Dear Editor,
It is common in the expression of free speech that misinformed or intended to misinform definitions and accusations are thrown into the public opinion pool.
I wish to refer to Hydar Ally’s letter `Injustice being inflicted on contribution of Walter Rodney’ (Wednesday, November 27, Stabroek News), which accuses the Government of disrespect and spite for removing the Walter Rodney name from the National Archives sign.
I attended two days of a very meaningful three-day UNESCO conference on National Cultural Policy Consultations some two months ago, with representatives from the Culture Ministry, National Archives, National Trust, and artists from every discipline. The question of the National Archives in relation to the Walter Rodney name issue came up in deliberations by UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage Policy presenter Mr Sydney Bartley on the ad hoc naming of places that are not then gazetted – I learnt like everyone else that this was the situation concerning Walter Rodney’s name and the National Archives.
As all the facts determine, this was as much hypocritical propaganda as the PPP’s inquiry into Walter’s death as there was never an attempt to truly honour his heritage to this country, but as usual to create a political masquerade or plaything of everything through cluelessness and insincerity. Without the legal framework, no legitimate transfer of finances via a grant, licence or sponsorship towards any expression that includes Walter Rodney is safe and accountable. If it is not gazetted, it is a meaningless poster, an act of disrespect.
Yours faithfully,
Barry Braithwaite
