafenty!\@yahoo.com)
