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PRESIDENT GRANGER Happy 70th Birthday
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July 25 2015 Vol 1 Issue 9
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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESKTOP
The Day a Reader Said Sorry
Content
By Frank A. Campbell
PAGE 3: Guyanese Proverbs PAGES 4-5: First 50 days PAGES 6-7: Crime: Break in Crum-Ewing and other cases PAGES 8-9: We can and must resist Venezuela PAGES 10-11: Six ways we abroad can protect Guyana PAGE 12: Musings of a Guyanese in the Diaspora PAGE 13: Guyana Revisited PAGES 14-15: Reeling in the Diaspora PAGES 16-17: Danger of growing onions on newsprint PAGES 18-19: Hooliganism and the search for race relations PAGE 20: Thriller in Guyana PAGE 21: Meeting challenges together PAGES 22-23: What our readers write PAGE 24: Last minute news flash
We once published a letter to the editor in which the reader apologized to us for the criticism contained in the letter. The criticism was mild. We probably wouldn’t have noticed it if he hadn’t said sorry. Actually, most of our letters to the editor have been kind, positive, laudatory. But since the last issue of Diaspora Times, we had some good feedback. We got two nice critical letters that the writers agreed we could publish.
Good? Nice? Are those appropriate adjectives for letters saying that your facts are wrong and your approach lousy? Absolutely. News publications are like governments. The best way to cripple them is by always telling them how worthy, righteous and faultless they are.
I used to be chief propagandist both for my party, the People’s National Congress, and for my government, the Forbes Burnham-led government of Guyana. For six years, I edited the New Nation, the party organ. Later, for almost three years, I was the Cabinet minister responsible for information. Especially while serving as minister, I developed and promoted the thesis that the best form of propaganda is the truth. I still believe so. Take a look at the item, “The danger of growing onions on newsprint,” on pages 16 and 17.
The period since our last edition was, for many reasons, also an interesting one for President David Granger. Wednesday, July 15, was his 70th birthday. And July 4 was also, by our reckoning, the half-way point in his first 100 days as president. That means it’s a good time to begin assessing how he and his government are doing in the fulfillment of their ambitious first-hundred-days program.
It’s also a good time to begin evaluating and enhancing their tolerance for criticism. I appreciate President Granger’s expressed willingness, and that of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, to respect such principles as freedom of the press and universal access to publicly owned media. Such promises are easy to make, difficult to fulfill but politically rewarding if faithfully followed. We at Diaspora Times look forward to publishing your letters in the “What our readers write” column. Tell us how we’re doing. Give us the good, the bad and the candid. We also look forward, during the next 50 days or so, to publishing your articles about how the government is doing in its “first 100 days” achievements. Again, be congratulatory or critical, but be fair and constructive. We ourselves will keep our eyes on the new administration while pulling up our own socks in response to your advice and correction. As far as the government’s media policy is concerned, we look to ministers and communication professionals to tell us the truth when things go wrong. Of course, we expect them to be no less vigorous in sharing information when things go right. Send out those press releases, photographs and Op-Ed articles. And please place Diaspora Times on your mailing lists. And a final memo to you, dear Reader. You don’t have to say sorry.
Diaspora Times E-Magazine
Editorial Board Chairman Desmond Roberts Editor Frank A. Campbell Freddie Shivdat, Dr. Lear Matthews, Dr.Rohan Somar, Halim Majeed Lurlene Nestor. Ave Brewster-Haynes Contributors Frank A. Campbell Lancelot Mars Dave Martins Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, Ph. D. Solomon Sharma Halim Majeed Paul Sanders Roslin Khan Ph.D. Eff A.See Graphic Design & Layout Claire Ann Goring Ashton Franklin Photographs Guyana Chronicle Kaieteur News LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your letters to the editor to diasporatimesnews@gmail.com
A MINI COLLECTION OF FAVORITE GUYANESE PROVERBS
Selected and compiled by Frank A. Campbell
Big tree fall down, goat bite he leaf: When the mighty falls, respect no longer comes naturally. Cat ah ketch rat, but he ah teef he massa fish: The same person or situation that produces good also produces evil. Don’t mind how bird vex, he can’t vex wid tree: You may be angry with the boss, but you still need the job, or with your parents, but still need their support, or with your homeland, but still need to go home again. It was a hint to Beneba dat mek Quashiba tek notice: It is wise to take counsel even from words addressed to someone else or words dealing with a subject different (or apparently different) from the subject at hand. Moon ah run till day ketch am: Just as the moon sometimes remains visible after daybreak, if you do a wrong thing often enough, eventually you will get caught. Bucket ah guh ah well everyday, one day he battam guh leff: Just as a bucket used often enough will begin to leak or have its bottom destroyed through rusting, if you do a wrong thing often enough, eventually you will get caught. Beef nah gat bone dag nah business deh: A person does (or should) not get involved in matters of no concern to him or her. When blind man seh he guh pelt, he gat stone ah he foot bottom: Even the threats of a person (or a people) seemingly blessed with few resources should not be taken lightly. Bush gat ears and dutty gat tongue: Sometimes when we think our secret is safe, that secret is heard, and spoken, by people we least expect to hear or repeat it. Hungry nah know bambiy: Urgent need requires urgent response.
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FIRST 50 DAYS CLEANSING THE STABLES OF THIEVERY AND HOSTILITY
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By Halim Majeed
midst a great outpouring of national relief, coupled with equally great expectations, the APNU+AFC coalition government assumed office some 50 days ago. It was truly a landmark event in the history of Guyana.
It was generally expected that the Granger administration would have had to treat with some degree of corruption and criminality, malfeasance and mismanagement. This was clear from the media exposé prior to the May 11 elections. But what became public knowledge after those elections was truly mind-boggling. It became crystal clear that the PPP regime had overstepped all the bounds of political morality and financial propriety.
On virtually every one of the first 50 days, therefore, the Granger administration has had to deal with very serious issues that adversely impacted on the national weal. There was the overdrawn Consolidated Fund. There was the emptying of the Petro Caribe and Lotto funds. A bankrupt sugar industry teetered at the brink of closure. The rice industry stood bereft of markets. Then there were the evident pilfering of State funds in a multiplicity of ways, a demoralized Public Service and a sudden upsurge of criminal behavior—in short a society crying out for justice. As the APNU+AFC government began to strip away the veneer of normalcy and the pretense of good governance promoted by the Jagdeo-Ramoutar administrations, the PPP counterattacked by taking to the
streets and invoking the spirit of 1964, proclaiming that it had been “cheated not defeated” at the polls. That party deemed the general elections fraudulent. They did so although each observer mission present in Guyana before, during and after Election Day had certified those elections as “free and fair.” The missions included those mounted by the Carter Center, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Commonwealth and Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR.) Several diplomatic missions in Georgetown, particularly those of the ABC countries (America, Britain and Canada) and the European Union, publicly endorsed the findings of the observer missions. Despite this overwhelming evidence of the validity of the elections, the PPP, thus far, has refused to enter Parliament although it has named its members of the National Assembly. Instead, it has begun a campaign of letter writing by erstwhile ministers and a regular Monday morning press conference hosted by the Clement Rohee who, legally at least, remains the PPP’s general secretary.
At the external level, the Granger administration has been subjected to the vagaries of a hostile western neighbor, Venezuela. That country has once again resurrected its bogus claim to five eights of Guyana’s territory. In addition, it sought to claim as its own the maritime zone lying off Guyana’s atlantic coast.
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It is in this context that the progress of the “first 100 days” program of the APNU+AFC government should be understood, anticipated and examined.
The government, undaunted by unconstructive opposition at home and military threats abroad, is pursuing several positive initiatives. It has established a State Asset Recovery Unit, headed by Prof. C Y Thomas. Forensic audits are being undertaken in several government agencies. The 11th Parliament has been convened, and already has passed important pieces of legislation. A high-level commission is inquiring into the sugar industry. The 2015 draft national budget is to be presented to Cabinet in about 10 days.
FIRST
Not to be downplayed are the cleanup campaigns that started in Georgetown and spread to other parts of the country. Nor the first fruits of the recovery of national assets from hands to which those assets never belonged.
And President Granger has led delegations to three significant international conferences – the CARICOM Summit (Barbados), the Third UN Conference on Financing for Development (Ethiopia), and the MERCOSUR Summit (Brazil).
But much more work has to be done before there will be some semblance of national equilibrium. Fifty days ago, President Granger and his Government embarked on the arduous task of cleansing the Augean stables bequeathed by the PPP. The next 50 days will see an enhanced and robust campaign on the part of Government not only to continue cleaning but also to vigorously pursue national development goals.
How much will the the Augean stables be really cleansed by the time the first 100 days are past? That is anybody’s guess.
50 DAYS
Photograph Guyana Chronicle Newspaper
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By Halim Majeed
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CRIME
BREAK IN CRUM-EWING AND OTHER BIG CASES Diaspora Times E-Magazine
CRIME Break in Crum-Ewing, other big cases
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By Frank A. Campbell rrests were made in recent days in a number of serious criminal cases in Guyana. These included the case of Courtney Crum-Ewing, whose murder in Diamond Housing Scheme on March 10 this year was widely considered a political assassination. Crum-Ewing’s body was pumped with five bullets, three to his head at pointblank range. This happened while he walked the Diamond roadway encouraging his compatriots to go out and vote in the May 11 elections.
His death followed an extended period of protest outside the Attorney General’s chambers against then Attorney General Anil Nandlall. Crum-Ewing’s murder added to the 400-plus politically-related deaths that are arguably the most lasting legacy of the Jagdeo-Ramotar era.
Crum-Ewing’s death was also symptomatic of the prevalence in crime that tempted even pro-PPP, antiCoalition voters to cast their ballots against the PPP. Many did. Many others were swayed by Jagdeo’s racist rants, suggesting that things would be worse if the APNU+AFC Coalition won. On the other hand, many voted APNU+AFC, hoping that Brigadier David Granger could end the crime spree. The Coalition won. But, instead of ending, crime worsened, and the PPP celebrated. It blamed the new APNU+AFC government totally for the crime situation. Forget that APNU+AFC was at the helm for mere days or weeks. Forget that the PPP had been in control nonstop for almost a quarter of a century. Truth is the PPP had nothing to be proud of, least of all with regard to national seurity. According to the U. S.
State Department’s Guyana Crime and Safety Report, issued in January 2015, “serious crimes, including murder and armed robbery, are common.” The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime notes that Guyana’s murder rate in 2012 was the fourth highest in South America. Only Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil recorded higher rates. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) itself, in its May 2015 Crime and Traffic Statistics Update, reported a 6% increase in serious crimes during the previous year. This figure included a 7% increase in murders and a whopping 70% increase in rape. The latter figure is so high that I kept trying to convince myself that there must have been a misprint in the GPF release. These police figures cover the one-year period ending, ironically, on Brigadier Granger’s first official workday as president.
Now, as if on cue, it seemed that everyday some murder, some robbery with gratuitous violence, or some arson was happening. Many started wondering whether the PPP was taking steps to fulfill the violence that it had predicted would result from an APNU+AFC ascension to power. Then, thank God, the break came. Arrests associated with three high-profile criminal events were made. One was the midnight murder of a big Regent Street businessman at his West Coast, Demerara home. The second was the attack at the home of a land court judge, whose jaw was broken, and her husband, who lost an eye. The third was the Crum-Ewing murder. This is one that many people still believe, rightly or wrongly, would never have been solved if the May 11 elections had produced a different result. Now, the facts seem to be supporting the suspicion of a political motive. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud and National Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan all believe that a charge against Crum-Ewing’s alleged murderers will be laid shortly.
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“Let me make it absolutely clear that we have no border dispute with Venezuela, our border was settled in 1899. What we are dealing with is a territorial claim by Venezuela which has nothing to do with the border. It’s a claim that aims at dismembering Guyana. That’s a very serious question. If someone claims two-thirds of your land, what he is really telling you is to go and live somewhere else.”
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Then Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashleigh Jackson at a Press Conference at the Guyana Film Centre, June 13, 1981.
WE CAN AND MUST RESIST VENEZUELA V
By Sharma Raheem Solomon
enezuela's attempts to circumscribe our sovereignty must be resisted by all Guyanese. To claim what’s not yours is an act of misplaced aggression. To continue to want to grab what has been settled by international arbitration is a show of contempt for the rule of law.
To decide on one day you will use this decree, and next day use another, in efforts to push an agenda known to have no moral and international premise and support among right-thinking persons even within your own country, is a sign of desperation. All 83,000 square miles and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in relation to Guyana remain ours.
President Nicolás Maduro’s failure to provide basic amenities for the citizens of Venezuela has angered his people, resulting in widespread discontent and a series of protest actions. His failure to properly address domestic affairs explains his aggression against Guyana and other sovereign nations. The intention of President Maduro’s act is to rally the citizens of Venezuela against Guyana and others with a view to diverting attention from his failed economic policies. The continuous threat by Venezuela has had a negative impact on this country’s development. History has shown that we lost the realization of the Upper Mazaruni hydropower development program, championed under the government of President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, because
Venezuela’s claim to Essequibo scared off investors.
Today we are confronted with President Maduro’s efforts to stymie the production of oil, which could reduce our cost in building an efficient manufacturing sector. An effective manufacturing sector can create thousands of jobs for Guyanese. Cheap energy can mean the small man will benefit from goods and services at affordable prices. It can also mean improved and expanded infrastructure. All this can mean economic development and a steep reduction in poverty.
The recent economic aggression by President Maduro is intended to circumscribe our sovereignty by making us dependent on Venezuela. That country could then play a significant role in determining our national programs. Already, we have seen President Maduro’s attitude towards us when it comes to the Petrocaribe deal. President Maduro wants to be the aggressor, but when we rightfully respond to his aggression, he becomes offended. This attitude indicates that he does not understand that Guyana is a sovereign nation and has a right to defend its territorial integrity.
Guyanese must first and foremost recognize that we have a country that we call home. And we must protect and defend every inch that belongs to us. We do so by remembering that what counts most is not what our country can do for us but what we can do for our country. So, “let us cooperate for Guyana,” and resolve to fight together. “Can we do it? Yes we can!” This item is reproduced from Facebook with the permission of the author.
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SIX WAYS WE ABROAD CAN
PROTECT GUYANA
DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT
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By Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, Ph.D.
uyanese in the Diaspora generally do not follow day-to-day developments in our native land. We have families to nurture and, in many cases, also families to support back home. And we have professional journeys to pursue, among other things. Yet, even for those who are nonchalant about things in Guyana, the “what’s happening back home” antennas tend to be raised with major events or developments, such as devastating floods, national elections, or crime sprees. Venezuela’s recent aggressive actions and posturing certainly fall within the “major event or development” category. Regardless of why we emigrated, we tend to don “patriotic garments” when we sense that the nation’s sovereignty is coming under siege again. Our sovereignty sensibilities tend to prompt reconnection with works by musical luminaries such as Valerie Rodway, who wrote “Guyana, Guyana, this fair land of ours Has broken the bondage of far distant powers, We love you Guyana from high land to sea, And pray God make worthy your children to be.”
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SIX WAYS WE ABROAD CAN PROTECT GUYANA DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT
By Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, Ph.D.
We may be abroad, but most of us have not abandoned our native land. Thus, as regards Venezuela’s actions, many are moving beyond curiosity to ask: “What can I do to help?” Let me offer six suggestions in response to that question.
• First, Diaspora Guyanese can help craft and manage a public diplomacy campaign, which will be essential to keeping Guyanese at home, Guyanese abroad and the international community abreast of the issues and developments. So, I am extending an invitation to this magazine’s editorial team or to one or more Guyanese associations or educational networks to take the lead on this. This would entail establishing a website to serve as a repository of the historical and contemporary documents related to the matter, such as the 1899 Arbitral Award, the 1966 Geneva Agreement, the 1970 Protocol of Port-of-Spain, Decree No. 1.787, Decree No. 1. 859 of 2015, and the like. The site could post the texts and videos of all speeches by Guyanese, Venezuelan, and other officials on the issues. As oil and rice are part of the matrix, and as they have serious economic security implications, upload the relevant Petro Caribe documents. Moreover, the public diplomacy initiative should have a robust social media component, starting, perhaps, with Facebook and Instagram, and extending to YouTube, Pinterest, and other platforms. • Second, Diaspora groups could complement the public diplomacy campaign by linking to their social media networks.
• Third, groups or individuals could sponsor professionally prepared sovereignty-support banners and billboards to prominently declare and denounce, as appropriate.
• Fourth, associations could host educational radio, television, and in-person forums, calling on the expertise of Guyanese and other lawyers, serving and retired diplomats, academics, business owners, and other professionals. • Fifth, they could host briefings with local, state, provincial, federal and other political officials and business leaders within the jurisdictions where they reside.
• Sixth, Diaspora groups could host protest presence outside Venezuelan embassies, consulates, and trade offices around the world. Indeed, to the credit of some groups in New York and London, this has already begun. However, protest presence will have minimal symbolic and media effect if it involves just a handful of individuals at any one time, especially if some of the placards are either illegible or otherwise poorly prepared. Each protest presence should involve at least three-dozen participants, and each event should last for at least three days. The upcoming United Nations General Assembly session provides grand opportunities in the New York tristate area. Moreover, efforts should be made to ensure that protest presence and other engagement actions reflect Guyana’s ethnic profile. These are some of the things that Guyanese abroad could do as regards Venezuela’s aggressiveness. This “battle” for our native land must be joined by Guyanese both at home and abroad. As Martin Carter warned us poetically, either “all are involved,” or the risk would be that “all are consumed.”
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DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT
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ecently I had the pleasure of spending some time in my native Guyana, visiting after the historic elections that had ushered in a coalition government after many, many years of governance by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic. I was heartened to observe, and interact with, my fellow Guyanese who seem to be exuding an air of thankfulness that change has finally come to the land of six races who are accustomed to living in unity. As I travelled to various parts of the country, including the Corentyne Coast, I was struck by the peacefulness of the environment and the genuine desire of persons to get on with their daily living and to relate to their neighbors without any adverse regard to race, ideology or religion. My thoughts were that Guyanese were exhaling after a long period of holding their breath and hoping and waiting for something good to happen in the country. Persons to whom I spoke declared that, “you do not [any longer] have to fear your government.” And the government has been expressing its desire through all its ministerial appointees and public announcements that “all are welcome” to play their part in re-building our beloved Guyana. This sentiment seems to have pushed many persons to engage in self-help activities such as the clean-up campaign. Assured of good governance, many express a willingness to reach for higher standards of conduct and performance in their social interactions and work activities. Police officers and civil servants are polite in the performance of their public duties, and this change is evident also in the private sector. Based on all of the above, I was infected with the spirit of cooperation and was thus encouraged to do some self-examination. The resulted was a search for the contribution that I can make in this wonderful, peaceful social upheaval. As part of that search, I began discussions with several government personnel and agencies to identify projects that would benefit from my expertise, and it is my intention to follow up on these projects. Now, before I close my quiet musing, I wish to
relate an occurrence that highlights the expectations of both the new government and those of us in the Diaspora. While waiting for my luggage at JFK Airport, having returned from my trip to Guyana, I was conversing with a government minister whom I had met previously. During our airport conversation, I discussed his ministry’s plans for a certain segment of the population. He delicately addressed the perception of persons such as myself that government may be moving slowly to make certain changes and this may not fit the speed of our expectations in North
MUSINGS OF A GUYANESE IN THE DIASPORA By Lancelot Mars, MBA
America. I was moved by his concern, and agreed that some changes would require time, lest in our rush we make unforgiveable mistakes. I further assured the minister that I—and, I hope, most persons in the Diaspora—will appreciate the desire of the government and our fellow Guyanese to make changes, and will be patience and understanding, while making our own contribution for the good of all. I am planning to return to Guyana shortly to walk the walk, just as I have been talking the talk.
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DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT
Guyana Revisited By John G. Morris
Took a trip from the house of exile, to the land of many waters, transported by same wings of compunction that bore me out from Eldorado’s brass, counterfeit copper, the corrupted coinage of the realm. Curiosity confronts the collective consciousness of truth unwilling prodigal thirsting for the blood of the fatted calf of the Republic, pilate standing before Sampson. the lie of freedom, the freedom of truth will set me free. “pound, shilling and pence, black man fall in trench.” The dawn of despair becomes the dusk of desolation, the nightmare of nationalist pride, furtive glances beget conspiratorial whispers of ansgrove accabre, bartica betrayed, kaieteur killed, demerara drowned, rupununi running naked through the savanah, essequibo quivering in lunatic fear, linden lynched, berbice beheaded, roraima raped, and cicero chuckled! “run fu money bus he belly pound shilling and pence.”
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good idea, although previously ignored, always bears repeating. Here is one: Guyana should officially set about taking advantage of the very substantial unused resource this country has in the Guyanese Diaspora sitting in the developed world. Admittedly, no one knows the extent of it – no reliable study has been done – but there is clearly a juggernaut of expertise, financial wherewithal, and, most importantly, considerable commitment to the homeland, in this scattered Guyanese population living abroad. When one considers the continuing, and even urgent need for those commodities in present-day Guyana, our government here is missing the boat badly in not mounting a concerted drive to garner them.
REELING IN THE DIASPORA By Dave Martins
(This article was first published in the Stabroek News on March 18, 2012.)
WHETHER IT COMES THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT DIRECTLY, OR THROUGH A PROBABLY MORE PALATABLE PRIVATE-SECTOR STREAM, AN OFFICIAL GUYANA DIASPORA OFFICE (CHOOSE YOUR TITLE) SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED QUICKLY TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF CAPTURING THIS LATENT AND OFTEN NEGLECTED RESOURCE. Diaspora Times E-Magazine
Reeling in the Diaspora
DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT
campaigning in the Diaspora to extract the interest that is there.
By Dave Martins
Three years ago, passing through Jamaica, on a trip here, I booked into the Pegasus Hotel to find the place overflowing with an impressive crowd of black-tie Jamaicans; it was a mob scene. I was taken aback. The hotel’s Guyanese manager, Eldon Brenner, laughingly told me, “No, Dave. It’s not Caricom; it’s the Jamaica Diaspora Association.” I had never heard of the group, but the Jamaican PM was there, with most of his cabinet; there was a mix of resident and foreign-based Jamaicans; many leaders of business were there, and Harry Belafonte was one of the guest speakers, along with several other famous Jamaicans. Jamaica, it turns out, had been milking this resource of its people living away and the dividends were clearly evident. This bustling gathering, celebrating an anniversary, was a sight to behold. Guyana needs to copy that strategy. I don’t know about the UK, but I can speak with authority on the situation in Canada and the U.S.A. Every single time I play in one of those cities I’m impressed by not only the extent (I know the numbers of us outside are huge) but particularly the quality of these people who are major achievers in such places. And further, to the point here, in every one of those cities many of these Guyanese have an ear or an eye, and sometimes a heart, for the homeland. It comes out in the Guyana flags on their windshields. It’s there in things people shout to you from the audience. It comes out in the conversations they entrap you with after the show – like the group in Queens that had me encircled on the sidewalk at 3:00 in the morning – and there are two aspects: one is obviously nostalgia, and close behind that is the disposition to help. “Who can I call? Can you put me in touch with somebody?”
Sometimes it’s a concrete contribution; sometimes it’s an offer of support, or specific services. I usually try to steer them to civic groups, like the ones in Toronto, New York, Orlando, etc., but I have to tell them there is no official conduit for these outreaches. If these intimations are coming spontaneously, how much wider must be the interest and the commitment, waiting to be capitalized on, that is not surfacing? We should be proactively going after this interest, not sitting here and expecting it will gradually filter its way down to us through the civic groups; significant support is obviously going to be missed in that process. Part of our business of making life better in Guyana should be to go beyond being grateful for this resource; we should have a unit specifically set up for not only channeling this expression of interest, but to go beyond that into
Mind you, there are some hurdles to cross. One of them is the often negative response on the ground here to some of these diaspora offers. Just this week, one of our Guyanese professio als, on an exploratory visit here, was complaining to me about the lukewarm reception to his offer of services. In some of those cases, unfortunately, the “cut and run/stay an’ bun’ ” view, while not always voiced, is at play, and offers go a-begging. There is the psychological problem here, not unique to Guyana, of this condition of the ones “leaving the tribe”, so to speak, for any appreciable time, being then left outside the pale. Nonetheless, any Diaspora effort will have to take it on board as a challenge. I know of several instances, in both Canada and the USA, where the rebuff here has resulted in the interest to support being abandoned and, as in most negative experiences, the details then being relayed to dissuade others similarly inclined. Ironically, this same disposition often lands on the “comebackees”, returning here to live permanently, who are sometimes similarly rebuffed in their efforts to contribute. Indeed, an official Diaspora Association should be building a database of such Guyanese, not only to take advantage of their abilities here, but also to use them as an informal resource to interact with their overseas brethren who may have doubts about contributions to the country. There is also the often expressed Diaspora concern, based on media reports on corruption and incompetence, about where their support will end up. While not so much a factor at home, this concern is high on the radar of those living outside, and any recruitment effort aimed at them will have to take that position into account. Here, as well, the “comebackees” could play a significant role by providing a neutral reading on the ground.
Critically, however, the Diaspora Association must function merely as a channel; put people with needs and people with resources in contact, and leave them to work out the details. To go beyond that, into negotiating between the need here and the provider outside, is a recipe for disaster because politics and corruption will take over.
On the positive side, there is already in existence a farflung and vigorous network of Guyanese associations and groups in North America (the GCA of New York; the Orlando Guyanese Association; the Toronto Saints group, etc.) that could be the springboard for a national group that draws on this tremendous resource in the Diaspora. It is widespread, it is sincere, and it is showing its intent, openly and covertly, everywhere our people live outside. The Guyanese Diaspora factor is akin to a fish swimming in the sea waiting to be caught; we should throw out a line and reel it in.
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THE DANGER OF GROWING ONIONS ON NEWSPRINT
COMMUNICATION,MEDIA ETC.
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By Frank A. Campbell
This text is extracted from the introduction to Development Journalism in Guyana – 1968-1982, my thesis for the Master’s degree in journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Its reproduction here invites a question about the extent to which the mistakes made during my tenure as minister of information and as editorin chief of the Chronicle were repeated, perhaps even intensified, during the PPP era. It could also serve as counsel to the new administration that a departure from its promise regarding fairness in the government-owned media could be, not merely a matter of rights, but also a step towards political selfdestruction.
once asked an Essequiban farmer about Guyana’s mass media. Referring to the government-owned Chronicle, he answered angrily: “The newspaper says how much onion was reaped on Hogg Island. I live on Hogg Island and I know we don’t plant onions there. The paper tells too many lies.” Not long after, I asked a Berbician cane cutter the same question. His response was amazingly similar. “All the onions produced in this country,” he said, “are produced on the pages of the Chronicle.” [Both statements were originally uttered in Guyanese Creole.] These two members of the laboring class from opposite ends of the Guyanese coastline share with many of their more intellectual compatriots an abiding dissatisfaction with the performance of their country’s major mass media. In its Human Rights Report, January 1980 – June 1981, the Guyana Human Rights Association says, “The extent to which news is kept from the Guyanese people can be judged by the fact that an event as important as the Jonestown massacre was learned by the Guyanese people from the BBC—24 hours after it happened.” Clive Thomas, professor of economics of the University of Guyana and a political opponent of the [then PNC] government, says about the government-owned media, “The language used, and the style of reporting, perhaps gives the quickest insight into the degeneracy of political culture that has accompanied the dictatorship.” Professor Thomas is referring, presumably, to the tendency to one-sided reporting and sometimes the use of a style more suited to a party organ than to a general-circulation newspaper. The government itself is evidently embarrassed. Endorsing some mild reforms attempted at the Chronicle during 1981-82, President Forbes Burnham told the staff in August 1982, that there was no need to lie on behalf of the government or to behave as if the government had “the last word in Solomonesque wisdom.” None of the government-employed journalists interviewed for this thesis was happy with the state of the media. Some believed their association with the media represented an embarrassment even in their personal lives.
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COMMUNICATION,MEDIA ETC.
The danger of growing onions on newsprint By Frank A. Campbell Notwithstanding this consensus that the media policy of the government is deficient, the critics are divided on the reasons for, and at the nature and extent of, the deficiency. Some associate the problem with the government’s avowed socialist orientation. Others, like Professor Thomas, take a diametrically different view. Thomas rejects the government’s socialist credentials. He blames the attempts by the “ruling political elite” to consolidate its hold on the government and the country… My own involvement in some of the problems and events on which this study is based ... increases the likelihood of personal bias... Of great importance, therefore, were the interviews I
conducted, especially those with journalists attached to the government media… Although many shared my positive recollections of the contributions I had sought to make to an effective policy, such sentiments were by no means universal. Some felt that towards the end of my tenure as Guyana’s minister of information, I had become as dictatorial as any other holder of that office… For their frankness, I remain eternally in their debt… This thesis is written for the farmer and the cane-cutter referred to earlier.
It is written also for all Guyanese journalists who struggle to help produce a handiwork—to help fashion a country—of which they can be proud.
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HOOLIGANISM
RACE RELATIONS
and the search for race relations By Paul Sanders,
A
Caribbean Daylight , New York Photograph Kaieteur News
ll his colleagues call him "Champion of the Earth," and he claims he'd rather not run for the presidency again. Yeah right. Nobody really trusts him on that one. On Election Day, he wore the full outfit hoping his "Apaan Jaat" weaponry would hit the bull's eye. It almost did. And in the wake of the APNU+AFC's victory, Bharrat Jagdeo earned a new appellation: a member of parliament and Opposition Leader. Let's not forget: the PPP's loss was slim; the APNU+AFC's victory was slim. In other words, the APNU+AFC almost lost the mandate; the PPP almost won the majority. Who will turn the other cheek?
The PPP's core voters—not all its voters, of course—are a compilation of freaks, nerds, hard-core Apaan Jaatists, carpetbaggers, lords of the underworld and their assortment of deputies, feudalists, sycophants, cronies, and a handful of really honest men who held out hope that there is still nostalgia in the memory of party founder Cheddi Jagan. Diaspora Times E-Magazine
Hooliganism and the search for race relations RACE RELATIONS
By Paul Sanders,
Caribbean Daylight , New York Photograph Kaieteur News
What went down in the immediate aftermath of the elections is convincing enough that the PPP is indeed a fringe party. And now they have found a leader who is fully armed with great fringe impulses to lead them in parliamentary debates. So the question for the gentlemen of the APNU+AFC in parliament is: Which one among them will be willing to turn the other cheek? That is, when the slapping begins. Which one, among them, will be the big lion-hearted Christian to forgive 70 times 7? After all, Bharrat Jagdeo's temper drives him to dangerous, frothing-at-the-mouth cuss-downs and unmanageable tantrums. Parliament no longer the ‘hood
He will face off with sworn enemies in Parliament. Yeah, these are the same people he warned his audiences about when he evangelized about Apaan Jaat in his elections sermons. This time he will have to duke it out like a scholar, maintaining respectability, decorum and poise. The Guyana Parliament is no longer the ‘hood. Can Jagdeo contain himself? Nope. Not unless he gets a crash course in temper control and anger management and, perhaps, some yoga. He has been entrenched for too long in the gutterstyle/hooliganistic conversations, especially when folks are at sharp variance with him.
the East Indian enclaves, aggravated it, and promoted hate and bigotry to a frighteningly different level. His demagogic energy has sculptured a kind of premonition that certainly gave the creeps.
The hangover from this mad man's drunken rhetoric is having serious implications for Guyanese who see May 11 as a second chance at nationhood, and thus, a resetting of the fundamental priorities in governance. “All are consumed”
But believe it or not, Bharrat Jagdeo's recent performance at election politics has catapulted to the forefront, once again, the issue of race relations in Guyana; its dangerous possibilities; and its relationship with the civilized world.
Bharrat Jagdeo is not just a metaphor for all that is wrong about Indo/Afro relations in Guyana; or for that matter, what is so swinish –or hoggish, if you prefer—in our racial sociology. Today, he is the embodiment of the cancer. He is also the reason why it is so imperative that Indo- and AfroGuyanese begin re-examining their respective philosophical values within the context of the human self, and by extension, of good neighbor, and friend. Bharrat Jagdeo provides us with such an opportunity. Any attempt to deconstruct the man of his public persona and campaign maneuvers, will be quite instructive, not just to demonize him (he's already there; he did an excellent job all by himself), but to sort out where the dangerous intersections, distractions, diversions and hazards lie on the road to healing and reconciliation.
Somewhere in our national psyche is the propulsion of a symbiotic existence - the realization of our inter-connectedness. As the late Guyanese poet Martin Carter says, “All are involved! All are consumed!”
We saw that side of him during his presidency, but especially during the election campaign in which he shuttled raw racism and its senseless ideology to
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GUYANESE IN THE DIASPORA
THRILLER IN GUYANA L
ast month’s release by the Network Journal Communication of Rosalind Kilkenny McLymont’s new international thriller, The Guyana Contract, coincided with the historic shift in governance in Guyana.
After graduating from college and before pursuing her career, lead character Drucilla Durane embarks on a European excursion. She begins with little more than street smarts and a Eurail pass, and it all goes smoothly until her arrival in France. After being shown around Marseille by a handsome young French-American named Theron St. Cyr, Drucilla continues to Paris, where she finds herself in a harrowing situation. Thinking St. Cyr is to blame, she vows never to forget him. Fast-forward several years: Drucilla works for an influential consulting firm that seeks out only the most lucrative contracts in developing nations. As the only black female in the company’s upper echelon, Drucilla considers her race and gender to be both a liability and an asset. Working on a case concerning air transport in Guyana, Drucilla finds herself embroiled in an affair of dirty dealings that, she’s surprised to discover, just so happens to involve St. Cyr.
In The Guyana Contract, McLymont once again delivers authoritatively on a host of present-day realities. These include corporate politics, including the C-suite’s struggle with diversity and inclusion—C-suite being, of course, that charming little slang for the chiefs or C’s in the corporation. There are also the complexities of both life and foreign investment in developing countries as well as the frustrations of entrepreneurship, biases within the black community and the scourges of trafficking both in people and in drugs. “Part business caper, part exploration of the challenges facing a black female executive, the compelling premise of a character like Drucilla as a nation-shaper in a place like Guyana is well-planned,” says a Kirkus Review. “The narrative seamlessly weaves information about Guyana into the story, allowing the average reader to walk away having learned something about the place.” The Guyana Contract is available in e-book format at Amazon’s Kindle Store. Amazon also has it in print for-
mat.
McLymont, an award-winning journalist, is the executive editor of The Network Journal and CEO and publisher of AfricaStrictlyBusiness.com. A former managing editor of The Journal of Commerce (Knight Ridder; Economist Group), she is the author of the groundbreaking “rebranding Africa” novel, Middle Ground, and of the nonfiction title, Africa Strictly Business: The Steady March to Prosperity. She is a graduate of The City College of New York and New York University, and has a Certificate in Spanish Language and Literature from the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain. A past European Union Fellow, she taught for several years in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She served, also, as an entrepreneurship development expert with the United Nations Development Program’s Africa Bureau, worked with women entrepreneurs in Russia through the Alliance of Russian and American Women, and served two terms on the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. Born in Guyana, McLymont lives in New York with her husband. She recently received the Guyana Golden Arrowhead Award of Achievement and Distinction from the Guyana Tri-State Alliance.
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REFLECTIONS ON OUR “NEW GUYANA”
O
n Sunday, June 18, my sister and I joined thousands of fellow Guyanese to participate in the Brooklyn Victory March to celebrate the emergence of the APNU + AFC Coalition as the new government following the May 11 elections in our beloved homeland. The media here acknowledged the march as one of the best to have taken place in Brooklyn in many years. As I marched, I felt the same rush of excitement, hope, anticipation, and positive energy that I had experienced as a teenager when we became independent on May 26, 1966. Then as we joined in singing Dave Martins’ “Not a Blade of Grass”, I realized that apart from celebrating the May 11 victory, this march actually embodied the strategy of unity and inclusiveness that our new president and the Coalition he led successfully employed during the months of campaigning. It is the same strategy they will need continually in their uphill task of re-building Guyana while simultaneously addressing the threat that has reemerged from neighboring Venezuela. This unity was evident in the pride with which many of us wore the colors of the Coalition and the fervor with which we (mainly the older Guyanese) were singing “Not a Blade of Grass.” Such pride and togetherness definitely evolved from the strategic and collaborative ways in which the Coalition parties campaigned together to reach out to and connect with Guyanese throughout the country. Such careful planning and collaboration re-ignited our ability as a people to work together in harmony for the good of all. Those of us with long memories would recall that this ability to unite was evident when the first major Guyanese political party was formed in the early 1950s. It was also the key factor Walter Rodney dreamt would re-emerge in our country to bring about positive change.
Our nation now collaborates once more in response to a challenge that is very close to a hazardous gauntlet, given our painful and unjust experiences over the past 50 years. As we do so, I do believe that President Granger is well equipped with the leadership skills and style to lead honestly, fairly, and by example. He will need these leadership qualities as he strategizes and cooperates with all political parties, all age groups, and unions and other organizations within our countries, as well as external agencies and the Diaspora to take the lead in the long process of building a better Guyana, of which we will be proud.
Meeting challenges together
During the journey from the end of the first 50 days to the end of the first 100 days of the David Granger era, we plan to publish reflections by Guyanese at home on “our new Guyana.”
We begin with U.S.-based Roslin Khan, Ph.D., an associate professor, career services coordinator and postcolonial literary scholar.
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WHAT OUR READERS WRITE WHERE IS THE ONE PEOPLE THEY TALK ABOUT?
Looking at the photos, if I didn’t know about Guyana, I would believe that it is a place somewhere in Jamaica or Grenada. Where is the theme one people? I didn’t see Porttguese, Chinese, Amerindians or Indians in any photos. Where is this inclusiveness Instead of adulation of the APNU leader, more voice should be given to the schism that separates the various races, an issue that should be recognized and addressed vey quickly. Without a resolution Guyana will remain a two-state country with both Blacks and Indians demanding separate identities and space. I do not believe that being just another voice of the government is what your publication should be about. There are many newspapers carrying news about the operations of the new government.
To be seen as a serious publication, more emphasis should be placed on issues affecting social cohesion, agriculture, industry, politics etc. These areas should be addressed objectively without fear of offense. This will make the publication interesting, unique and will guarantee readership by the people in power. If not, the emagazine will be as many others before, relegated to the junk folder even before being read. Just my two pfennigs. Romesh
I WELCOME YOUR EDITORIAL “WE’RE NOT LEAVING.”
Dear Editor, I appreciate very much receiving the seven issues of Diaspora Times. You emerged on the scene so suddenly and filled the void with such varied, crisp and illuminating articles that said so much in so little space. I hope to read much more and welcome your editorial: “We’re not leaving.” Sincerely Cedrick L. Joseph
GOOD, IF NOT EXCELLENT
The recent issue of the Disaspora Times is very good, if not excellent. May I offer my congratulations to you and your editorial team. Yours Ronald
TIMELY AND INFORMATIVE ARTICLES
I logged on this morning before breakfast to check my email, as is my wont, and was delighted to find Diaspora Times in my inbox. Meaning to glance through it only, the short and pithy contributions drew me in, and I ended up reading it from cover to cover. I thoroughly enjoyed your selection of timely and informative articles. Great job! Now, I'm off to make breakfast. Appreciatively, Marguerite
KEEP IT COMING
Thanks Frank. Wonderful publication. Keep it coming. Robert
MUCH NEEDED LINK
Thanks. It is a much-needed link to what is happening at "home". I would like to receive future copies. William
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WHAT OUR READERS WRITE Dear Editor: A corruption plague has tattered the moral and social fabric of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. This plague must be dealt with. Bold initiatives, coupled with decisive action, will be required to completely eradicate the cancer.
To attack the problem head-on, we must first admit that it is a great challenge. We would be foolhardy to believe that the eradication could be achieved without drastic surgery to remove unwanted elements. Corruption is not an isolated behavior. It is brought about by any number of related pressures. The goal is to stop the hitherto rampant, ugly behavior that almost became a cultural norm throughout the land and in most areas of society. It is not enough to accept the challenge by removing “white collar” criminals. Instead it is necessary to stop abuses by reinventing and revitalizing those governmental institutions responsible for ensuring law and order in a manner that is consistent with good and progressive governance. The new administration has to accept the challenge to tackle the problems with new resources and with leadership at the various levels.
Corruption is not a new phenomenon, but it requires new and innovative approaches to fight the unlimited challenges that it creates. Public bewilderment with the recent explosion of lawlessness in Guyana indicates a need to act decisively, with strict enforcement measures, to permanently wipe out the problem. Success will come not from leadership alone, but also through the efforts of loyal public servants and of the general public. It may be most effective to implement a mechanism similar to the one that China has embarked upon. The Chinese government has established a commission specifically geared towards ending corruption. It is somewhat similar to the “Integrity Commission” that is spelled out in Guyana’s integrity laws. However, A special “Task Force” may be most effective.
Guyana has good legislative laws that are designed to preserve dignity and integrity in the way all public officials conduct themselves in public, and in private life. Therefore it is time to pay attention to the tenets of what is written in chapter 19:12 of the Laws of Guyana. A code of conduct constitutes a contractual obligation. Therefore, it is imperative that strict attention must be given to those integrity laws and penalties for infractions. It is not good enough to have civil penalties; harsh criminal penalties must be included. As the new administration transitions into governance, it will take some months before the machinery that will be employed to manage the nation can begin to tackle the issues of crime and national security. Hence it is too early to attempt any kind of precipitous action that may
create some form of overreaction to steps that may be necessary to fight crime and provide safety and security throughout the nation.
Fighting crime and corruption can be very demanding on the resources, both human and financial, required to carry out an effective campaign. So, all involved must be steadfast, immovable, and always excelling in the tasks ahead. Only time can tell the story as it unfolds when it comes to fighting crime, corruption, and securing the pride of a nation like Guyana.
FIGHTING THE UNLIMITED CORRUPTION CHALLENGES
At this time in the history of Guyana it is clear that: “The right hand of God is writing in our land, writing with power and with love, our conflicts and our fears, our triumphs and our tears are all recorded by the right hand of God.” Therefore, there is no need to worry about a thing. The Master will continue writing in our land.
Neil O. Wray Former honorary trade representative of Guyana Atlanta, Georgia
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LAST MINUTE
NEWS FLASH!! By Eff A. See
Ex-AG’s driver held for Crum-Ewing murder
Former Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall has confirmed that Rajput Narine, the second person under arrest for the murder of Courtney Crum-Ewing, a political activist and a hero to many, had been the ex-AG’s bodyguard. In a hastily called press conference, the ex-AG said Narine was not yet in his employ on the day of the murder, and was sacked after only four days as his bodyguard.
Oil wealth valued over 12 times Guyana GDP
The value of oil and gas discovered by Exxon Mobil off Guyana’s Atlantic coast could be more than 12 times Guyana’s gross domestic product. This is according to an article published by Bloomberg Business. And according to Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency Joseph Harmon, new service jobs in the oil and gas sector could become available as early as August 2015.
Madam Ambassador, again?
Ms. Elisabeth Harper gave up her positions as high commissioner (ambassador) to CARICOM countries and as director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to run as the prime ministerial candidate of the PPP/C in the May 11 Guyanese elections. With the prime ministerial position unavailable as a result of the PPP’s electoral defeat, rumors are swirling around Georgetown that Ms. Harper, who enjoys the honorific ambassadorial title as an ex-ambassador, could soon be an ambassador for real—again! Vicepresident and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge would neither confirm nor deny the rumors.
Spilling the beans
Former policeman Shawn Hinds has publicly, openly, almost boastfully, confessed to a journalist to having been a member of the feared killing squad. Hinds said the squad operated under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force. In a series of nightly disclosures based on a lengthy interview with HGPTV Nightly News, Hinds accused former Assistant Commissioner of Police Steve Merai of the murder of journalist-politician Ronald Waddell, long believed to have been the victim of one of 400-plus extra-judicial executions perpetrated during a particular brutally period of the PPP era. Merai has forcefully denied the allegation against him.
New president a victim of predecessors’ legacy Floodwaters recently forced President David Granger and First Lady Sandra Granger to move to their official residence before needed repairs could be completed. Increased flooding and other consequences of crumbling infrastructure are among the less happy legacies of President Granger’s most recent predecessors. In recent days, the government warned the Guyanese public of another set of floods likely to result from further heavy rainfalls.
The family business
Commissioner-General Khurshid Sattaur of the Guyana Revenue Agency (GRA) admits to having two sons, a daughter, a niece and a nephew in mostly senior positions in the GRA, as alleged by Minister of State Joseph Harmon and others. However, in a defiant statement to the media, Sattaur insists that there’s no conflict of interest and that the family members concerned are qualified for the positions they hold. The concept of the “family business” or a “family affair”—in which members of a family seem to have carved out a sector of governmental activity—has allegedly been a feature of governance during the recent years of the PPP government.
Rodney hearings draw to a close
There will be no more witnesses called before the Walter Rodney commission of inquiry. The commission, which has so far cost $325 million Guyana (some US1.57 million), will now be limited to submissions by lawyers for the various parties and the preparation of the final report by the commissioners. Opinion on the matter is divided. Some express alarm at the amount seemingly wasted on the commission. Others believe future expenditure could have been controlled without the commission’s work being ended prematurely.
Granger in Washington
President David Granger recently travelled to Washington, D.C. to address a high-level conference on defence and security at the Perry Centre. President Granger graduated from the Centre, formerly the Centre for Hemispheric Studies, in 2000, and twice served it as an adjunct faculty member. He was also scheduled to meet with officials of the Department of State, and to brief them on the current controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.
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