Who gets Guyana‘s land? How? Why?
Frankly Speaking… By A.A Fenty
These re-cycled thoughts were provoked by (i) the pleas for the “early”/immediate planning for Mashramani 2011; (ii) the lady reassuring: “We can do it, we’ll make it. We’re a last-minute people!” and (iii) my own guilt in terms of our national “culture of lateness and delay”. (And no, it has nothing to do with Prime Minister Sam Hinds being late, and having many wait, for numerous meetings.)
I’ve even found Dr. Ian Mc Donald re-cycling his original piece, “A culture of lateness and delay”, which always merits repetition for emphasis-and from which I’ll freely “borrow” again.
To its credit the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport does begin its planning for the next year’s Mash festival very early – as it has done for next year’s festival. Trouble is, the potential sponsors whose financial/budget year begins in September/October, don’t. Other key agencies and individuals, some prioritizing Diwali, Christmas or “Big Lime”, others who never befriended the Republic anniversary festival, these leave any considerations for just a few weeks or days before February 23.
But it is the good Guyanese lady’s remarks about us being “a last-minute people” that should strike a chord in our guilty psyches. Seemingly, obviously (?) too many of us seem to love to leave planning and execution of events for too long. What’s worse, many of us, from costume designers to students studying for exams, actually explain, rationalise this national malaise: – “they’ll steal my ideas:’ “no funding”; “I work best under pressure”.
The last-minute syndrome-and time
We should be familiar with, at least, two expressions of advice: Time is money and time waits for no one. From my own youth, I was warned: Time flies.
However, for various reasons we, seemingly, like to defy time’s importance. Procrastination – that good-sounding word for delay, dilatory, deferred action – dictates that too many of us feel confident enough to “pull off” something no matter what. Our disrespect for time is often and ironically captured in the expression, “we got time, man”.
Our last-minute syndrome does not cater for the ever-present unexpected. Weeks might be available, but suddenly officials to approve, to release, to sign cheques, fall ill, are called away. The weather steps in, the specialists are on leave; the ship is delayed and specific supplies, it is discovered can’t do enough. We don’t expect all that, it seems.
GuyExpo preparations therefore are still taking place at the opening ceremony; the football team representing Guyana is only encamped for one week before the tournament; the band tests its equipment five minutes before the show, in front of the restless but understanding audience; the “inclement weather” is allowed to cause delay, or postponement; the recording of the National Anthem can’t be found, but the President, Prime Minister or Minister is also late anyway! All familiar, is it not.
Time is to be respected. Treasure it and use all the hours carefully. It runs out, but never suddenly. Remember that procrastination, delay is actually eroding, stealing time from us. Be on time! Not late, or even too early (as the late Dr. Ptolemy Reid loved to advise.) Unpunctuality is discourteous and literally, a waste of time. Frankly Speaking, to me only hefty penalties can change our national attitude to time. And yes I am one of the sinners. Punish me.
Panama – and Ecuador
Most interestingly for me, I’ve been privileged to visit both countries mentioned above. What follows now is cold comfort, bad example – and good recommendation.
A former Minister of Information, Hon. Frank Campbell, and I spent nearly a week at a conference in Panama City. Beautiful place, people as friendly as us (Jamaicans, West Indies dug the canal and many ethnic groups get on well). Horrors! We found that Panamanians had no idea/respect for punctuality and time when we were there. And they were far worse than Guyanese! We never thought that possible. Sessions would start one hour late! No excuses. Just offers of chat and cocktails. Easy-going. Panamanians just decide that time must/will wait on them.
But Ecuador, suffering from the same disease, did something about it. Dr. Ian McDonald takes up that story:
“I read that on October 1 last year the citizens of Ecuador synchronized their watches and clocks and embarked on a Campana Contra la Impuntualidad, a national crusade against lateness (“Inject yourself each morning with a dose of responsibility, respect and discipline”).
Countries that live on clock time and not “event time”, are more successful economically than those which do not. In the case of Ecuador one study shows that chronic lateness costs the country US$2.5 billion a year, a considerable amount when the GDP of Ecuador is US$24 billion. So it was embarking on the crusade.
Can it be successful? Conversion from an ingrained bad habit is very difficult.
Moreover in a country where nobody is ever on time it becomes rational to be late since there is no point in getting to an event or a meeting on time if no one is going to be there. And in Ecuador it had become customary for the higher-ups to show how much more valuable their time is by always arriving late – so would they now lower themselves to act differently? Well, even President Lucio Gutierrez, infamously unpunctual, vowed to participate in the crusade.
His determination was somewhat spoiled in its effect when his spokesman, going on television to announce this vow, was quite a bit late. Nevertheless the commitment was welcome.”
Can such a campaign work in our indisciplined Guyana? Hardly. I seem to recall then Prime Minister Hamilton Green trying some such many, many years ago. So how punctual are we today?
Who gets land these days?
Perused Editor-Columnist Adam Harris’ piece on the allocation of portions of land for house-lots or grander real-estate development – and his concern over the seeming secrecy of such sudden sales and purchases. That was published on Sunday of this week.
I myself am also somewhat disillusioned about who gets land for agricultural – related purposes. Who decides who gets pieces of Guyana? Why? When? And where?
The ladies and gentlemen – officers at the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission are charmingly efficient at what they advise you; and when they give you forms and accept various fees. Then comes the long wait, circulars and disappointment. For some including me.
But I don’t wish merely to personalize this frustration. I’d love to see publicised a waiting list of earlier applicants. Who were successful – when, where and why.
Until I return to this issue, in the interest of fair play, I must pay tribute today to our indefatigable and ubiquitous President his Excellency B. Jagdeo. The man is also Minister of Defence, information – and land! In land distribution, he is assisted by Dr R. Luncheon and Hon. Minister R. Persaud. No wonder many dudes yearn to be a Guyanese President…
Cogitate…
1*) Vidia Naipaul, decades ago, wrote about “a free state” He preferred being a citizen of the world merely than Trinidadian. I wonder…what’s it like to own three legitimate passports?
2*) How long will the $100M Stadium Tarmac last?
3*) Concessions to sell around the spanking new national Swimming Pool will be dealt with like those given out at the stadium.
Til next week!
(Comments?
allanafenty@yahoo.com)