I pledge, upon whatever honour I have left, not to return to this issue for many, many weeks – after today.
What issue? What subject? Oh well, it’s my (almost morbid?) fascination with how money and funding derived from cocaine trafficking is used to construct buildings, businesses, reputations, status – and even dreams. And that in today’s morality, crooked ill-gotten gains are blessed and accepted, with bandit-barons laundered clean, now in “standing”, are virtually role-models-to the young, the vulnerable and the poor. (It’s Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Jamaica, Afghanistan and Bolivia right here in Guyana!)
Yes friends, you’ve heard and read me, ad infinitum, on this before. Right? And like the few “righteous” left that I represent, my battle to expose our creeping national moral dilemma, is well lost. Because even the seemingly-righteous amongst us – in the social circles, law enforcement, politics, government, business, even the “church” – all have fallen victim to the “morality” of thievery and corruption.
And yes, only days ago, I wrote in this column: “The wicked would traffic in gold, currency, cocaine and persons. They have no soul, no sense of humanity. In our Guyana today, too many accept cocaine as just (another) business-product, regardless of the lives it harms, destroys. The new buildings, vehicles, real estate and vacations are powerful images and benefits of the trafficking.
“So how could cocaine-trafficking be bad, many argue and our poor and young would ask. My generation – the good, law-abiding portion poor, rather than profit from the proceeds of a drug now mis-used. The other younger side scoffs. But just consider the real long-term consequences”. The Drug Baron’s Malls and Playfields provide income from employment. The Church teaches forgiveness?
‘The wealth of the
sinner…’
Ah, the Christian Church! (Does religion in Afghanistan, Turkey, Arab, Muslim lands, pass any judgement on use of illegal narcotics?)
I returned to this, my now well-worn issue, principally because a young lady who loves her “church” and pastor – and who knows I’m not as well-versed in the Christians’ Bible as she is, tickled me with the argument that perhaps the good Lord has his way of dealing with the “wealth” of the wicked. Whilst she was not justifying anyone who acquires “wealth” through illegality and sin, she directed me to Proverbs 13:22 in her Christian’s Holy Book. That scripture deals with a host of advice on virtues and vice as dispensed by (God thru) King Solomon.
Thirteen – 22 states that “a good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children; and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous”. I’ll skip, politely, my friend’s interpretation and simply ask for the meaning of 13:22 from those who study/studied these Biblical things in some depth. Is sinners’ wealth really laid up for the righteous? Who is the righteous? Is inheriting wicked money okay? Is that not a kind of justification to use ill-gotten gains?
As you can realize, I really do need good, reasoned assistance here. Please send a letter or two to my editor.
Sam’s retirement
Which Sam? What retirement? I mean current Prime Minister Samuel Archibald Hinds. It’s his retirement I’m contemplating. Why?
Well an Alliance For Change doctor and a witty but incisive letter-writer have stimulated these considerations. The AFC man opined that our Sam must be close to the record of being a long-serving Prime Minister, if not the record-holder. Whether the PPP/C wins, loses or draws on November 28 next!
The letter-writer was more testy. Wrote he: “Mr Hinds is, in every sense, the perfect PM candidate for the PPP –congenial, self-effacing, non-threatening…”
The writer a Harold Latchana, was of the view that Sam, in 19 years, has made no memorable speech nor significant policy-decision – and later spoke of the “two PPP/C sexagenarians” leading Guyana into the ultra-modern era.
Even as a non-voter I would have been thrilled to see a much younger (female) candidate for PPP Prime Minister. But nowadays these specific matters mean little to me though I share the view of Mr Latchana that Our Sammy/Archie might merely be “warming the seat” for the emergence of some lurking Comrade. This means that Sam, if elected, would soon retire – for “health” or “personal” reasons.
Never mind about projects he wants to see concluded; that he wishes to serve longer. Janet played political musical chairs with him before, so the retirement theory might not be that far-fetched. I’m out of the election process because I am convinced that most political managements and strategists care precious little about who voted for them. Manipulation for the perpetuation of power is their game’s name, could some “popular” PPP Leader re-emerge “due to popular demand”?
Incidentally, allow me to place on record for the first time, this strongly-held view: Frankly Speaking, I always feel intellectually abused and politically cheated when the contesting parties decide that an “African” and an “Indian” must head their electoral list or slate. Just what does that ethnic combination do for post-elections national development? Is it not primarily for the sake of image? Does the African-Indian card guarantee some “unity” which has never really happened before?
I submit that it was only effective in the early fifties because many were attracted to the charisma of young Burnham in a party led by the passionate Jagan. Before the split the politics were national and truly unifying. By 1955 things fell apart. It is my own view that today even the young voter is not persuaded by any African/Indian combination alone.
Even in politics there must be substance – not mere imagery.
Ponder…
*1) Joe Hamilton, Gillian Burton, R. Van West Charles, Rajendra Bissessar, Phillip Bynoe. Even though I was surprised only by the active, serving PNC Van West Charles, I wonder who’s next before Nomination Day.
*2) A friend wagered that the Chronicle will never carry a full-coloured centre-spread on any other (non PPP/C) Rally. I bet him.
*3) Herbalist Lynn had a fatality at her Clinic. They are prosecuting Michael Jackson’s doctor for fatal homicidal negligence. How do we deal with such things here?
*4) Any qualifications needed to become an MP in our House of Assembly? Any retirement age for political office-holders, as in the army or police or public service?
*5) On Thursday (last week) Dr Roger Luncheon, the PPP/C’s government spokesman, reported that “there will be 2,100 polling stations manned by 10,000 staff”.
Should not this come from Gecom’s Boodoo?
‘Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
