a p n u +a f dias c one people, one nation united!pora · aug.24 2015 vol 1 issue 10 times diasone...

Aug.242015Vol 1Issue 10T I M E S

ONE PEOPLE, ONE NATION UNITED!

DIASPORA A

PNU+AFC

A FRESH START TOTHE GOOD LIFE IN AGREEN ECONOMY

Diaspora Times International E-Magazine

Photo published with the permission of Gordon Moseley, editor-in-chief of News Source Guyana.


2 FROM THE EDITOR’S DESKTOP

On September 26, 1960, Cuban leader Fidel Castro addressed theUnited Nations General Assembly for four hours 29 minutes. Heimmediately earned a place in the Guinness Book of World

Records for the longest delivery before the Assembly. His longest speech,made on Cuban soil in 1986, lasted seven hours 10 minutes.

Without exaggeration, the four hours 29 minutes of the UN speech isabout the length of the recent 2015 budget presentation by Guyana’s newfinance minister, The Honorable Winston Jordan. Measured by text size,as recorded on the Ministry of Finance website, Minister Jordan’s speechwas twice as long as his predecessor’s 2014 speech and seven times aslong as either the 2009 or the 2011 one. Former president and currentopposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo was not impressed. The kindest thing hecould say about Minister Jordan’s effort was that it was “lengthy andunderwhelming.”

Not being an economist like Mr. Jagdeo, I was impressed. I thought thespeech was tall, yes, but also truthful and thorough. Also impressed wasthe accounting firm Ram & McRae, previously Christopher L. Ram &Company. For 25 years, the firm has been producing an analysis, preparedsoon after the budget speech and published as “Budget Focus …” Forexample Ram & McRae called the 2014 budget a “huge disappointment.”It was a shopping list of expenditures, with nothing on jobs creation or onending corruption and with “no real evidence of a central theme or adirection in which the government proposes to take the country.”

Budget 2015, with its clear and encouraging theme of “a fresh start to thegood life in a green economy,” received the firm’s vote of confidence.“Having regard,” says Focus on Guyana’s National Budget 2015, “to all thechallenges facing the economy, the resources at the minister’s disposaland the fact that a budget is always a choice from several and often com-peting objectives, Ram & McRae is in the camp of those who haveendorsed this budget.”

The Ram & McRae document emphasizes the breadth of nationalendorsements that the budget enjoys. It compares the results of its pre-budget mini-survey with post-budget points of view. “Prior to the budgetpresentation,” Ram and McRae notes, “the government received lowmarks for economic management. Following the presentation, with theexception of the PPP/C, the budget has received commendations.” Theprivate sector, a number of trade unions, and even known pro-PPP/C per-sonalities were among those greeting the budget with high-fives.

One thing for which Budget 2015 is sure to continue receiving low marksis brevity. As a result, we only have enough space to say so much in thisissue of Diaspora Times. We hope to publish more, especially with regardto what the budget means for the Diaspora, in subsequent editions. Fornow, let’s just place on record that, like Ram & McRae, we place ourselves“in the camp of those who endorse this budget.” Even ex-PresidentJagdeo, perhaps without intending to do so, has shown that he may not beso underwhelmed after all. Otherwise, why would he claim that thefinance minister had stolen the budget ideas from the PPP/C?

ContentPAGE 3: The Chinese also camePAGE 4-5: Approaching Venezuela

implosionPAGE 6-13: Budget 2015PAGE 14: Cricket and the

50th anniversaryPAGE 15: Learning and DiasporaPAGE 16: The Search for a better lifePAGE 17: The Law: Govt. must

tread carefullyPAGE 18-19: Racial harmony

possible?PAGE 20: The change that is unityPAGE 21: The LegacyPAGE 22-23: Green City

Winds of changePAGE 24: Where are you from?PAGE 25: Promised landPAGE 26: Why worry?PAGE 27-28: News Flash

Editorial BoardChairman Desmond RobertsEditor Frank A. Campbell

Freddie Shivdat, Dr. Lear Matthews, Dr.Rohan Somar,

Halim Majeed Lurlene Nestor.Ave Brewster-HaynesHugh Hamilton

ContributorsFrank A. Campbell Dr. LearMatthews Dr. R. Evan Ellis

Desmond Roberts Oscar Ramjeet Paul Sanders

Joshua ChowritmootooSharma SolomonLouAnn GrossEff A. See

PhotographsGordon Moseley

Graphic Design & LayoutClaire Ann Goring Ashton Franklin

LETTERS TO THE EDITORSend your letters to the editor [email protected]

Budget ‘15: Tall, Truthful, and ThoroughBy Frank A. Campbell


3

THE CHINESEALSO CAMECompiled by Frank A. Campbell

CHINESE MEETING ROOM AT PETERS HALL

A church of a small Christian group.

In the conversation about race in Guyana, it is easyto get the impression that the population beginsand ends with African Guyanese and Indian

Guyanese. Before these groups—and before theEuropeans—there were the Aboriginal people. Andthere were the Portuguese. The Chinese also came. Without attempting a thoroughhistorical analysis, we want to mention in this issue ofDiaspora Times a few facts about the Chinese inGuyana.How come?The Chinese came for the same reason as the Indiansand the Portuguese. They came as indentured laborersto replace African slave labor, following the abolition ofslavery in 1834.When and how?The first two Chinese boats, the Glentanner and theLord Elgin, arrived in Georgetown in January, 1853, onthe 12th and 17th respectively. Between then and mid-March 1879, about 39 boats made the trip. The journeyvaried from 70 to just under 180 days. Many died alongthe way. These boats came from the ports of Canton,Hong Kong, Amoy, Swatow and Whampoa. The largestinflow took place between 1860 and 1866. Who came?Among indentured laborers, the Chinese comprised thesmallest group. Initially at least, they came mainlyfrom the Kwangtung and Kwangsi provinces. Initially only men came. So in 1853, of the 811 Chinesein Guiana, none were women and all had been born in

China. Even eight years later, in 1861, only 844 of the6,579 Chinese were women, and still none were locallyborn.The Chinese population reached its peak of 10,022 in1866. There were still only about 1,700 women, com-pared with about 8,300 men. Only 222 had been bornin British Guiana.By 1921, the number had plummeted to 2,722. Manyhad left British Guiana in search of Chinese spouses orimproved economic prospects.What do they do?Initially, Chinese immigrants worked on the sugarestates in various parts of the country. The initialgroup, for example, went to estates on all three coun-tries. However, the vast majority went to estates on theWest Demerara. Later they transitioned into business,mainly small businesses, including restaurants, theninto the professions. Guyana’s first president, HisExcellency Arthur Chung, current First Lady SandraGranger and Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang are threeof the most well known Guyanese of Chinese heritage.

Sources:

“The Arrival of the Chinese”; http://www.guyana.org;

Peter Halder, “The Chinese in Guyana.” https://peterhalder.word-press.com/2013/09/18/the-chinese-in-guyana/

Trev A. Sue-A-Quan, “A History of the Chinese IndenturedLabourers.”http://www.guyanaundersiege.com/Historical/History%20of%20chinese%20indentured%20labourers.htm

OUR HISTORY


4

From a U.S. perspective, the danger presentedby Venezuela arises from the confluence offour factors:

1. the political stalemate that makes itimprobable that Venezuela will resolve the crisis onits own, or with assistance from its neighbors,before becoming much worse,2. the near total destruction of food and con-sumer goods production capability during 16 yearsof Bolivarian socialism, which will magnify thehuman consequences and associated level of des-peration and aggression as the crisis deepens,3. the strategically important geographicalposition of the country as a conduit for U.S. andEurope-bound drugs, a refuge for Colombian ter-rorist groups, and the location of vast petroleumreserves that also extend into the territory andwaters of neighboring states such as Guyana andTrinidad and Tobago, and4. the role of Venezuela as a point of entryinto the region for multiple extra-hemisphericactors with varying strategic interests in conflictwith those of the United States, including thePeople’s Republic of China, Russia, and Iran.

The interaction of the first two factors suggest thatthe situation may degenerate into economic col-lapse and political chaos, possibly with widespreadhunger, disease, and violence between people des-perate to survive and a narco-dependent govern-ment desperate to retain control. Scarcity of basicfood and medical items has reportedly reached 60percent, with incidents such as the robbery of sup-ply trucks.Even beyond political protests, as the conditionsdeteriorate, the military will have to use increasingforce to maintain order. Some in Venezuela arealready talking about a repeat of the widespread

violence and chaosthat occurred in thecountry in 1989,known as the“Caracazo,” in whichthousands may havedied, and which ulti-mately contributedto two attemptedcoup d’états and theeventual removal ofVenezuelan presi-dent Carlos Andrés

Pérez on charges of illegally giving money toNicaraguan President Violeta Chamorro.

In the event Venezuela descends into violence andchaos, neighbors such as Colombia, Guyana, andBrazil, and nearby Caribbean states such as Aruba,Curacao, Bonaire, and Trinidad and Tobago will beforced into the expensive and economically subop-timal task of increasing border control to managethe spillover challenges from refugees, terroristviolence, and criminality.

Similarly, the United States and Europe will haveto dedicate increasing effort against drug ship-ments originating in Venezuela, as well as expand-ing efforts to bolster overwhelmed Caribbean andCentral American security forces against the crimi-nality that the expansion of these flows will fosterin the region. Ironically, in this dynamic, as moreVenezuelan officials such as Capitan LeamsySalazar cooperate with U.S. authorities regardingthe criminal activities of former colleagues, it willlikely increase instability within the regime, sowingmistrust among the Venezuelan elite, as each won-ders who will betray them to save themselves.

THE APPROACHING IMPLOSION OF VENEZUELAA much longer version of this article was published on July 10, 2015 by—and this version is

reprinted with permission of—the Strategic Studies Institute and U.S. Army War College Press, U.S. Army War College.

by Dr. R. Evan Ellis


5

At the same time, as the number of international indict-ments expand and more Venezuelan officials are addedto the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of ForeignAssets Control (OFAC) list, Venezuela’s political andmilitary elites will find themselves increasingly trappedwithin the country’s borders, with the increasing realiza-tion that their real estate in Miami and their anonymousbank accounts, and thus their future and that of theirfamilies, are indeed at risk…

The Path Forward

Despite the grim scenario painted by the forgoing analy-sis, it is not in the U.S. strategic interest to intervene inVenezuela. Doing so would probably cause more seriousdamage to U.S. relationships in the region, and to itsstrategic position globally, than it would benefit stabilityand law and order in the region. Nor, in considering thelives that would be lost and the chaos potentiallyunleashed by such an invasion, is it clear that U.S. inter-vention would generate a net benefit from a humanitari-an standpoint. Intervention would also likely drive othernations of the hemisphere into a deeper embrace ofextra-regional powers such as China and Russia, andwould move the region one step further from democraticself-governance.

Short of a military intervention, the United States canand should recognize the consequences of the likely con-tinued degeneration of the situation in Venezuela, andwork with regional partners and institutions to preparefor and mitigate its consequences…

The United States may also need to strengthen securitycooperation with the newly elected democratic govern-ment of Guyana, as the situation in its neighbor to theWest deteriorates. The Maduro regime has recently

asserted new territorial claims over waters defined bythe border between the two states, where a team led byExxon-Mobil, exploring with the authorization of theGuyanese government, has found evidence of potentiallysignificant offshore oil deposits. While the issue mayultimately need to be settled by international arbitra-tion, there may be an opportunity for the United Statesto work with the OAS to provide security assurancesthat permit the unencumbered exploration and develop-ment of the fields until the matter can be definitivelyresolved by an appropriate international tribunal. TheUnited States should not, however, deploy its own war-ships to the zone, since doing so would probably onlyinflame the situation and be exploited by Venezuela forpropaganda purposes.

In preparing for the coming Venezuelan crisis, theUnited States should also attempt, wherever possible, toinvolve the OAS… The United States should be preparedto work with Brazil on issues such as the nation’s ownshared border with Venezuela, and potentially find waysto collaborate with Brazilian forces in other aspects ofthe Venezuelan crisis, while at the same time making itclear that Brazilian attempts, in conjunction with ALBAgovernments, to exclude the United States from a role inaddressing the Venezuela crisis would be counterpro-ductive.

The collapse of Venezuela is a tragedy for theVenezuelan people, Venezuela’s neighbors, and for all ofthe countries in the region. Yet for the United States, itis also an opportunity to strengthen its role in maintain-ing the democracy, stability, and development of thehemisphere. If the United States acts with prudence andgenerosity in the present crisis, it can demonstrate itsappreciation of the ties of commerce, geography, andfamily that bind it to the region.

THE APPROACHING IMPLOSION OFVENEZUELAby Dr. R. Evan Ellis

Diaspora Times E-Magazine

6 BUDGET 2015

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present the firstbudget of this government… I want to thank allthose letter writers and the ordinary person

who approached me with advice and requests, especiallyfor pension and wage increases. I assure you that yourcontributions are valued highly and that your effortshave not been without a listening or sympathetic ear.

On May 11, 2015 the Guyanese people held their breathas they proceeded to the polls to exercise their democra-tic right to elect a government of their choice… After fiveanxious days, during which the Guyanese people ago-nized as they waited, the results of the General andRegional Elections were finally announced on May 16,2015. The coalition of the APNU+AFC, which had earliersealed a formal relationship to fight the PPP/C on a jointplatform, was declared the winner. The Guyanese peo-ple finally exhaled after holding their breath against thestench of corruption, nepotism and discrimination thathad assailed their olfactory sense…

Our government immediately buckled down to the taskof governing this complex, multi-ethnic nation. Weknew it was not going to be easy, especially since we hadto deal with an opposition that refused to acknowledgeits loss at the recent general elections, in spite of thedeclaration of the Guyana Elections Commission(GECOM) and the pronouncements of all the interna-tional observers.

No honeymoon

Without the benefit of the traditional 'honeymoon peri-od' usually enjoyed by incoming governments, we wereconfronted with a series of events, both local and inter-national, that threatened the livelihood of thousandsand the sovereignty of the country.

We learnt that the sugar company, Guyana SugarCorporation (GUYSUCO), was broke and needed animmediate infusion of cash, an estimated $16 billion, tokeep it afloat for the rest of the year. The governmentresponded with alacrity, providing an initial amount ofalmost $4 billion, installing new management and boardof directors and instituting a Commission of Inquirythat would examine, among other things, all optionspertaining to the future of the sugar industry in Guyana.

No sooner had we put out the proverbial fire at GUYSUCO

than we were faced with a crisis in the rice industry. Thehardworking farmers, who have toiled mightily to returnrecord rice production for the past three years, wereconfronted with uncertainty as to payment for riceshipped to Venezuela under the Petro Caribe barterarrangement. Unknowing to them, the PPP/CGovernment had mismanaged the Petro Caribe Fund,with only a small balance of US$0.8 million in the fundat the end of May 2015, whereas outstanding paymentsto farmers was in excess of US$17 million.

Worse yet, and this is only now being disclosed to thepublic, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), under pres-sure from the PPP/C administration, was forced to off-set the cash amounts due to PDVSA (Venezuela’s state-owned oil and natural-gas company) against futureshipments, in order to ensure that current payments torice farmers were made at the due dates. Once again, thegovernment came to the rescue, transferring over $5 bil-lion to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) sothat farmers could be paid.

All this, and Venezuela too

Mr. Speaker, early challenges to the young governmentdid not end there. A massive flood, not unlike that expe-rienced in 2005, inundated the land, sparing humanlives, but destroying crops and livestock, and infrastructure.The government moved speedily to activate its disasterpreparedness procedures, made available emergency

FRESH START TO GOODLIFE IN GREEN LANDEXTRACTS FROM THE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY FINANCEMINISTER WINSTON JORDAN IN HIS FIRST BUDGET SPEECH


7BUDGET 2015assistance to drain the water off the land as quickly as possible,provided help and shelter to those in need, and established acommittee of experts to examine short and long term solutionsto flooding in Guyana.a

Even as the government was dealing with those pressing domesticmatters, it had to grapple with our western neighbor, Venezuela,who was ratcheting up her unjust claim to virtually two-thirds ofour country - a claim that was settled in 1899. This time,through diplomatic and other initiatives, the government movedquickly to mobilize domestic and international support indefence of our sovereignty. We will continue to utilize peacefuland diplomatic means in our search for a lasting solution to thecontroversy that was precipitated by Venezuela's continuousquestioning of the validity of the arbitral award of 1899.

Mr. Speaker, the government's handling of these four inci-dents of potential crisis demonstrates its resolve to do whatis right by the Guyanese people. Although nearly half of thosewho voted in the recent General and Regional Elections, didnot vote for us, we view this not as a rejection, but as anopportunity to forge accountable and inclusive governance -something that was lacking in the previous regime. We rec-ognize that Guyana would not develop, nay survive intact, ifthe people are not allowed to participate meaningfully in theaffairs of the country, whether individually or through theirelected representatives at the national, regional and local levels.

Teething problems, but coalition strong

All Guyanese yearn for the good life - one in which the country'spatrimony is exploited in a sustainable and responsible mannerthat caters for future generations; where they have good jobsproviding permanent incomes; where they have access todecent affordable housing, health care, pure water, sanitationand education; where they can live and retire comfortablyand in a secure environment.

Our government commits to providing that good life. It is forthis reason, Mr. Speaker, that this first budget of the newAPNU+AFC administration has been structured under thetheme, "A Fresh Approach to the Good Life in a GreenEconomy." It speaks to accountable government as the basisfor securing the good life in an environmentally friendly andsustainable manner…

Mr. Speaker, many have been the carping about theCummingsburg Accord that cemented this coalition government.I wish to state here that the Coalition remains strong, and itsviability and longevity remain unthreatened.

It is true that there have been the usual teething problemsthat are associated with partnership Government… Workingtogether, we are confident that we can take our countrythrough difficult times to better days ahead. Mr. Speaker, ourpassion, in this regard, remains unshaken and undiminished.

8


BUDGET 2015


BUDGET 2015 9

“Mr. Speaker, I now want to share with all Guyaneseacross the length and breadth of our 214,970 sq. km(83,000 square miles), our vision of the CooperativeRepublic in the year 2020.” Thus began an important20,000-word section of the recent 2015 budget speech.With those words, newly minted finance minister,Honorable Winston Jordan, made clear that his wasmore than a holding document to keep the governmentgoing for what remains of the year. The budget was adocument to guide the government’s actions for the nextfive years. In every sense, it was a 2020 vision, and itcharged all members of the National Assembly with thetask of “realizing the common vision of a good life for allwho live within our nation.”

The big picture

This look into the government’s intentions regarding thenext five years began with a commitment to stability inthe wider economy. This, according to the minister, is“the cornerstone for the achievement and sustainabilityof a good life.”

He declared that, “over the next five years, we commit tothe maintenance of macroeconomic stability by creatingconditions to foster a positive growth trajectory whileimproving expenditure management and revenueadministration, low inflation, stable exchange rate andsustainable debt.” This approach includes efforts toreduce the deficit in the public sector in part through areform in the tax system and a more “robust” system oftax compliance.

Strategic drivers behind the 2020 vision

As the title of the budget speech would imply, the build-ing of a green economy is part of the strategy behind thegovernment’s pathway to 2020. “A green economy,”Minister Jordan said, “is one in which we haveimproved human well-being and social equity, while sig-nificantly reducing environmental risks and ecologicalscarcities.” This environmental approach is one that rec-ognizes that “people need nature for now and in thefuture.”

The commitment to a green economy finds resonance inArticle 36 of the constitution, which mandates sustain-able extraction and utilization of the country’s naturalresources. This kind of thinking, the minister seemed tobe saying, goes hand in hand with the creation of theSovereign Wealth Fund, promised by President Granger

during the election campaign and proclaimed in theAPNU+AFC election manifesto.

This Fund, financed through earnings from the extrac-tive sectors, will provide relief from economic ups anddowns, and help finance the non-extractive sectors.“This Fund will also help to avoid the potential negativeimpacts of a sudden surge in national revenue expectedfrom the establishment of an oil and gas industry inGuyana.”

Another strategic imperative will be the creation of akind of government and of industries that is knowledge-driven. This means that Guyana must follow the rest ofthe world by striving to “harness information, commu-nications and other technologies, to transform our econ-omy and our society, delivering goods, services and aquality of life to our citizens in accordance with the con-temporary expectations of the 21st century.” This imper-ative must be “tempered, of course, by our norms, tradi-tions and values as a people.”

The new 21st-century Guyana will embrace good gover-nance as a national principle and information and com-munication technologies (ICTs) as an engine of socialand economic development. It will, in fact, use ICTs as a“key enabler of accountability, transparency, efficiencyand effectiveness, responsiveness, participation, andinclusiveness.” The knowledge-driven approach todevelopment, both in government and in industry, willinclude the allocation of significant levels of resources tothe education, health and security sectors.

Budget 2015 a 2020 visionBy Frank A. Campbell


BUDGET 201510

11


BUDGET 2015

The areas covered in the comprehensive 2020vision outlined in the budget speech are too wide-ranging for us to do them justice in the few pages

available in Diaspora Times. But here, painted in very,very broad strokes, are a few of those areas:• Productive and service sectorsApart from managing the extractive sector to benefit allGuyanese, this aspect includes diversifying agricultureand transforming production in that sector. Items underthis sector varied from herbs and spices to livestock andfisheries to, of course, the embattled rice and sugarindustries. “Achieving food security in every regionacross our land is paramount,” says Finance MinisterJordan. Also covered by the 2020 vision are plans tobuild Guyana’s tourism industry, which is “still young inyears and maturity,” and must develop so that Guyanabecomes a “must-see tourist destination.”• Physical and human capitalThis includes addressing the infrastructure deficitthrough a range of initiatives from building culverts toconstructing a new Demerara Harbor Bridge and estab-lishing a deep-water harbor bridge and container port inthe Berbice River and dredging the Demerara RiverChannel. Energy, educational development, arts andculture, universal health coverage, youth and familiesand children, and social protection for pensioners andother vulnerable and disadvantaged are all spelt outunder physical and human capital. So are labor relationsfor which the 2020 vision and the budget as a wholeprovide multiple initiatives.• Social cohesionThe 2020 vision recognizes a “clear nexus betweensocial cohesion and nation building.” It defines socialcohesion as “an intricate interplay of culture, geographicspace, language, religion, race, social phenomena andstatus.” Said the minister: “In order to achieve the goodlife, Guyanese must be willing to cooperate with eachother.” In this regard, the 2020 vision takes a standagainst inequality and marginalization and, in the wordsof President Granger, in favor of the bridging of “thedivides that exist between the hinterland and coastland,between the educated few and the semi-literate mass,between the very rich and the poor.”• National sovereignty and economic diplomacyThis aspect of the march to 2020 charges Guyana’sdiplomatic service and the country’s defence service

with the recognition that “attaining the good life wouldbe impossible if Guyana, as we know it, does not remainintact.” Minister Jordan declared: “For nearly 50 years,Guyana’s development has been threatened by, or heldin abeyance because of, Venezuela, whose spuriousclaim to two-thirds of our land mass and, more recently,all of our sea space, has been a drain on our nation’sresources. As eloquently expressed by our President, theGuyanese people ‘are undeserving of 50 years of unre-lenting provocation and obstruction of our development’.”The importance of the diplomatic service is alsoexpressed in its role in helping to garner the resourcesthat the ambitious program outlined in the budgetspeech would require.• Reducing crime, rebuilding public trust,reforming public security systemsThe minister waxed both poetic and political in his char-acterization of the crime situation as the “most pressingand most depressing” problem facing the nation. “Thelast PPP/C administration,” he said, “failed to arrestbanditry, piracy and criminal violence, among othercrimes… We need a police force that is more account-able to the public and better able to deal with crime andanti-social behavior that are anathema to the good life.”He mentioned the current fine-tuning of a comprehen-sive public security plan as one of the steps designed toaddress those problems as well as such concerns ashuman, drugs and arms trafficking.• Institutional reformsThese reforms covered a wide range of actions, startingwith the creation of a fair, efficient and stimulating envi-ronment for doing business in Guyana. “Currently,Guyana ranks 123 (of 189 countries) in the World Bank’sDoing Business Index… For this reason, the governmentwill smash the suffocating red tape that stifles business-es and stunts growth in this country.” Another crucial step is the building of “sustainable com-munities for strong regions and a strong nation.” Thistitle itself subsumes such crucial areas as the long-deferred local government elections; the elevation ofBartica, Lethem, Mahdia, and Mabaruma to townships;and improvements in housing, sanitation, and purewater supply.Governance has long been a concern of the parties formingthe governing coalition and of the coalition itself. Actionin this regard will include the establishment of theConstitutional Reform Commission and the strengtheningof the electoral system and electoral laws. Tax reform, arestructured tender board, anti-laundering legislation,public service reform, better data for better decision-making, public administration reform, forensic auditsand the recovery of stolen state assets, the establishmentof a parliamentary budget office and other financialreforms are other proposed steps towards institutionalreform.

Crime, cohesion,diplomacy amongbudget topicsBy Frank A. Campbell

12 BUDGET 2015


BUDGET 2015


13


50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS14

Imet the legends Clive Lloyd and Lance Gibbs for afew drinks at Water Chris (Peppers) when last Iwas in Guyana. We all marveled at the popularity

of the CPL 20-overs version of the game amongwomen. Neither of us was sure what the ‘net run rate’meant, but the youths, male and female, seemed toknow. Invariably, the discussion turned to cricket andthe celebration of Guyana’s 50th anniversary of inde-pendence in 2016. I was told that there might be amatch between Guyanese cricketers and a compositeteam from the ‘Rest of the World’. I said then, that Ihoped “Clivey” and Lance and the boys could get inshape for a Guyanese squad of former greats to playagainst a list of reflective legends from other countries.

It struck me later, though, that the nation might alsobenefit from a reminder of the development of cricketin the period approaching independence and certainlythe political contribution thereafter. There needs to bea retelling of the political struggle to get better livingand social conditions for workers on the estates: thereplacement of awful logies with affordable nuclearhousing and the development of sports and sportsfacilities by Bookers. It was out of this political struggleby the then multi-racial PPP and Cheddi Jagan thatthere emerged some great athletes – Clem Fields,Moses Dwarka and Harry Prowell among others – aswell as the famous cricketers - Rohan Kanhai, hisnephews Romaine and Tyrone Etwaroo, Joe Solomon,Basil Butcher, Roy Fredericks, Ivan Madray, and somany others. Although there was a receptive host inmanagement, it was the political reality and a demandfor humane conditions that uncovered these hiddentalents.An even more intense international political contribu-tion was made almost single handedly by PresidentBurnham, using cricket as a weapon, to put pressure onthe South African apartheid regime and its sympathiz-ers. Beginning in 1970, Burnham launched a campaignto restrict the entry into Guyana of any cricketer whohad played in or against South Africa or Rhodesia. Itwas a brave and bold stance for the new republic, risk-ing the fragile unity of the West Indies team and theCaribbean Community. Many important Caribbean andGuyanese cricketers were affected by this ban. Guyanaeven suffered the loss of a Bourda test match when theEnglish (MCC) team refused to come into the countrywithout one of its banned stars, Robin Jackman.Reluctantly but eventually, all of the Caribbean and therest of the cricketing fraternity supported the anti-apartheid campaign, at a time when the West Indieswere not yet the marauding champions under Lloyd.Burnham showed his commitment with Guyana’spainful withdrawal from the 1976 Montreal Olympicsin solidarity with the African boycott.It is not by accident, therefore, that we have also pro-duced so many Guyanese captains of the West Indianteams in the modern era: Kanhai, Lloyd, Kalicharran,Hooper, Chanderpaul and several vice captains. Somesay that we played so well in the 70s and 80s, more todemonstrate our pride and stature after independencethan for the increased money, which was also impor-tant. Maybe we will have a chance next year to see many ofthese legends, including Harper, Sarwan and other for-mer Guyanese members of West Indies teams (severalscattered across the Diaspora), play a representative,entertaining short game against the Rest.

CRICKET, HISTORYAND THE 50THANNIVERSARYCELEBRATIONSby Desmond Roberts


15

“Home is not where my grandparentsare buried, but where my grandchildrenwill be raised” - Maher Hathout

Dr. Maher Hathout’s view conjures up interestingbut provocative thoughts about assumptionsregarding members of the Diaspora and their

definition of “home.” Whether we live in Guyana or inthe Diaspora, when our children and grandchildrenbegin their formal educational journey, we expect sig-nificant learning and positive socialization in an envi-ronment that best prepares them for careers and otherdesirable outcomes. Driven by recent developments inGuyana, many in the Diaspora anticipate transforma-tive changes in various social institutions, includingeducation.

This article shares some insight into the state of theeducation system in both Guyana, mainly a sendingsociety, and the United States, mainly a recipient society.These insights apply regardless of one’s definition of“home,” and of one’s perception regarding challengeswithin the Diaspora.

The memories of educational values and practicesinculcated during the “good ol’ days” back in the homecountry keep us grounded as we provide guidance to thenext generation. The need to adapt to contemporaryinstitutions and “modern” approaches with constantlychanging technology and curricula, though inevitable, ischallenging. In this regard, many adults in theDiaspora seek to further their own education and train-ing in order to “survive” in their adopted home.

This new experience varies from anticipated success tofrustration in negotiating the nuances of the system.One social commentator warns that in the midst ofsocial transition, “education is not a desired goal formany segments of the population, easy money is.” Suchan assertion is extremely worrisome. This article high-lights the intersecting of learning environment andDiaspora challenges, and is based on research findingsand observations on the topic.

The home country

There is no shortage of criticism of the educational sys-tems in Caribbean countries, including Guyana. Suchcriticism paints a rather gloomy picture of the future.Following elections, there is usually the hope thatthings will get better. The dearth of qualified teachers

and the inadequacy of resources are well documented.So is the alleged mediocre response by previous admin-istrations. During the “good ol’ days,” teachersappeared to be more dedicated, more invested in thetotal education of students. However, several factorsexacerbate the current situation, which is mired in eco-nomic and political problems.

Not only are teachers underpaid, but many have “inter-im” status, which forges a non-committal attitudetoward teaching locally, and encourages migration. Thepolicy of retiring government-school principals at age55 in Guyana has decimated the chance for consistentand dependable leadership, rupturing quality educa-tion. This situation has been worsened by the loss ofskills and knowledge due to emigration. Furthermore,there seems to be a correlation between students’ suc-cess rate and the capacity of their families to afford“extra lessons.” The introduction of the LearningChannel, and the distribution of laptops by the previ-ous government were steps in the right direction, andshould be continued, and apparently are beingimproved, by the new administration. However, somestudents’ academic underachievement may be linked topoor nutrition, among other psycho-social deprivations.The possibility that teachers’ mental preparation isaffected by life stresses, including the lack of basichuman needs and the demands of caring for their ownchildren, must also be considered.

Simultaneously, the anticipation by youngsters ofopportunities to emigrate can have a negative effect ontheir commitment to education. A World Bank reportfound that the number of school-age children leavingGuyana has vastly increased. Both parents and stu-dents often view migration positively, as a means to anend. But a sobering reality is that immigration oftenends up being perceived not as a contributor to education,but as a more attractive option than education.Consequently, students become disinterested in school,with some ceasing attendance altogether. Eventually,“the devil finds mischief for idle hands to do.”

Hopefully, the above considerations put into perspec-tive some of the challenges to educational progress inGuyana and the Diaspora. For more on these chal-lenges, please read “The search for a better life” on page16.

LEARNING AND DIASPORA:ISSUES AND CONCERNSby Lear Matthews, PhD

EDUCATION

16


EDUCATION

THE SEARCH FOR A BETTER LIFEby Lear Matthews, PhD

Research has shown that most immigrants leavefor other shores because they want a “better life”for themselves and their children. Newcomers to

North America, especially children and adolescents whowere born or raised in the Caribbean, rely on the familynetwork and the school as primary sources of guidance,inspiration and support in their efforts to achieve acad-emic success. Many families expect the school to play amajor role in the socialization and achievement of theirchildren. Yet these youngsters often face difficultiesadjusting to the school system and to the ambivalentresponse from some educators. Although the facilities and opportunities afforded inNorth American schools are generally superior to thosein the Caribbean, there are some structural barriers. Inthe past, Guyanese immigrant students would out-per-form their American counterparts. Now, because theyleave Guyana less academically prepared, some areplaced in remedial classes upon arrival. Other barriersinclude cultural differences, overcrowded classrooms,

self-esteem problems related to stereotyping, ridicule,and discipline-related conflict. The latter was poignantlyexemplified when a student newly arrived from Guyanawas warned by his teacher to “stay away from the boysin your class.” Although some immigrant students still excel in acade-mic skills, a growing number are challenged by the real-ities of a new and different academic and social envi-ronment. Consequently, some families seek out “good”neighborhoods to ensure quality education and a “safe”environment for their children. Shifts in immigranthousehold constellation, gender roles and domestic pol-icy, though inevitable and protective, often undermineparental authority and indirectly affect educationalprogress. Distractions from a barrage of frivolousentertainment-focused media further complicate thesituation.


It is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that there wasmassive corruption in most, if not all, Guyanese govern-ment ministries, departments, corporations, agencies and

what have you. Yet the new administration must carry outcareful investigations and do proper checks before drasticaction, including prosecution, is taken against those consid-ered liable.

Some critics feel that the government wants to tackle toomany situations at the same time, and that they should bemore thorough, cautious and rigorous in their investigations.But contrary to the critics, there are so many glaring irregu-larities and blatant cases of fraud that there is no need forforensic auditing. Nevertheless, when it comes to prosecu-tion, you have to dot the I’s, and cross the T’s.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon is in the news, more thanare other government leaders, talking about corruption andabout actions being taken against wrongdoers. Very little issaid by Minister of National Security Khemraj Ramjattan,himself an attorney, who is leader of the Alliance for Change(AFC). Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack is saying even less. Ms. Hack was appointed DPP inApril 2008, in preference to Dr. Arif Bulkan, an excellentprosecutor and one of the few Guyanese with a doctorate inlaw.

A nation to rebuildDuring the election campaign, politicians from the governingcoalition and the opposition PPP/C were attacking eachother, and a few unfortunate statements were made. I sin-cerely hope that they will bury the hatchet, avoid disparagingutterances in Parliament, and strive to make sound and validcontributions to the debates. They should bear in mind thatthey have a nation to rebuild. And they must work assiduous-ly in the interest of the entire nation.

Meanwhile, crime is becoming even more rampant. The pub-lic does not have faith in the police force, and I believe thatthe new administration should take a close look at the seniorofficers and weed out the bad eggs in order to regain the peo-ple’s confidence. Law enforcement officers should be moreinvolved in combatting crimes. Unfortunately it is allegedthat a few, instead of apprehending the criminals, are provid-ing assistance to them. This needs to cease immediately.

It will be interesting to see how the police commissioner, theminister of public security and the Granger/Nagamootooadministration as a whole will deal with the startling revela-tions made by Sean Hinds, a self confessed former deathsquad member. His disclosures are staggering and hair-rais-ing, and need to be ventilated. Maybe a high-powered com-mission comprising legal luminaries and senior law-enforce-ment officers should be set up to take evidence under oathand to make recommendations.

THELAW:GOVERNMENTMUST TREADCAREFULLYby Oscar RamjeetOscar Ramjeet, a former Guyanese journalist, is alsoa lawyer and a former solicitor-general of St.Vincent and the Grenadines, and of Belize. He is theauthor of From Errand-Boy to Solicitor-General: TheMemoirs of Oscar Ramjeet.

CRIME 17


RACIAL HARMONY18IS RACIAL

HARMONY POSSIBLE?By Paul Sanders,

Caribbean Daylight , New York Photo by Dwayne Hackett


Any serious enquirer interested in the concrete-ness of how racism is formulated, fertilized andmarketed for mass consumption need look no

further than the PPP's election campaign spearheadedby Bharrat Jagdeo. His gospel according to "ApaanJaat" is a living souvenir of this man's psychosis. Hisunhinged behaviour and hate speeches are evidence ofthe state of enlightenment in the country.

Jagdeo couldn't have advocated racial ideas if therewasn't a market for such ideas. And given the votingpattern during these last elections, we have an overviewof how many folks are prisoners or protagonists of theracist hypothesis. Additionally, if Facebook is anythingto go by, then race hate has certainly gone wilder sinceDonald Ramotar went out into the streets with thatplacard.

That is why the recently convoked Unity Forum mustchallenge the old thinking. It must go beyond the limi-tations of its predecessors. One recalls the previousconferences as mere academic exercises. Strangely,some of the players on those platforms became cru-saders in Bharrat Jagdeo's thrust towards "Apaan Jaat.”

A symposium to address the unity issue now must pro-vide an honest, say-it-like-it-is framework with the aimof putting head and heart together, of not just playingthe blame game, but of searching for commonalitiesthat can rev the human potential.

This kind of passion trumps mathematics; and it doesnot include race in its equation. It is simply the humantouch. Race, after all, is only incidental in the dynamicsof human development.

The quality of eager sincerity is what must be distinctthis time around as Indo and Afro brothers and sisterssearch their souls for answers to Guyana's ailment. The"coolieman/blackman" syndrome does not have to bean everlasting curse. The fact that the APNU+AFCpartnership began its drive on the basis of its faith inmulti-race cooperation is a good indication that theIndo/Afro relationship can exalt itself to the highest inhuman evolution.

Sounds too much, right? To hold to a belief in some-thing less than this is to short-change one's own poten-tial. It is to limit one's vision. It is to subscribe to thesame “any-old-how” approach that never worked, andwill never work. Not to mention that it exacerbates theeconomic interplay, and it plays right into the hands ofhaters, the likes of Bharrat Jagdeo and company.

So what is needed now is for you to be crazy enough tothink that Indo and Afro Guyanese can live with eachother, work with each other, disagree with each otherand yet carry on like family for the simple reason thatour quest for peace and harmony depends on our inter-dependence. Yes, what we need is that kind of crazy.

Yup, crazy enough to think today that you can be thestarting point for a new tomorrow. And yes, after allthat has transpired since Independence. Yes, even afterall the toxic stuff that Bharrat Jagdeo spewed on hisinglorious campaign trail.

Can this Unity Forum challenge the Guyanese diaspo-ra—Indo and Afro communities—of Queens, Brooklyn,and beyond, including the religious leaders—to take ashot at looking at ourselves again with a renewed con-sciousness? Can it inspire a new fad called racial har-mony?

We shall see.

Is racial harmonypossible?By Paul Sanders, Caribbean Daylight , New York Photograph Dwane Hackett

RACIAL HARMONY 19

DiasporaTimes International E-Magazine

UNITY20THE CHANGE THAT IS UNITY

by Joshua Chowritmootoo

The new dawn is come From the olden Sun, the eternal

Energy that derives it allThe common source of the life

That breathes newness at every dawnAnd in its voiceless resounding call

Now brings Unity, a new resolve to change The old shackles that tether to past, That Goliath of hatred and distrust,

That David, honest governance and EquitySlings into the graveyards of disunity.

Renewed, its People Now in Comity The fossilized hate and distrust,

The thawing evidence now eloquentIn the New Dawn.

Arise Now in Peace and ConfidenceIn the green pastures of hope and plenty,

The dreams of our martyrs and their blood;Bloom now the evergreen promenades and forestry,

Born of the battles of our heroes’ sacrifices, Garden City find they anew and rebirthed

In the fulfillment of our Founders Cooperative,That dawned the Arrowhead first flutters.

Oh! Glorious Unity your promiseMust steadfast conjoinThe equity to bear

And transparency the practice fair;That Highway is there,

In the meritocracy oh! My Country.That One Nation, One People, One Destiny,

The Mission, The Vision is gleamed in rivers streamsIn the hearts of the Patriots true and GoldenThe New Dawn now born, spirited anew.

The New Highway is there,Unity is its name,

Guyanese all, now forward march,Rally, Stake your claim,

Forge forward, onward, upwardOn the New Highway,Unity is its name.


21THE LEGACY

PASSION FRUIT, FIVE FINGERAND LEGACY THAT LIVESby Sharma Solomon

The recent death anniversary of Mr. LindenForbes Sampson Burnham was an appropriatetime to reflect on his life and his legacy. In this

context, the Burnham government had developed anational policy that envisaged Guyanese controllingthe commanding heights of our economy by harness-ing local resources for our benefit. It was this visionthat led to the establishment of institutions such asthe Institute of Applied Science and Technology(IAST).IAST is located on the Turkeyen Campus of theUniversity of Guyana (UG). In 2012 I had the pleasureof meeting Professor Suresh Narine, honorary directorof IAST, who explained just how important IAST is tothe development and advancement of our people.Guyanese are encouraged and delighted regarding theability of our fellow citizens and the potential of ournatural resources, following the discovery that ourhomegrown passion fruit has antibacterial effects.This is good news for healthcare. Congratulations toProfessor Raymond Jagessar, recently promoted pro-fessor at UG, and his team for their hard work. Once again, Mr. Burnham’s confidence that “Yes wecan” is made reality. It was this belief in our abilityand his desire for us to prove ourselves that putGuyana on the road to converting our rice into flour,causing our processed carambola(five-finger) to enter the European market, and initiating the mass production of plantain chips. The latter, earlier condemned, are today in our supermarkets. Unfortunately, though, they areimported from Central America.In the metropolitan countries,rice flour, still demonized in Guyana, is sold as health food. Gerber and Kellogg, major food brands, have converted rice into cereal both for adults and as baby foods.

Mr. Burnham’s advocacy for the use of our local herbs as staple tea was not met with much enthusiasm. Today these ‘bush teas’ are sold in the supermarkets, most, if not all,

with imported labels. Jamaica sells us cerassie tea. Cerassie is what we call corilla (orkaraila). Britain and U.S.A. sell us lemongrass. This,like the other abovementioned items, grows in ourbackyards. And the potential for local job opportuni-ties has not escaped me. Thirty years after Mr. Burnham's departure, Guyanesecontinue, through the IAST, to do research and devel-opment to harness our nation's resources for the bene-fit of all. His dream lives on.

22


GREENER GEORGETOWN

FOLLOWING a meeting with President DavidGranger this past week over his “Green” visionfor Guyana, the Mayor and City Council

(M&CC) has not only embarked on the restoration ofthe renowned “Garden City”, but is doing this withinan eco-friendly, green-environment framework.This is according to Town Clerk Royston King who,on Friday last, laid out an elaborate plan for citizensand other stakeholders to participate in the variousaspects of the city’s revitalisation drive. This driveinvolves, what was deemed most important, “a vig-orous education initiative to instill in citizens thenecessity, and long-term benefits of a clean, greencity.”The town clerk pointed out that this new approachto the city “demands a new attitude from all citizensoccupying or traversing the capital.” This is especial-ly so, since work is currently ongoing to addressmatters that have caused the decay of the capital ofGuyana. These matters include the revision of legis-lation related to offences and penalties, and addi-tional regulations to ensure the continuance of whatcity administrators envision.As it stands, Georgetown has been plagued by flood-ing due to blocked drains, canals and other water-ways. The city is congested given its layout, while

citizens – particularly the business community –have confiscated city alleyways, reserves and otheropen spaces. Overgrown bushes and grass charac-terise almost every inch of Georgetown, while hugebuildings have risen, some not adhering to the con-struction or zoning rules and regulations of theCouncil.“This will be no more,” King promised. “Until therequisite legislation is passed to seriously arrest actsthat contribute to the city’s deterioration, we willboost enforcement of all existing laws.”King also warned that citizens should be mindfulnow of how they treat the city. He revealed a “notolerance” policy for persons who, among other vio-lations, arbitrarily destroy or occupy city property,and dump or cause waste to be dumped illegally.As part of the education aspect of the green-city ini-tiative, training and assistance programs will bemade available by the Council.

GREEN CITYGEORGETOWN TO BECOME

SET FOR GRAND RETURN TO GLORY AS THE FAMED “GARDEN CITY”

Photograph of the Botanical Gardens, published with the permission of Guyana City Guide..

This article was first published in the Guyana Chronicle, and is used here with the permission of theGuyana National Newspapers Limited, publishers of the Chronicle.

23


It will include information on harmful chemicals,such as weedicides and poisons that negativelyimpact the environment. There will be programs onrecycling and composting processes among others.Information on the benefits of low-carbon strate-gies and of alternative energy sources will also beaccessible.

Given the enduring value of trees, particularly inthe human respiratory process, their importancewill be made known to all citizens, who will beencouraged to plant more trees and to care forthem. “Plant and animal life must be respected inthe city,” King charged.

In relation to vagrants and homeless persons whocontribute to the ugliness and filth within the city,moves will be made to collaborate with the relevantministries to address this.

In the meantime, City Hall has commenced therestoration of recreational areas for public conve-nience. The Council said it is adamant that it wantsto see its citizens living as one, lending to the con-cept of cohesive communities. “We are thereforerestoring recreational parks, playgrounds, sportingfacilities and other social areas where the youngand old can meet and talk, where uptown can meetdowntown and dwell, and where all citizens arerecognised only as citizens.”

The town clerk concluded that while the city is upfor a grand return to glory, its citizens will alsohave to come up to par. He said City Hall will bemaking moves towards citizens’ health develop-ment, with related programs that encourage exer-cise and healthy eating.

The town clerk’s passionate appeal is that citizensstart now, “to wrap their minds around a new,healthier and greener Georgetown.”

The winds of changeBy Winston JordanThe winds of change brought a breath of fresh air, andwe see it in the beauty of laughing eyes of our children,women and men; their exuberance to make a positivedifference; and their willingness to work hard toachieve a good life for themselves, their families andcommunities. We can only wonder where we couldhave been, had we been the beneficiaries of good andaccountable governance during the past two decades.In just about three months in office, we, in thisCoalition Government, have been tested, by bothdomestic and international issues, and by an uncoop-erative opposition still piqued at losing the recentGeneral and Regional Elections. We have made mis-steps, but generally we have proven that we have themettle to confront the problems and challenges thrownat us. After all, that is part of what we were elected todo—provide strategic, astute and accountable leader-ship in pursuit of the common good. This is what wecommit to do: continue to govern in the interest of allGuyanese.We in the Coalition are a strong group of men andwomen, forged by our individual experiences andwelded together by our common desire to work for thedevelopment of this country. We extend a hand offriendship and cooperation, of strength and unity, toall parties, groups, stakeholders and all Guyanese, aswe pursue the arduous but exciting task of buildingthis fledgling nation of ours. As we stand on the cusp of our 50th year of indepen-dence, I call on all Guyanese to eschew petty intoler-ances, bitterness and hate. Let us dismiss all those pur-veyors of enmity who, in their selfish egotism, promotedivision and destruction. Let us invoke theindomitable will and spirit of our forebears, who bat-tled slavery, indentureship, and colonialism so that wecould be free to be One People and build One Nation.Let us ponder the distance we have travelled to date,where we are as a nation; where we want to be by thetime of our centennial celebration of our indepen-dence; and how we get there. Let us together, as one nation, leave a legacy of whichthe next generation can be proud, a destiny to whichthey can aspire. In this fast-paced world in which welive, we can do no worse than dissipate our energieswith petulance and tangential distractions. We mustimmediately buckle down to the task at hand – movingour nation forward. We have an opportunity to make afresh start in pursuit of a good life within a green econ-omy.

Extracted from the concluding remarks of Budget 2015


The question, “Where are you from?” (fol-lowed by “You have an accent”) is quitefamiliar to immigrants. The stimulus for

such a query is usually based on one’s speech pat-tern, accent or other linguistic attributes thatappear to be different or “foreign.” Indeed it is rea-sonable to believe that the question emerges out ofcuriosity and is not motivated by any xenophobicthoughts.

However, a good friend told me that his initialinclination is usually to respond by saying “Earth!Where are you from?” But he quickly declaredthat because he was raised to be polite, he exercis-es self-restraint, empathy and diplomacy. He fur-ther stated that his response may be followed bypointing out to the questioner that she/he too hasan “accent”. Everyone inherently has an accentpeculiar to his or her indigenous socialization,unless (a) there is a deliberate attempt to alter orotherwise disguise it, which some immigrants maydo to “fit in” or (b) social or environmental influ-ences affect one’s speech pattern over time.

Further, my buddy usually assumes that whatquestioners mean is that he has a “non-American”accent. He thus feels the urge to verify an impor-tant dimension of his demographic attributes. Healso ponders the possibility that his response maybe used by the inquiring individual to gauge ordetermine the nature of the interpersonal interac-tion that follows.

A related theme is immigrants’ definition of“home”, which may be influenced by the immi-gration experience and level of assimilation intotheir adopted country. Owing to the transnationalnature of Diaspora existence, defining “home” andits impact on identity and allegiance becomes aninteresting sociological issue. As one social com-mentator stated, “home is not where my grandpar-ents are buried, but where my grandchildren willbe raised”. This addresses some of the assump-tions made about the characterization of membersof the Diaspora. Should members of the GuyaneseDiaspora claim multiple “homes”? Is home theplace where one was born or where one is raised?

What about the undocumented? Is home one’sadopted place of residence after migration orwhere one claims citizenship? If so, to whom (orwhich country) does one owe allegiance? Shouldmembers of the Diaspora be allowed to vote inhometown elections? Should they have represen-tation in the parliaments of their countries ofbirth? Is home Guyana, the Caribbean, the WestIndies, USA, Toronto, South America, Africa,India?

Furthermore, identifying oneself by using a bi-cul-tural label may reflect ethnic pride rather than thedesire for enduring relations with an “ancestralland.” However, beyond such an argument, identi-fication as Caribbean-American, West Indian-American or Guyanese-American may be less sym-bolic than significantly representing the essence ofa transnational existence. Although in no way dis-ruptive to life in their adopted home, the aboverepresent subtle idiosyncrasies that some in theDiaspora grapple with daily, but that they may ormay not discuss openly.

HOME:WHERE ARE YOU FROM?I hear an accent!by Lear Matthews, PhD

EDUCATION24

25


EDUCATION

Dr. Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith is a visionary leader, whodreamed big and delivered bigger, a man whochanged Fort Valley State University (FVSU) for-

ever. He spent a lot of time with his eyes closed creatingblueprints and fantasies that led to greater transparen-cy, increased integrity, quality customer service andexcellence. This visionary leader committed himself to excellence ineverything he did. Dr. Griffith left a legacy. To live inthe hearts of the people around you is to never die.Success is wonderful but significance is even better. Hemade many contributions and has a long list of accom-plishments during a very short window of time. I’ll just name a few: As a result of his outstanding lead-ership, FVSU will exceed its Fall 2015 student recruit-ment goals. The traditional marketing strategy for FVSUwas expanded to include a robust social media presence(Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, andFlickr). The FVSU website was upgraded and we nowhave a mobile app. But most importantly, he left a markon the people around him.Years from now, historians will report that the 20+months he spent in the “Valley” were successful. Theywill positively impact FVSU for years to come.Dr. Griffith often said, “We cannot fix what we do notface”. So we were forced to face the “good, the bad andthe ugly”. There were times when there were “tough, yetnecessary conversations.”There were those who did not agree with his plans toexpand FVSU globally. However, he knew that hisdream of global outreach is critical to the future growthof the university. Dr. Griffith, like any great leader ofany university today, knows that international initiativesare a competitive necessity for the standing and growthof our institution. He provoked many to think about thenever-ending possibilities available to FVSU via interna-tional partnerships. Dr. Griffith came to FV and into our lives only for anappointed time, only for a season. His work was part ofa higher cause and his larger-than-life leadership stylecan be compared to other great leaders such as Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr., and the prophet Moses, whoalso had only a short time to get things done.

Dr. Griffith accomplished what he was destined toaccomplish. Sir, Job WELL DONE… You made it toyour mountaintop. You saw your Promised Land.

Reproduced here are extracts of an address by Ms. LouAnn Gross, amember of the Executive Board of the National Alumni Association ofFort Valley State University (FVSU) in Georgia at a leadershipappreciation reception to honor outgoing FVSU president Guyanese-born Ivelaw Griffith and First Lady Francille Griffith.

PROMISEDLANDby LouAnn Gross

26

The late Robert Nesta (“Bob”) Marley, in one of hissocio-political statements in song, said, “Don’tworry about a thing, ‘cause every little thing is

gonna be alright.” So true! In a recent op-ed article, thewriter seemed to worry about a number of things mainlypertaining to the new style of governance in Guyana.This new governance seemed to be associated with aunique phobia. The topics discussed in the article ranged from race,gender, and age to percentage distributions among thesegroups and categories both on state boards and in thecabinet. A broad brush was used to paint a “picture ofworry.” Why worry about all these things that can beseen as the colour of politics. Achieving political equilib-rium takes time. The phenomenon of disequilibrium, orinstability if you like, must run its course. One particular point raised, one that stretched femalegender issues, needs to be addressed since it is a world-wide talking point. Women have always been looked atas having a kind of “back seat” role rather than beingmore visible up front. In fact, biblical teaching showsthat the role of women must be carefully placed withoutbeing marginalized. The Master Evangelist loved His Mother, as He didMary and Martha. Yet none of His disciples was female.Just look around. The great majority of church-goers, ofreligious folk, are indisputably female. But how manyfemale pastors are out there? How many female bishopsdo we know in this world? Discrimination or whatever,it is reality!Any system of governance, be it democratic or other-wise, does not necessarily require a determined percent-age of persons of one gender, race or religious persua-sion or another. Government by definition is a processthat has to be conducted mainly by individuals who are“designed” to govern, or participate in the process.Guyana had its fair share of female leaders. To name afew, upon reflection over our short history, there wereJanet Jagan, Winifred Gaskin, Shirley Field-Ridley, AnnJardim, Dorothy Bailey, and more recently, PriyaManickchand and Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett.

A well-known American president alluded to the con-cept of “leading from behind.” This is somewhat of anoxymoron, and does not remove the leadership rolefrom being up front. A driving force can either be mov-ing forward with a bunch of followers or being at theback pushing the bunch forward. Therefore, real leader-ship does not necessarily mean “prominence” up front. Imbalance is not unreal in many areas of public service.Guyana always experienced a notable level of racialimbalance in the Police Force and the Defence Force.That does not make imbalance an evil thing. Thereforewhy worry about these abstract things and not addressthe most disgusting feature of corruption, as widespreadas it was.Nevertheless, the late American singing and dancingsuperstar named James Brown screamed at the top ofhis voice, “It is a man’s world, but it would be nothingwithout a woman or a girl.” During the last general andregional elections in Guyana, a leading publication car-ried the photo of a young man lifting a “grannie” to gether to the polls so that she can exercise her democraticright to vote. What a sight!One cannot deny the fact that the right to vote, not howthe leadership is formulated, is the single most impor-tant feature of governance. Political party membership,with its intrinsic cronyism, happens to be driven by asense of trust and familiarity developed from the cama-raderie that binds most party members, and must not belooked upon as a form of discrimination or favoritism. Every time an opinion is expressed it serves to strength-en weaknesses, and helps to avoid the pitfall inherent inthe statement that “where all men think alike, no manthinks at all.”

The author of this opinion piece is the former honorary traderepresentative of Guyana in Atlanta, Georgia. The opinionsexpressed here are his own, and not those of Diaspora Times,or of the government he represented.


OPINION

WHYWORRY?by Neil Wray

27

The first 100 days have endedThe APNU+AFC Coalition, both during the election campaignand in the early days of the coalition government, high-lighted the things the government intended to achieveduring its first 100 days. Those 100 days end today,Monday August 24th.How are we doing? It depends who you ask. Ram &McRae, the professional services firm of charteredaccountants, in its Focus on Guyana’s National Budget2015, gives the coalition high marks for its budget. Butthat document is much less complimentary with regardto the first-100-days program. “There are 26 ministers in15 ministries, the document points out. It adds, “If eachminister had been assigned just one of the commitmentsall 21 commitments would have been achieved with timeto spare.”The government’s own reckoning of its performancecomes in a number of charts made available by a seniorMinistry of Information official and reproduced on pagesseven to 13. Moreover, buoyed by chants of “Done,” “Tobe done,” or “Almost done” respectively, Prime MinisterMoses Nagamootoo gave Parliament an enthusiasticreport on all the steps the APNU+AFC Coalition hadtaken to keep its 100-day promise.

Late but well-deserved

Terry Holder, one of Guyana’s leading broadcasters andone of the Caribbean’s leading broadcast leaders, wasrecently inducted posthumously into the CaribbeanBroadcasting Union’s Hall of Fame. His eldest child,Attorney at Law Dawn Adriane Holder, and his sonDuane received the plaque on his behalf. Responding tothe honor bestowed on her father, Dawn said:“Broadcasting and regional integration were his life,apart from the passion of cricket… Daddy believed inregional integration the way Christians believed in theSecond Coming.”

Now you see them, now you don’tEx-president Bharrat Jagdeo returned to Parliament onMonday as head of the new PPP/C contingent. He soonformalized his position as leader of the opposition buthis party turned down the deputy speakership normallyreserved for the opposition. The government and oppositionwere soon sparring across the aisle, each side giving asgood as it got.Not long after they had arrived, Dr. Jagdeo and his teamwalked out. There was consternation among media pro-fessionals and politicos alike about what generated thewalkout. Before the mystery could be resolved, Dr.Jagdeo and his side were back again.

Coalition honors PPP executive member

In the early days and weeks of the new coalition govern-ment, Facebook was ablaze with complaints about pho-tographs of President David Granger sitting next tosenior public servant Hydar Ally, seen in picture present-ing a copy of his book to then President Ramotar. As per-manent sectary in the Public Service Ministry, Ally wasthe most senior public servant. But he is also a long-standing member of the top echelons of the PPP. Thecoalition’s supporters on Facebook seemed particularlyincensed that Ally was being allowed to sit next to thenew president while also being photographed picketingin support of the PPP’s claim that the APNU+AFCCoalition government was a de facto government, not alegitimate one.Recently, as his tenure in the public service drew to aclose, he was honored for his service to the governmentand offered the opportunity to return as a trainer in thesoon-to-be-established Public Service Staff College. Thistime, government supporters are not likely to object. Mr.Ally was instrumental in charges being laid against an exPPP minister for the illegal transfer of government vehiclesto private hands.

REFLECTIONS ON OUR “NEW GUYANA”

LAST-MINUTE

NEWS FLASH


By Eff A. SeePhotograph: Gordon Moseley, News Source.Guyana

LAST-MINUTE

NEWS FLASHThe sad, strange story of Mrs. Singh and Mr. DindyalDismissals of, and enforced leave against, a numberof public service and public-sector officials have led toallegations that the government is engaging in ethniccleansing. Opposition supporters became more vocif-erous in their allegations after the government termi-nated the services of Guyana Power and Light ChiefExecutive Officer Bharrat Dindyal. The irony is thatDindyal, whose US$30,000 monthly salary comparesfavorably with those of many public- and private-sec-tor professionals in highly developed societies, didnot have the support of even the corporation’s PPP-appointed board.A December 22, 2014 letter to then PPP/C PrimeMinister Samuel Hinds, stated clearly, “The boarddoes not support a renewal of the CEO’s contract.”Disrespect of the board, poor management style anddishonest actions are among the reasons given for theBoard’s opposition to Dindyal’s re-appointment,either at his $30,000 salary or with the US$1,500-a-month increase he was proposing.Meanwhile, one PPP leader supporting allegations ofethnic cleansing is said to have been shocked when,as minister, he visited a certain Guyanese diplomaticmission and found there was still one person ofAfrican descent on the staff. The person was a Mrs.Singh. Apparently, reading her name on a list, he hadmisled himself into thinking she was of Indian ances-try. Shortly after the visit to the mission and the dis-covery of his error, Mrs. Singh was out of a job. Didsomeone say ethnic cleansing?For more information on ethnic cleansing in Guyana,please see Freddie Kissoon's article "Statistics andNames of Ethnic Cleansing During PPP Reign" in theAugust 24 issue of Kaieteur News.

Battling for last placeAs the past week progressed, the government and theparliamentary opposition were battling to the deathfor last place, or more correctly, second-to-last place.The penultimate position usually allows the opposi-tion leader to respond to points made in the debatebefore the finance minister wraps up. This time, how-ever, the positioning took on a new significance—whether Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo wouldhave an opportunity, from the high perch of a formerPPP insider, to deal with the fireworks likely to be lit

by Opposition Leader Jagdeo. In the end, the P.M. gotto speak after Dr. Jagdeo. About the opposition’s acu-sations regarding racism, ethnic cleansing, and thecrime situation, he revealed in stark detail how it wasthe previous PPP Government that had much forwhich to answer.

Surprise revelation: PPP company owns Red House

Ownership of Red House, at one stage the official res-idence of the premier of Guyana and later the office ofthe Public Service Ministry, was transferred to a PPP-related company, Cheddi Jagan Research Inc. Also,the name was changed from Red House to the CheddiJagan Centre.

This information was discovered by the new adminis-tration, and it was revealed to the Guyanese people byMinister of State in the Ministry of the PresidencyJoseph Harmon during the current budget debate.

The transfer from state ownership to the CheddiJagan Research Inc. took place in 2012 when the com-pany was granted a 99-year lease for which the com-pany, whose directors were PPP leaders, includingMrs. Janet Jagan and Mr. Donald Ramotar, pays ameager $1,000 Guyana (US$5) monthly.

The minister said that the government spent millionsof dollar to renovate the building before handing itover to the company. Government also continuedpaying the staff after the handover.

Minister Harmon further alluded to initiatives by theAsset Recovery Unit to recover properties improperlytransferred from state ownership to private hands. Henoted that the money trail was leading to New York,Abu Dhabi and elsewhere.

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a p n u +a f dias c one people, one nation united!pora · aug.24 2015 vol 1 issue 10 times diasone...

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