I give thanks for being allowed to be alive with you in these first weeks of a new calendar year 2011, according to how we in this portion of the planet keep count of time.
I give thanks that you are still here to read one, to agree, disagree or suggest. Of course I have nothing but gratitude for Stabroek News for allowing me to share a working- class fellow’s view with Guyanese and others, especially in this my anniversary year.
Your personal assessment of 2010 will I am certain, contain hope that 2011 would be much better. I join your hope, confident that you and I will work to make that so.
I begin this year with just a brief preachy “lecture”, using our capital Georgetown’s garbage as motif and metaphor for that which is negative even painful in this our big, beautiful but blighted land. For a population not even one million we must agree that we have too high, much too disproportionate levels of disease, crime, traffic accidents, social dislocation and corruption in all forms. We don’t deserve what we’ve allowed ourselves and country to become. Okay we’re all to blame, because of too much dysfunction in family life, too much fake religion and a very challenged educational system, Pity this is some elections year. We should be concentrating on fixing the ills described above.
Life’s types of garbage
I alluded to our Guyana’s national social garbage above.
But let me quite literal before I conclude. Growing up sixty years ago, I knew only the word “rubbish”. That meant “refuse”, rejected, useless stuff to be thrown out and hopefully, disposed of appropriately. Later in life the American influence introduced words like “trash” and “garbage”. Today I understand “solid waste” and other forms of waste to be “managed” to be disposed of in sanitary, environmentally-friendly ways.
Continuing to be literal, I again hark back to six years ago when the advertising Agency Guyenterprise, with Dr Paloma Mohammed’s guidance engaged in the most comprehensive public education/public awareness programme I guess I’ll ever be involved in. Using communities in Georgetown’s Lodge and Regent Street, we covered every single area of solid waste management under the sun.
Though there were knowledgeable and a few competent City Council operatives, they were stymied, frustrated with a lack of official support, funding and will. Pretty much what today has resulted in the most disgraceful public health and social situation in a capital city in peace time. But I’ll forever challenge any expert to challenge me on anything that was omitted from that 2004 pilot project in solid waste management (and complete disposal).
As part of that programme, a group from Eccles journeyed to little St Vincent to see a proper sanitary landfill in action. It was to me, frankly speaking, both a revelation and an embarrassment. It was embarrassing for us to see a scientifically constructed landfill – not any “dump” – in a tiny island where everyday they move derelict vehicles and dead animals.
A facility that is not rocket science but which we’ve never had. I always sense shame when little islands can show big Guyana proper, real malls, gyms, tracks, crematoria and landfills. Who’s to blame?
But back to the garbage of our own national existence these days. Corruption and its little cousins discrimination and favouritism abound! I hear of grave problems with even the attempt at constructing a proper landfill at Haags Bosch. Manipulation and interference intrude on professionalism. Public education should have long begun about a landfill, its operations and who’s to utilize it and to manage it. What routes will be used? What laws apply? Oh my blighted corruption friendly society.
You make a list of Guyana’s garbage. Now consider what you/ we can do to dispose of such.
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The President and GAWU
Last Friday I mentioned our young President Jagdeo because it was his last Christmas with us as President!
Okay I omitted his micro- management persona: meeting and deciding with from GDF officers to miners to Latin American Presidents to fishermen and taxi drivers to Clico policyholders to Linden and Barama workers to Amerindian Toshoas to sugar workers.
Sugar workers? Of course! All I’ll state for now is that though this President might not complete in upcoming elections, he knows his party and candidates need the sugar-worker vote! He knows meeting them personally will trigger the re-connect later this year. Are they like sheep through? Is it so religious or race driven? Thus my simple (profound) query: just as sugar workers defy their union GAWU, from time to time, can’t they ignore the PPP at these elections?
What? This is about power, more than wages? Plus… no viable alternative? Discuss!
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Ponder please…
1) This is the UN’s year for people of African descent”. As ususal, the objectives are lofty – and worthy. The “African Groups” in Guyana are poised to launch projects, requests and demands. The official programme will unfold around January 16.
My contribution will be my usual cynical but provocatively constructive weekly question to the brothers and sisters.
2)Facetiously I ask: can’t an African Guyanese be the PPP’S presidential candidate in this “African” year?
3) Please stop, desist from telling me about some alleged/ so-called Hindu Lobby in this country in this African year.
4) I’m putting my friends at GAWU on public notice! Early next week I’ll ask them: what does GAWU’S leadership think of the PPP and sugar? Could President Chand tell us his assessment of Donald Ramotar’s response to the current challenges? Does Chand being a PPP member of parliament compromise his militancy and commitment to his members?
5) Start thinking Mashramani 2011.
’Till next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)