On Sunday night I heard the Afro-European-American Democratic contender, senator Barack Obama explain that when his (eventual) father-in-law obtained a job in one of America’s depressed communities, probably during the depression, “the job did not only give him a pay cheque, it gave him dignity!”
What a noble and accurate thought based on the old-time values of the poor but proud of my grandmother’s time. I share the sentiments expressed by the American candidate. But it set me thinking furiously. And to share these, perhaps repetitive views.
As recently as the fifties and sixties, I, in non-privileged but happy working-class childhood, understood early on the importance of an adult “getting a job”. Being employed. Whether educated engineer, teacher, nurse or lawyer; whether tradesman, rubbish–cart man, gardener or nanny, every adult, healthy Guyanese loved to be employed. Of course, the seniors, the handicapped, the “unpaid” housewife, or the very pregnant were understandable, accepted exceptions. As Obama said, a job gave status, dignity, integrity and yes – a wage or salary.
A male parent of those days was especially bullish on “wanting work”. And exceedingly distraught, if he stayed unemployed – and broke – for long. Whatever your class or status, your religion or education, you sought employment – or created it.
Granted I found those in the professions, long ago, tempted to “show off” on those in the trades. Until the eighties defined the equal importance of those in agriculture, animal husbandry, “solid-waste management” and construction work. People were all proud to be workers providing for their young and looking confidently to a future. But what of today?
Quick buck, criminal economy
Oh yes. Things, values, virtues, people’s outlook and principles have changed drastically. Have been significantly – often negatively – re-fashioned.
Came the suitcase-trading and the “parallel economy” born of Burnham’s banning and restrictions. Came the external pressures of selfish importers and economic power blocs – and internal mis-management of resources. Late eighties and nineties – enter organized criminal enterprise and endemic corruption. Innocent Guyana and its citizens – upright, religious folk in the main – were taken.
Sure, a few ambitious, still honest young Guyanese still wish for a job, a lasting paying career. But the opportunities are so few, so limited. I suspect also that many would-be applicants are not appropriately trained, qualified or experienced. Just check any newspaper and count the number of vacancies advertised. A bit contradictory isn’t it? To say that there are no jobs?
The overwhelming new culture these days, I fear, is the quick-Buck Syndrome. Young able-bodied men are into a hustle”, not a job. The young study the scams, the schemes and the crimes. Quick money like quick death is there for the taking. Ethnic–specific activist Eric Phillips has gone extreme. Or has he?
He wrote recently, when discussing education and literacy: “Guyana is a criminal economy and a safe haven for criminals of all types. The glorification of drug-lords in the media and in the culture in which known drug personalities are called “successful businessmen” in an environment of few jobs being created poses the question of the value of an education in this society.
The amount of money made in this “industry” is significant and literacy is not a requirement…”
I’m easily persuaded to agree in principle. I am hoping that parents still teach their very young about the value of education, and how rewarding it can be to be a teacher of minds, a nurse, a doctor, a builder of roads or houses. Owning an honest job. What’s that? I must be dreaming?
Two fine non-PPP minds
Shucks. Perhaps I should not define minds, brains or just people, in political (party) terms. Sorry but I do know that both Eric Phillips and Hamley Case had active affiliation with the People’s National Congress (PNC) not so long ago.
Two seemingly fine minds at that Party’s bidding, until some reported ruptures. Informed rumour has it that Eric stalked out on Desmond Hoyte’s meeting taking his status, brilliance – and a little “superiority” with him.
Hamley, who claims the Bajans always mistook him for Desmond, recently embraced the PNC gang of seven who dared to oppose the party’s incumbent comrade leader.
But I couldn’t agree more with Eric Phillips’ lament on the state of literacy and illiteracy in this once “bright” nation. Mr Phillips took time off from his normal strident intellectual forays against the establishment to pen a provocative full length letter on the illiterate depths to which we have sunk.
He did buse the education ministry’s new anti-illiteracy initiative as “inadequate and visionless… simplistic…extremely short-sighted…Foolish” etcetera.
The Anti-illiteracy conveners should study his brief but insightful analysis of the national challenge. Forget his current “position”.
And Hamley Case makes the case for a breath-taking project of a railroad from say Linden to Lethem. A glorious economic venture for the next decade that could transform any country with our land-mass and landscape. Alas, little minds would lament that that vision is too futuristic, too ambitious to happen here – no funding, no skilled labour. All I would hope is that some group here, or overseas, consider actively such a venture. (Knowing full well that the “authorities” will go for a highway-only.)
When I consider that the abilities and vision of Phillips, Case, Norris Witter (when he is not rapidly anti (everything), Roopnaraine, Ming, Nascimento, Fyffee, Et Al – who still reside here, are virtually peripheral to (access to) development initiatives, I wonder at politics and systems in poor little hick-town societies such as our. Oh well….
Miscellaneous…
Global warming, Climate Change, now food shortages. Was not the latter predicted?
Beneficiaries of the narco-trade study at the best schools, graduate – and are “respected”. Their parents donate to sport and charities. Changing values.
Farewell to Messrs Bassoo, O’Lall, Bissember and Briggs.
’Til next week!
