Aha! Land “acquired for public purposes!”
Greetings and blessings for this Season of Giving with eleven/twelve days to the December 25 Christmas Day. That date has nothing to do with the actual Divine Birth.
But harken readers and friends: far be it from me wanting to be considered as some Guyanese Scrooge or Grinch rabidly anti-Christmas. No-no. It is as I mentioned last Friday. Probably because my immediate small family is now far removed from me and all very adult, I no longer am a “Christmas person.” The urban disorder, social lawlessness and rapacious rampant commercialism all do not endear this “season” to me any longer. The healthy innocence of Christmas past lingers.
Also, at my age and stage, physically “under-fit”, I refuse to jostle and rave for so-called bargains, prizes and giveaways, as mentally I abhor selfish attitudes and behaviours as others misuse language and city streets to promote danger. Sincere celebration of the Christian/Jewish Baby Jesus’ birth should not be manipulated to promote rowdy profiteering and too much “explicit partying.”
But poor me. The young current dot.com generation, exploiting the negative precedents and provisions left by the previous Guyanese millennials/parents, can do no better than use the Christmas Festival as a kind of days-long frenzied bacchanal. No wonder Forbes Burnham once attempted to “miniaturise” Christmas celebrations! (Old enough to recall that? He had to soften then withdrew…) So, now it’s “old people staan oneside. Stop grumbling or go to church.” Now speaking about “church.”
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The Birth, giving, generosity (?)
Growing up in Alberttown Georgetown and attending a Roman Catholic-run primary school, I could not avoid appreciating a more religious worshipful bent to the Christian Christmas Season. RC novenas, masses, and “compulsory” learning to sing and understand all the lovely hymn-like carols, combined to ensure my own young generation’s embrace of the real religious core-reason for the season.
Today’s young should be taught to “realise” that the Gift of the Son of God, made flesh to walk amongst us, should not translate into any compulsion to acquire expensive “gifts” to replicate the Jesus Birthday Gift to mankind. Give gifts worthy from your heart – inner being. Expensive only if you can afford it. Legitimately, lawfully. Business persons’ “free-gifts” and “giving-back” often do not ring true and sincere.
On the other hand, the “Season” does motivate the real generosity of certain businesses, charities, overseas donors, even political parties and other fake “friends” to give goodies to the less fortunate. Parties are arranged for the children, orphans, and shut-ins. (Sometimes until next Christmas for the publicity cameras to roll again. At least that aspect of Christmas, temporary and periodic as it is, must be one of welcome.)
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What to look for, Observers…
The Guyana government and/or the Elections Commission (GECOM) will, no doubt, determine just what and how much local and overseas election observers can monitor closely/effectively before, during and just after voting on Polling Day (whenever that day is).
Months ago, a Jason Calder of the Carter Center greeted me at the “American School” in Prashad Nagar. The Carter Center “wages peace, fights disease and builds hope”, his calling card announces. I would add that it also: “monitors elections” – as one pillar of democratic governance.
Now, if my planned publication on “Elections Rigging in Guyana – History and Challenges” never gets done by my birth date, I’ll give hints to add to what all elections observers should check for. Today’s offering: (1) Discuss the Terms of Reference of your accreditation. (2) Ask to check both Preliminary and Final Lists. (3) Discuss abilities of the GECOM Information Technology (IT) Operatives – What’s going in? What comes out on Election Night? (4) How was the contracted GEMALTO identified? (5) Who chooses the Presiding Officers? How? Why? More to come.
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It’s happened! Acquiring land!!
Believe me comrades! Mild excitement repeatedly took hold of my ageing matured mind. I read then re-read the Stabroek News caption on page 13. Because the caption proclaimed: “Government acquiring Hampton Court airstrip for public purposes.”
Yes. My long-time interest peaked! Because I thought of Trevor Benn’s Lands and Surveys Commission’s functions. I recalled hearing, when a teacher in my twenties, that Communist Fidel Castro, after executing American-friendly hundreds, had “acquired” numerous lands and properties for the Cuban peoples’ good. Later I heard rumours of our own Forbes Burnham “acquiring” property for use by his government. Lyla Kissoon? CCPA building? University Gardens?
The current owner of the huge, old, decrepit Co-Op Bank building in Stabroek, became cross with me and this column when I hinted that I’d love to see the aged edifice acquired for conversion into a vendors’ mall. Now Minister Patterson, under relevant legislation has “authorised” Benn to “acquire” portions of privately-owned Essequibo lands for “construction of a public work”. Ho-ho-ho!
So why does the above excite me? I’m bound to return to this issue quite soon. There are no idle lands or properties in Cuba. Did previous governments here compensate private owners for properties” “acquired”? Who decided price? Ho-ho. What is eminent domain?
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Now kindly consider…
My own genuine congratulations to His Excellency for announcing visionary plans to make our generous IWOKRAMA International Rainforest Centre Reserve a truly international study facility regarding preservation, ecological studies and carbon/climate-related issues.
Great SN story on the reporter’s visit to little Barbados’ Tourist Farm. Ow Guyana!
Numerous Afro young ladies know I love low natural hair styles. By pure accident Sunday night, I saw the beautiful skinny South African capture the Miss Universe 2019 Pageant title.
Pride yes. But why the Facebook Euphoria!? Y’all had to wait on a few judges to decide that “Black” was/is beautiful?
’Til next week!
