Finding Closure
December 2005
by Gary Girdhari

In east Los Angeles Rodney King said after being viciously beaten by the police in March 1991 (and the ensuing riots): “Why can’t we just get along?” This rhetorical question from a simple man speaks volume. He was willing to forgive his aggressors. Most people are not able to do so quite as readily. Doing so is a tangible way to attain peace – and move on.

Bishop Desmond Tutu spoke of this methodology as a means to arrive at “closure” in his beloved South Africa. He distinguishes between “retributive” justice and “restorative” justice. Unfortunately, much of the world has not yet seen the right of his way. We all should wake up from our sleepy complacency; if not, eventually, “we [will be] consumed”. Bishop Tutu spoke plainly: "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality."

Which brings me back home. In modern Guyanese history there are a few unsavory events that regularly bubble up – the memories of which fail to fade away. Some that come to mind easily are: the Wismar massacre, Mahaicony massacres, the Sun Chapman explosion, Rupununi uprising, Election riggings, the Ballot Box Martyrs, Arnold Rampersaud jailing, Walter Rodney assassination, Blackie shoot-out, January 12 2002 attack on Indians, February 23 2002 Prison breakout and numerous related incidents, the Flooding, Kidnappings and murders, especially by some Buxton elements. These are major incidents that have attained national proportions – being politically and/or racially motivated – resulting in untold loss of life and destruction of property, and destabilization in the nation.

To be sure there have been many statements over the years by individuals and private groups. Unfortunately, these have not been seriously debated. In fact, there is very little debate or dialogue on real major issues in Guyana. Instead, there have been numerous monologues going on simultaneously (especially in the local press), lengthy ones in some cases (assumedly the lengthier you write or the louder you shout makes it more believable) – with no visible rapprochement, little cordiality and non-existent harmonizing tone. We have become a nation of bulldogs ready to snap and bite. Indeed, we do not speak with one another; we bark at one another. How crude and callous we have grown with modernity, the SUV, ubiquitous cell phones, wide screen HDTV, iPods and WiFi notwithstanding!

Whether we like to accept it or not, nations (including Guyana) are becoming morally and spiritually bankrupt, though deceptively professing otherwise.

Why is it that so many grave incidents are left unsolved with many questions hanging … ? Is it because of fear of the unknown – or the known? The PNC of the past showed ruthless dereliction in this regard, and the PPP is trying to match them.

This fledgling nation cannot afford to dissipate its time, energy and resource in useless and meaningless “monologues”. The nation must move on. Such serious matters must be resolved one way or another by impartial commissions of inquiry (similar to Congressional Hearings in the U.S.) to arrive at the truth, without fear or favor, expeditiously. There is no other way to circumvent the issues, no reason for denial or pretense. Delaying is stalemating, and postponing exacerbates the agony of unknowing; and thus may further beg the question of governmental/bureaucratic incompetence, disregard, ignorance and/or dishonesty.

The truth should not continue to take a flogging. Nation building cannot take place in the absence of peace. Jawaharlal Nehru offers this forethought: "Peace is not a relationship of [or within] nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul. Peace is not merely an absence of war. It is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful people."

I have never been a fan of Pope Paul myself, though I have friends who are. However, I agree with Pope John Paul’s Message for the World Day of Peace, January 1, 1997: Certainly there are many factors which can help restore peace, while safeguarding the demands of justice and human dignity. But no process of peace can ever begin unless an attitude of sincere forgiveness takes root in human hearts. When such forgiveness is lacking, wounds continue to fester, fueling in the younger generation endless resentment, producing a desire for revenge and causing fresh destruction. Offering and accepting forgiveness is the essential condition for making the journey towards authentic and lasting peace.

Commissions of Inquiries can put matters to rest. (There have been too few and these are too drawn out.) Having the truth in the open, or having a full explanation of occurrences is a step in the right direction – hopefully to find closure and a sense of justice. Then maybe we can forgive and forget, and “get along”.

Heed the wisdom of Nelson Mandela: “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner."


From New York City to Meten-Meer-Zorg
November 2005
by Gary Girdhari

Don’t Mince Words
by Gary Girdhari
Guyana Journal, October 2005

NEW ORLEANS: A Lesson in Apathy Breeding Disasters
September 2005

“No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

The Monte Leon Hotel in New Orleans hosted my first training conference in Disaster Preparedness in 1992. Looking down from a window of the Monte Leon, which stood fortress-like on the left bank of the Mississippi River, a visitor would seem to be standing directly over the waters of the great river. I stayed in the French Quarters.

Each day I walked leisurely in the morning to the Conference Auditorium. On the way, I savored the relatively quiet morning atmosphere of Bourbon Street, the Home of Jazz. Maybe this had earned for the New Orleans the nickname of "The Big Easy." In the evening however it was a different story, Bourbon Street was alive with pleasure seekers and inundated with the sound of music.

After sessions, the conference participants went out in a group to enjoy the evening moods, coupled with the displays in the café-style entertainment of 'Music Parlors' and the rhythms of the night. There were children tap-dancing for a tip, by the street corner in front of houses. It appeared that the bottom flats of most of the old French-style buildings that lined Bourbon Street were equipped with small stages accommodating small jazz bands.

It saddens me now to take in the horrendous scenes of human devastation.

For me the conference was a kind of learning privilege, being with experts and participants of PAHO.

Situated on the left bank of the great Mississippi River and occupying a significant place in the US history by its purchase from the French, New Orleans bore much similarity to topography to the Guyana Coastal settlements.

Checkered with numerous Bayous, similar to Guyana’s coconut walks and the wooded sections of Guyana’s backland retreats, New Orleans is approximately six feet below sea level. As such the threat of flooding was ever present, either from the great Mississippi, or unlike Guyana, from other terror experiences of nature, such as hurricanes or tornadoes. Thus, the citizens of New Orleans or the Mississippians depend on the levees (dykes) for protection against flooding by the massive Lake Pontchartrain or the great Mississippi River. This is not any different from the Guyanese dependency on the protection of sea defenses from the Atlantic Ocean.

The mixed population consists of descendants from the Africans, comprising over 67%. French, Hispanics and a sprinkling of smaller groups add to the quite cosmopolitan blend of culture and religion. Some descendants of African slaves still practice Voodoo in a special section of New Orleans. This had become a tourist attraction for interested visitors who have the heart for the rituals. It is interesting to know that New Orleans Cajun rice cuisine is somewhat similar to the Cook-up and or Kitchrie, so common to Guyanese and Caribbean peoples.

Given the threat factors in New Orleans, one would imagine that at least a local Disaster Preparedness Plan would have been a top priority of both the Mayor and the Governor. Several lapses were noticed as Hurricane Katrina headed for land-fall in New Orleans. All that is now a catastrophe etched indelibly in the history of the State. The press was quick to report that President Bush adamantly refused to respond to calls for timely shoring up the levee of the Lake Pontchartrain.
Apart from this laxity, the gnawing question is: 'What did the Mayor do in terms of Disaster Preparedness in the face of the impending threat from the Lake or hurricanes? The Governor too, should come under some scrutiny for not having mandated a plan of action at local level. The storm surge produced by Katrina knocked out over two hundred feet of the levee that was already in a state of disrepair due to the regrettable inaction from the Federal Government.

Approximately twenty feet of water descended upon the New Orleans, wiping out almost every homestead outside the French Quarters. For this disaster impact, no one was prepared. (It reminds me vividly of the similar reluctance since the eighties to date, in which Guyana's Officials of two consecutive regimes, failed to implement disaster preparedness recommendations. If the powers that be, would only listen to and learn from the simple and insignificant, so much tragic fall-outs need not be the lot of citizens. Because of persistent apathy, both Guyana and New Orleans paid the price for apathy. New Orleans now presents a bizarre object lesson to the whole world and to us in Guyana.

In the aftermath of hurricane Katrina and the massive flooding, one reporter likened the tragedy to being trampled by some kind of Godzilla. Another commentator is of the view that New Orleans should not be rebuilt, but the people should be permanently relocated. ABC Newsman, Aaron Brown, highlighted the comment that New Orleans, the home of so many, is no more.

A total evacuation of those who remain is ordered after the devastation. The Superdome and Astrodome, which sheltered over thirty thousand displaced persons continued to be flocked. Looting seems a natural practice in the midst of distress as the Mayor of New Orleans diverted some fifteen hundred search and rescue operators and National Guards to address the lawlessness, which ensued as a result of the quest for food and other amenities. Then there was the political fall out and 'race' undertones of the crisis, which were very lucidly vocalized by both media and private citizens. The Mayor expressed his gross disappointment at the Federal Government response to the disaster. It was noted that the loss of lives could well run into thousands.

Tragically, New Orleans is now referred to as ‘The Lost City’.

Despite the tragedy resulting from the flooding, soon there will still be the tendency for the responders, President and all, to harp on the old tune that everything is under control. But it is only after we had done everything possible in prevention to avoid calamity that we can afford any semblance of satisfaction with our actions. So while many would have the gall to pat themselves on the back for a job well done, they should rather kick themselves in the rear for the gross inaction which resulted in the worst natural catastrophe in US history.

Let us not be too swell-headed with the apparent success of the reaction after the tragedy had struck. On many occasions, people feel good, and are praised for just doing the job for which they are paid. This does not warrant all the accolades heaped upon them. When people go beyond the normal call of duty to avert tragedies, accolades are promptly in order. All the later successes could not compensate for the callousness of dereliction of duty, which mark a deliberate sidestepping of the preventative courses of action that could have significantly mitigated the impacts of disaster. Political appointments (or job for the boys) without the required expertise, qualification and experience have certainly given us all a valuable lesson in incompetence and decision-making ability. These people are accountable. A full inquiry is in order. And jail may be a useful prescription.

Hurricanes, tornadoes and storms are not disasters. They are natural phenomena. Only when they make land-fall among the populated centers and settlements do they result in disasters. Immediate warnings and news bulletins only serve to alert the citizens in the wake of pending impacts, but the preemptive advance preparedness planning and prompt action does a world of good in prevention of the disasters. The displacement of the citizens may be massive, but many of the deaths and the deplorable misery of the masses could be mitigated.

Recovery of a lesser magnitude would have been required, not the mammoth effort now mounted by the Federal Government to rebuild New Orleans. And while the current recovery no doubt would elicit great praise for the sacrifices of the responders, the neglect and lack of preventative action over the years is unpardonable. Governments' reason for existence in the first instance is for such a purpose, i.e., for the protection of the citizen from any threat (of nature, wild beasts or invaders). An ounce of prevention is always cheaper that a ton of cure.

By Seopaul Singh
Contributing Editor

The ‘Christian’ Ethic About Money and the Poor
August 2005

Speaking about the eradication of poverty Jeffrey Sachs appears very lucid and knowledgeable and, by any measure, his heart is in the right place. Professor Sachs is the director responsible for the UN’s Millennium Development Goals – to halve world poverty by 2015.

It is an affront to common decency that so much poverty still exists in our modern era – and in the midst of plenty.
Sure, Bob Geldof (now Sir Bob Geldof, knighted for his efforts) has drawn attention to his cause in ‘Live Aid’ and ‘Live 8’. But what has really been accomplished by these shows? Geldof is not telling the politicians and leaders of the world economy anything new; he is however telling the masses of people in the world that there are so many in dire need of everyday leftovers – something that is hidden from their view on the news (except in cases of major disasters like the recent tsunami). Bob Geldof and other charities “exist more for the well-being of donors and volunteers than for the purpose of actually doing good.”

What I’m getting at relates to a simple question: when is it OK to say that enough is enough? In the ‘Christian’ world of excess in the West, people forget the Christian admonition: "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole word, and lose his own soul?"— Mark 8:36.

Forbes reports that Condoleezza Rice tops the Forbes' list of the world's most powerful women, and otherwise announces the richest men in the world – for what reason, one may ask! Are they helping the ‘civilized’ world to hide the ‘uncivilized’ blemishes of poverty? Forbes probably is not a Christian or he probably forgot the Christian counsel: "For the love of money is the root of all evil." – 1 Timothy 6:10.

Nowadays, everyone seems to be complaining about the surge in gasoline price? Occasionally this hits the news on some morning shows. Well the other news (reported in the Houston Chronicle) is that there is a substantial surge in profit by at least two oil companies, Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell (by about one-third); and others [Marathon Oil Corp] “achieving 91 percent earnings growth”.

So while the ordinary consumer of gasoline and petroleum products is strangled with a deepening spending burden, there are others who rejoice with no apparent concern about the misery of millions of others. In the midst of misery there is gloating about profitability. The ‘Christian’ rebuke of Jesus is disregarded: "The Scriptures declare, `My Temple will be called a place of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!" – Matthew 21:13.

It is deplorable to confront the starkness of callous human behavior regarding poverty in modern times in the midst of plenty. I mean the raw greed and wanton gluttony, and the obsession to get more and more... and I don’t mean the ordinary folks and the teeming millions who seek to get more just so they can eke out a living – on a daily basis. I mean those who already have several homes, many cars and other material things, who have so much wealth that it is well nigh impossible for them (or for anyone) to conceptualize in concrete terms how much they really have. (Sure, on paper it is seen as mere numbers.) Indeed it boggles the mind! James (Maputo, Mozambique) commened: “the focus must be on good governance and social responsibility …capitalism has generated adequate resources to eradicate extreme poverty, but is continually undermined by corruption, self interests and nepotism.”

I don’t know of Mr. Sachs’ plans. But if the G8 Summits are any guide, it appears that his uphill task of getting the most powerful and richest men in the world to budge would dissipate his energy in attaining the Millennium Goals.
The question posed in a BBC blog Can world poverty end? leaves one with a bitter taste. In the meantime ‘Around 30,000 people in the world die every day because they are too poor to stay alive.’

The statistics on poverty is public knowledge. So also is the statistics on military spending. Economists, CEOs and politicians know this. But most common people don’t know these facts because they are abstruse and not palatable to be splashed on the TV and popular news. Most people in developed countries don't understand what poverty is – in a graphic way. “The powerful are responsible for creating such messes, and are the only ones who can help things. The responsibility of the [common] people is to ensure the powerful do what is right.”

What is clear is that poverty is prevalent and worldwide. The rich countries have their share of poor and homeless people. And it’s getting progressively worse. What is also clear is that the prevailing conditions (the world order if you like) are not making an optimistic difference. To the contrary poverty thrives in the current conditions. As one blogger, Richard Read (London) said: “The end of world poverty is like world peace, it's a thing that exists only in the speeches of politicians and beauty pageant participants. In reality the world's economy relies on inequalities and those in power have no incentive to change it.” According to Ronald Austin (Guyana) “…such [poverty] eradication can only occur if the Western developed states loosen their purse strings.” But he continued: “They did not do so during previous development decades, with notable exceptions, why should they do so now?” In a similar cynical vein Gregory Powers (Kansas, USA) noted, “Yes, we will eliminate poverty when we rid the world of war, disease, and environmentally and politically-induced famine, and also halt the disproportionate consumption of goods by industrial nations. In other words, when hell freezes over.”

So this argument agrees well with Sally’s (Brooklyn USA) reasoning that “in order for the wealthier nations to continue manufacturing goods for their over consumption at such a low cost they need poverty. [In other words] Capitalism needs a third world in order to survive.”

“To eradicate poverty will require a change in priorities and thinking of people worldwide. As global citizens we must start seeing the bigger picture and the consequences of our actions and be prepared to commit to changes in lifestyle to bring about a reduction in poverty. These changes in themselves will not be overly difficult or severely affect our quality of life. The biggest challenge will be to realise this and commit to understanding the role we all play in reducing poverty. – Jason Carter, Australia.

Walter (Dili, Timor Leste) attacks the problem frontally: “Eradicating poverty under the current capitalist economy is a pipe dream. Poverty was created and has actually been enhanced by this form of economic ideology which encourages competition for world resources, the richer you are the powerful [you are] hence being in a position to influence or dictate to the poor. Poverty was therefore created as a political whip to be used for intimidating those who do not have to accept whatever proposals from the rich. So poverty will continue to exist until the end of time, the rich will continue getting richer and the poor more poor.”

“… it demands sacrifices from the richer parts of the Earth. Most of us are not even aware of the damage we are inflicting with our over consumption. To create a sense of global fairness the real producers [must] get a reasonable pay… J Jensehaugen, Oslo, Norway

Agnes Clarke (The Netherlands) is more pointed” “Poverty is intentional. People deliberately keep other people poor and marginalised. Poverty cannot be solved with aid and charity, because there are people actively working to keep the starvation and deprivation going. I think we in the West can reduce poverty by fairer trade, and higher consumer ethics. But people will continue starving until we get rid of an economic order based on hoarding, control, and ever-escalating competition.”

I feel Jeffrey Sachs knows all of this already. He is aware of the intransigence, the greed and self-interests, and will have to agree with Charles (Montreal, Canada) that “there will never be an end to world poverty. The "haves" and the "have nots" are a function of the way the world economy works. The least we can hope for is to aid these people to eliminate their hunger.” Those of us in the developed world need to do our part to help the developing world. We can all participate. Donate money to worthy causes. Buy fair trade goods. Be informed. Write to your legislative representatives. We cannot say the problems of poverty and hunger are not able to be solved unless we have tried.”Mark Emanuelson, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

“Poverty can only be won through self-reliance and if the rich countries would only stop exploiting the poor and returning ownership of the natural resources to the people. Charity and aid will never change anything.” (Debessay Gabrie, USA)

In the world of real politics, the current world economic order will stay beyond 2015. “A doctor who sells his patients medicine won't cure the illness.” Maybe there is good reason to have a new look at the “The New Global Human Order”.

– Gary Girdhari


The Memory of Walter Rodney
July 2005

I was standing at the corner of Barr and Alexander Streets, Kitty listening to Walter Rodney and others speak. I was at the Bourda Market Mall, Georgetown among the massive crowd taking in the logic of Rodney when his resonant voice would fill the air. I stood on the sidewalk in Tiger Bay easing a passage as the WPA meeting was halted with the arrival of the Rabbi Washington’s goons from the House of Israel in government vehicles, armed with lengths of sugar cane, sticks, and guns. I ran, scared for my life, into a yard in Charlotte Street, unable to scale the high, corrugated zinc fence. We (Zinul, Rahim and I) felt trapped. We were spared that day because the attackers fled past. But Father Darke was not so lucky on that fearful day when he was stabbed to death.

I was present at probably all the meetings, protests and marches in Georgetown and environs. (So these flashbacks came rushing to me as the motion in parliament to set up a Commission of Inquiry into his death was being debated on Wednesday, June 29 2005 – when the WPA was siding with the PNCR for an amendment to substitute the key word "assassinated" with "killed".)

These were times when fear stalked the land, when dictatorship was being legitimized by the PNC doctrine of "party paramountcy". We should recall repeated rigging of elections by the PNC. Many lives were snuffed out untimely – which can only be described as political murders. Remember the “ballot box Martyrs”, the Arnold Rampersaud jailing, the killing of Shirley Field-Ridley, Vincent Teekah, Edward Dublin, Othene Koama, the shooting of Josh Ramsammy, and numerous harassment and incarcerations. The maniacal maximum 'comrade leader' Burnham did not mince words when he declared: "our steel is sharper."

But there was a bright ray of hope… when the taste of freedom and democracy was becoming almost palpable. This, in my view, was becoming a reality because of the presence of Walter Rodney – his brilliance, his ability to analyze, his quiet but riveted demeanor, his simplicity and humility, charisma and eloquence. His presence was a breath of fresh air. He was Guyana’s messiah. The masses understood his language of politics (stated also in his booklet "Peoples’ Power No Dictator".) Theory was gripping the masses, becoming a material force. When he referred to “king kong” the people understood. When he spoke of Burnham's “Midas touch” the people understood. A nationwide political conversation was developing rapidly among all the people, for he did not appeal to race or color, or religion.

Walter Rodney was consequently murdered, yes, assassinated on June 13 1980 because he was seen as a serious threat. He did not die by "misadventure" as concluded by Desmond Hoyte. That is why Hoyte’s Inquiry did not hold ground; hence this new Commission of Inquiry into his death, which Walter’s widow, Dr. Patricia Rodney, pointed out is “essential for the truth to emerge, is consistent with democratic principles, and will be an instrument of reconciliation” and which will “bring closure, not only for our family, but for the Guyanese people.”

‘Truth and Reconciliation’ is essential for closure, and for people and the nation to move on. The PNC government failed the Guyanese people during their (illegal) terms in office. Apart from the political harassment, human rights infractions and denial of democracy, the PNC reduced Guyana to be among the poorest nations in the world, second to Haiti of the West. The PNC has never made a statement of the Truth; it has not apologized to the Guyanese people. The party is still in denial. How then is it possible to have Reconciliation without Truth! The process will be a charade, meaningless, unless the PNC is prepared to engage in catharsis.

It is thus baffling to figure out the grotesque and wicked dalliance of the WPA with the PNC. Rupert Roopnarine shared the same platform with Walter Rodney, and he was as fearless as Walter when he spoke. After 25 years, what has changed? Sadly the WPA of Walter Rodney is no more. Many so-called ‘advocates’ have become Afro-centric and racists; some are opportunistic; and only a few good ones have remained true to the spirit of Walter Rodney. The true Rodneyites must not allow that dimming flicker to be blown out by the sinister forces.
– Gary Girdhari


Dr. Elizabeth Sieusarran and Douglarization
Guyana Journal, June 2005

Racism is alive and kicking! Make no bones about it. In ancient times a form of ‘racism’ was practiced – a gregarious grouping of the same kind – as observed in Nature. The same race or tribe banded together for security; to have strength in numbers; to hunt and gather food; to fight, conquer, pillage, and widen claims to land.

Social evolution did not prevent or minimize these groupings of sameness. It seemed like the most natural way of life – families, relatives, and friends formed groups. It seemed logical since Nature itself finds species living in discrete groups in their own biological niches. So why should ‘races’ of human beings (of similar likeness) behave differently? The simple answer may be because all humans belong to one species. What is observed as ‘races’ are in fact variations within the species. Race’ (like caste) is a construction of man to suit specific agendas, historically shown to be for exploitation primarily. This takes the form of conquering land and controlling the labor of other humans (who are usually treated as lesser beings than the conquerors). Thus there is a priori the development of bogus methodologies for justifying the exploitation. The practice of slavery throughout the ages had to be justified. Even within a ‘race’ of humans the demonization of the ‘other’ was deemed necessary as in the practice of casteism and tribalism.

In modern society (at the turn of the last century) pseudo-science and biased IQ tests were used in the U.S. immigration policy to keep out certain groups of people. This happened also in Hitler’s Germany against Jews, and in the Western world during slavery and indentureship. In the current time one observes similar intellectualizing in “The Bell Curve” the surviving co-author of which could sometimes be seen on television still peddling his doctrine.

It is clear and quite obvious that groups which are similar will live together, work together, and produce offsprings – for the obvious reason: they are in closest proximity, thanks to biological radiation and geographic isolation which, over long periods of time, have caused variations that are visibly apparent – height, skin color, eye color, hair color, et cetera. Thus it is expected that a human within a particular niche (country or village) would marry another human within the same niche. A Chinese in the heart of China will marry another Chinese – simply put. But as the domain is expanded and travel becomes easier and reliable there is bound to be intermingling among others outside the niche or group – but within the species. Sexual reproduction, as a primal biological function, will take place naturally, occurring intra-species only. The resultant offsprings in such sexual liaison show external features of varying gradations of penetrance due to a genetic phenomenon called multiple allelism.

This is the simple science that certain people within groups do not understand, but which obfuscates reasoning and propels fear – fear of weakening of the group strength and solidarity, and security. The tribes in Africa or among the Native peoples of the Americas do not as a general rule intermarry. Occasionally when intermarriage occurs, there is dire consequence like ostracizing, making the individual an outcast, and sometimes tribal war and death.

Why then should Dr. Elizabeth Sieusarran be concerned with intermarriage between Indians and Blacks? (It would be interesting to learn if she has similar concerns with intermarriage between Indians and Whites, Portuguese or Chinese.) Certainly there are many precedents for her concern. Is this justifiable? There may be a genuine angst that, apart from the phenotypic ‘douglarization’, the Indian religion and culture of the Indo-Caribbean diaspora may be diluted and lost if the trend continues. This fear is not unwarranted, but the cultural dilution is happening nonetheless in front of her eyes without any of the ‘douglarization’ process necessarily. (It would be interesting to learn how Blacks feel….) The evidence is in the language, dress, food, names (such as Elizabeth Rosabelle), religious (Christian) conversion and music – thanks in part to Bollywood, Hollywood, Carnival, Reggae, Soca-Chatney explosion and modern fusion music.

Dr. Elizabeth Sieusarran’s call for cultural individuality does not necessarily mean “fragmentation of the Caribbean community”. Her plea against miscegenation however is futile. Cultural retention may be laudable for one’s self esteem and self-concept but may lead to dangerous excessives among zealots as seen in many places such as India during partition, in Gujarat (and now in Kashmir), in Rwanda, Kosovo, East Timor, to name a few.

It is not easy to extricate oneself from the primordial urge to belong… It is often difficult to remove oneself from an in-group for fear… Only the young do not fear. Their innocence must therefore be guardedly protected from zealotry of any form. Dr. Elizabeth Sieusarran’s heart may be in the right place, or may not. But her concern is real. She may also be the unwitting mouthpiece of many others. This is a complex issue and highly emotional one. The search for ‘ethnicity’ has become pronounced, more so since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Removal of one’s ideology has been replaced by another insidious one of racial, religious and ethnic clashes, and intolerance. People thence internalize in selfish individualistic ways contrary to the global religious precepts of the “brotherhood of man”. They started to “look out” for themselves only rather than for the common good of humanity! Class analysis is being replaced by focus on race and ethnicity, with disastrous fallout in terms of ethnic and religious conflicts.

In regard to the Caribbean, “The diversity of the population and culture has been sufficient to warrant sociological catergorization… pluralistic, comprising as it does, several distinct, ethnic-cultural segments – Amerindians, Europeans, Africans, Portuguese, East Indians and Chinese. People of Indian and African ancestry form the two largest racial-ethnic blocs. Each ethnic group has been shaped by its own internal dynamics as well as by its interaction with other groups through time.

However, a degree of commingling, at the interstices of cultural segments, resulted in the emergence of people who have been described as “Mixed”. This mixing, in varying degrees, has been across and between all the several segments of the society.” –Cheddi Jagan, 1994

In the Caribbean we aim high with “Out of Many, One People”, “Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve”, that we are “One people, One Nation, One Destiny”. Does this mean that there is a movement to make all awee wan? No, or we should hope not. We must move away from the ‘melting pot’ concept to the ‘salad bowl’ paradigm. As Cheddi Jagan put it: “The saying All ah we is wan is to be understood more as an expression of our aspiration than as a description of our Caribbean reality.”
– Gary Girdhari

Gold, Conservatism and the Vatican
Guyana Journal, May 2005

As a human being, he has been described as a colossus, a giant, a superstar. As the head of one billion Catholics, he was singularly outstanding – an academic, linguist, a poet, an athlete but, above all, a man with a great heart – and already there are calls to have him canonized.

During his twenty-six years pontification, Pope John Paul II visited two-thirds the known world, met 737 Heads of State (including Fidel Castro), 245 Prime Ministers, and five different US Presidents. He was instrumental in the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe. He was accommodating of Islam, and even prayed in a mosque in Damascus. He prayed at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. He was equally accommodating of other religions.

Pope John Paul II leaves very large shoes for his successor to fill, but filling them will be smooth since papal practice has always allowed for compatible transition.

You see, the legacy of Pope John Paul II is one of conservatism. And the College of Cardinals, which will elect the new Pope, consists of 120 (voting) cardinals of whom all, except 4 or 5, were appointed by the late Pope, and all, it is said, share his conservative doctrinal views.

Third World Countries account for 68 percent of the Catholic one billion membership but only 39 percent (47) of the voting cardinals come from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Oceania, while Europe and North America account for 32 percent of the membership of the Church, but has 61 percent (73) voting cardinals.

Given this distribution and the conservatism of the Cardinals, one can therefore almost predict how much the problems (of poverty) faced by the Church’s majority membership from Third World Countries would be addressed by the Vatican and the next Pope.

Of course, there are pressing problems affecting the membership from Europe and North America also, such as the need for the Church to relax the celibacy rules for priests (after all nowhere in the Bible does it say that priests cannot marry), and to understand the issues posed by bio-genetic research, including stem cell research which has now moved beyond the use of embryos to the use of adult stem cells.

With respect to Third World countries, two big questions are: What can (or would) the Vatican do to alleviate the vicious cycle of poverty facing Third World countries? And, secondly, would the Vatican relax its ban on the use of condoms, so that millions of its AIDS-infected members in Africa would not condemn their wives to death?

The Vatican, supposedly, the place where St. Peter was crucified, is the world’s smallest state, barely half a square kilometer in size. It secured its independence from Rome in 1929. The Pope as Head of this State has at his disposal one of the world’s largest fortunes, most of it in gold bullion, estimated by some to be in the vicinity of $15bn. Additionally, there are millions more in other revenues such as rent, sales of services, etc. incoming on a regular basis.

Now, gold is no longer used as currency, or to back the US dollar to which most currencies are tied. Why shouldn’t it therefore be sold and used to help the poor? Only recently Germany Finance Minister, Hans Eichel has started pushing for the sale of some of his country’s gold reserves to help ease the debt of the World’s poorer nations. Also, the IMF has recently decided to sell part of it gold reserves for this same purpose. One would think that not Germany nor the IMF, but the Church, and the world’s richest church at that, should be the agency taking the initiative in this debt relieving process.

But what can you say? The papacy has always been synonymous with accumulating and hoarding of gold. From ancient Roman times to the Conquistadores of the New World, the Church has exploited millions of people to the point of slavery, particularly the Indians of the Americas, to fill its coffers.

Some even say the mark of the beast, 666, is all about gold and the papacy. In I Kings 10:14, we read, “Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold.” And in Revelation 13:16-18, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their forehead; And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast; for it is the number of a man; his number is six hundred threescore and six.”

– By Gokarran Sukhdeo

Flood in Guyana and other things
Guyana Journal, February 2005

Guyana’s worst natural disaster has caught the country unaware. This disaster – a widespread coastal flood – was due to excessive rainfall (60 inches in January alone). The coastland, topographically under sea level, is always potentially exposed to flooding, but the scale of this disaster was not predictable. Other factors that helped to worsen the flood are clogged drainage system, conservancy overtopping, dam breach, insufficient pumps or their malfunctioning due to neglect in maintenance. But these are contributing factors that could not have prevented the excessive rains. And like the Asian tsunami, natural disasters cannot be prevented (not even by prayers).

The U.S. has the best warning systems; yet hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes and flooding are annual occurrences. The U.S. has learned from hard experience that certain preventative measures must be in place and heeded at all times; and importantly, that there must be a preparedness and an ever vigilant emergency response mechanism – efficient and capable – to be on the alert for any predicted or unforeseen disaster.

The magnitude of the flood and its effect on the maintenance of basic life of citizens is hard to fully comprehend. The affected people cannot get the minimum of essential nutrition. How does a person perform basic toilet functions when the latrines are covered and overflowing with water? Dead animals, decaying organic waste and the effluent of sewage are sure to result in a variety of deadly diseases. That is why immediate emergency action must address these basic conditions – to treat the sick and to minimize spread of disease, and do clean-up operations.

There is a lot of blame to go around if you want to look. But this is not the time. This is a time of crisis and, in a time of crisis, strong and effective leadership is required. Bharrat Jagdeo has demonstrated this clearly when he adopted a hands-on approach after initial bungling within the competent authority for emergency response. He set the tone for the nation, i.e., for the fit and able to help those affected. Guyanese especially, at home and in various corners of the globe, are doing sterling jobs to aid their Guyanese brothers and sisters. Many Governments (Suriname, Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba) are already giving direct assistance (food, clothing, beds, doctors and medicines); some, including the UN, the U.S., Britain, the EU, Caricom, have made pledges. It is indeed very heartening and Guyanese are thankful.

There are bound to be bungling, crosstalks and corruption at this time. This happens in the best of times and gets worse in times of tragedy when unscrupulous ‘sharks’ try to exploit the situation. Government and NGOs have to effectively manage the crisis now and onwards.

After the flood situation is contained there should be an investigation in a form of a Commission of Inquiry. The objective: to assess the situation, find the causes or reasons for the disaster, and make recommendations for any future eventuality. This should be detailed, thorough and factual. This should be non-political.

At the governmental level, the government (and others) must assist in rebuilding the communities and peoples’ lives in the post traumatic scenario, physically and psychologically. President Jagdeo has offered people to purchase food at government expense.

There is selfishness where individuals take more than their fair share, but there are lots of sharing also. There is also need for healing of both body and soul. The President already promised the flood-hit victims: “We’ll help you get back up.” With diligent deliberation, maybe out of this tragedy there will be healing in the nation.


Back in New York, President Bharat Jagdeo on a recent visit made a sentient statement: that he is going to propose term limits for the presidency in Guyana. This is profound in that it will thwart any tendency for dictatorship, and will allow people like the president “to get on with their lives.” A speedy constitutional amendment to expedite this would be most welcome.

Again in New York, new immigrants in South Queens are still floundering in coming to grips with another reality, i.e., how to get political representation at City Hall. Two Guyanese candidates (Attorney Albert Baldeo and Educator Dr. Dhanpaul Narine) are competing for a seat New York City Council. The American system has rules and regulations that are applied (must be applied) to election procedure.

Most of the residents in the community within District 28 agree that “we need representation”. However, most people will agree that what they have read in the community newspapers (suggesting that the campaign has started) leave much to be desired. It is a disgrace to see the attacks and counter-attacks in the media and in the internet. Some of the most disgusting pieces of personal attacks have come from ‘respectable’ grown men who in reality prove that they are wayward brats.

Our communities can certainly do without such untoward behavior. (Candidates probably have learned from the recent elections in the US.) Why not shy away from vile personal attacks and instead address issues of interest to the constituents! There is not enough time to experiment. We need not re-invent the wheel. Let everyone do the decent thing. Let’s play by the rules. And may the best person win. Then they can “get on with their lives”.

– Gary Girdhari

The Mis-education of Harry
Guyana Journal

The Sun boldly placed the “party prince” on its front page showing the Nazi swastika adorning the sleeve of Prince Harry’s shirt – intended as a party costume.

Was this happenstance? Innocence? Deliberate? Or genuine mistake? This kind of situation or conduct may be seen not as an isolated display of ignorance. It is a pattern of behavior that is observed throughout history – where ‘some animals are more equal than others’.

The ‘more equal’ – those who chastise, belittle and exploit the ‘others’ – rarely, if ever, give up their positions of privilege but some have become enlightened and have overcome their biases and prejudice. Others still harbor biases and prejudices secretly (sometimes openly) but they may posture with a façade of feigned poise and pretense of evenhandedness. Occasionally the truth comes out.

The prince’s apology: "I am very sorry if [my emphasis] I caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise." Surely the British prince must have parental control and homecare guidance. Even the butler must know what is good behavior! Or is there no control on the goings-on in the royal palace? This apology qualified with 'if' suggests insincerity. Jessie Jackson once used the words ‘hymie town’ and he was figuratively run out of town. But “poor” Harry was given a slap on the wrist, even by the British Jews. Presumably, people must feel sorry for the “party prince” according to Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York: "Harry is a fine young man. He needs to be supported now. It is time for the press to back off… it is very tiring and unpleasant.” Poor Sarah! Poor Harry! She entreats for public sympathy for the “poor” prince.

History is replete with examples of ‘respectable’ institutions having links with slavery and the Nazi – “railroads, insurers, banks and cigarette makers.” The institutions and companies do not disclose this upfront, or apologize, but the truth is difficult to suppress forever.

The BBC online is quoted: “It alleged present-day companies and their predecessors, were unjustly enriched through profits earned either directly or indirectly from the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and slavery between 1619 and 1865, as well as post-Emancipation slavery through the 1960s.

FleetBoston, CSX Corporation, Aetna, Union Pacific Railroad, RJ Reynolds Tobacco and Lehman Brothers [and others].”

Likewise large corporations and major banks developed integral economic links with apartheid South Africa.

The same may be said for the “robber barons” and many oligarchs who now assume great respectability and attain great wealth, and gentrify the prime areas of New York City and elsewhere in the globe.

Today, this kind of dirty collaboration still continues around the world but takes on different twists in operations, that are not easily recognizable, or are concealed and disguised by an obliging media. The basis of all of this is money and the greed for the rich natural resources of others.

Now the question: How much blame should be placed on “poor” Harry? Did he really know what he was doing in donning his “poor choice of costume”? Maybe; maybe not.

I place blame in his mis-education – at his school and in his home.

Colonial people know about mis-education very well. Colonial people (the others) have been mis-educated for centuries to the point where they believed the mis-education was good for them – the mis-education in a convoluted way warped their mentality.

Why, as a child in Guyana, did I have to learn ‘pounds, shilling and pence’, about apple, sycamore tree, geography of the British Isles, European and British history. At an early age in school we read stories such as ‘washing the negro boy’, read only English literature and English poems on a weekly basis. Do you remember ‘hey didle didle the cat and the fiddle’? Or Dan is the man in the van? Humpty Dumpty? Jack and Jill? Bah, Bah Black Sheep? And all the other nursery rhymes that are set in England? Do you remember Young Lochinvar, Elegy in a Country Courtyard? And we were told (indoctrinated) that we were/are the ‘white man’s burden’.

To a large extent the education process made us to feel inferior – to develop a poor self concept, and to despise our cultures – our names, clothing, religion and generally everything about ourselves. Notice also how misogynistic perpetuation over the centuries has been keeping women in subjugation (even today) in many parts of the world (some with religious approbation).

We were not properly educated in certain areas of history, religion and culture. One may say that we were indoctrinated to learn these disciplines in a manner that caused us to despise ourselves, making us feel less equal to the ‘masters’, making us lose self respect and self worth. This was the status quo during the entire colonial period. In spite of this, some of us were able to overcome the negatives and emerge from “our self-shorn beings”.

In a perverse logic, rather than being the white man’s burden, we adopted the colonial masters – hook, line and sinker – some more than others. Africans in Guyana lost almost all their cultural identity – mostly by the forced acculturation to the dominant political and economic culture of the day. Indians likewise lost a significant part of their identity. (Given the same time and the current cultural impetus of globalization, Indians too can be assured of the same fate.) There was a small percentage who extolled, with great pride, the ‘virtues’ of the master. These we can label the ‘Afro-Saxons’ and ‘Indo-Saxons’. And so it is for other people who are subjugated to a dominant culture.

So I empathize with poor Harry. His schooling taught him… not well.

Probably, all societies are caught in the practice of hate, bigotry and prejudice, be it overt or benign. Thus one recognizes constant demonizing of others. Words like nigger, boy, chink, coon, gook, wog, coolie, spic, hymie, paki, heathen, dot-head, were used in common parlance to describe other humans and, to a lesser extent, still remain part of the vocabulary of many.

With so-called advancement and modernity one is tempted to aver that it cannot be happening in today’s world. The reality is that it is not necessarily getting better; it is getting subtler. Indoctrination (mis-education) is commonplace in the dominant print and electronic media, and now also the www information highway. Unless a conscious deliberate effort is made by individual and societal collaboration to put a stop to this we are all doomed. We cannot proclaim ‘beauty in diversity’ and at the same time practice bigotry. The maintenance of good breeding and culture calls for tolerance and mutual respect (including diversity in religion to curtail religious conversion). Cultural commensalism must be in constant interplay.

Prince Harry has been (is being) mis-educated. And he is not alone! There are also Tom and Dick, their parents, sisters, brothers, cousins, uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces, those before and those present. Now we have the job to educate them. Like the greening of our planet and the protection of the biosphere from global warming, it is everybody’s business.

Sure, the world has made progress since the days of slavery and before. As Chris Rock observed, “You know the world has changed when the best Rapper is a white man and the best Golfer is a black man.” But positive change is gradual and we have to continue to work for it – not to be diluted and lost. Be assured: Many want to revert to the old ways – to change the course of history – a kind of historical and cultural atavism. Those natives must be put in their place!

The good thing is that change is inevitable and, in the end, is progressive. So young Harry should change. Time is on his side.
– Gary Girdhari

January 2005. The Fragility of Life

Thanksgiving is the time when many people become sensitive to the needs of the poor, the hungry and the destitute. This annual, sudden and predictable show of concern is also exhibited as Christmas approaches. Some have a lot and say they are blessed; thus they give thanks. Presumably, the others are not blessed and deserve their place in the social order – ordained by god. Some say: the poor will always be with us. The poor are consoled with words such as: “Blessed are the poor.” And they eventually accept this as their lot – a kind of ordained fait accompli. Now they are "blessed" it's is OK to be poor!

Many big names and politicians, and charities are solicitous at these times. They beg for food, toys, shoes, coats, sundry clothes, and money. Oh! Not for them, but for the dearly beloved poor, hungry and destitute – the "blessed". How generous and charitable! How good it makes one feel to do good! Do you sense my sarcasm and cynicism? This occurs every year, not just in the poor third world countries, but also right here in the richest country in the world.

Soup kitchens and clothing drop-offs are a mild palliative to an endemic problem. Such band-aid approach is just that – you hide the sore – but the wound and scar remain.

It is quite understandable (and somewhat commendable) that some people really care and do their caring deeds sincerely and altruistically. Big charities however appear to con the public into giving – and they do get a lot – but the bulk of the goods and services do not reach the intended targets, i.e., the poor and hungry. Or does it – in the complex bureaucracy where most of the money is spent on overheads, including hefty salaries? So the fragile lives of those in Darfur, for example, don’t really stand a chance of getting better.

Big charities such as Concern "working for a world where nobody lives in fear, poverty or oppression," are pretending to solve problems of global poverty. They live in a make-believe world, not facing the stark reality of the disconnect between those who ‘have’ and those who ‘have not’. Even the UN Millennium Development Goal "to halve the number of people living in extreme poverty and suffering from hunger" by 2015 is depressing. Based on current trends, this is hardly likely. But even if the goal were achievable, what happens to the other half?

Many well-intentioned people, like rock star Bono who wants to devote his life to fight in the cause of Aids, are misguided. He was involved in Feed the World and Live Aid. Now he is into Band Aid 20's. His generosity of spirit is not questioned, but a great deal of naïveté is palpable among such concerned people. I venture to say they are barking up the wrong tree. For one, it seems that Bono’s performance with Tony Blair (at the Labour conference) and photo op with George Bush (and the Republican convention) is sending mixed signals. Alas! The poor continues to be an abstraction and caricature.

The greatest, most inhumane, and pernicious disease in the world is poverty. There is the certain fact: Poverty is caused. Poverty is institutionalized. Therefore, one must look for the cause of poverty and the institutions that maintain it. If we are honest and think with our hearts I believe we already know the cause and the answers. You do not simply paper over the cracks. A temporary reprieve may be a reward for the good deed as the wound seems to heal, but then it festers again and again and again. If you know the cause you must find real and lasting answers.

December 2 World Aids Day was marked with marches and songs. BBC News online 6 December reported on this. Oxfam director Barbara Stocking was quoted: "As rich countries get richer, they're giving less and less. This is a scandal that must stop. The world's poorest children are paying for rich countries' policies on aid and debt with their lives." Herein lies the problem. And we “do-gooders” pretend that we are solving it. Unless there is a collective will to have serious radical structural adjustments and changes (not the prescriptions of the IMF and World Bank) that address poverty in a sincere and meaningful way we are just aiming at the wind and shooting hot air.
– Gary Girdhari