My lead caption-and theme- is really another invitation to Guyana’s younger journalists, feature writers, even serious social historians, to explore the reality of just who “owns” how much of this place we call Guyana.
I am aware, firstly, that there are various types or levels of ownership – transport, lease, etc – and that where the State’s property is concerned, various institutions are responsible for managing, even divesting them. From the seemingly powerful Privatisation Unit, to the Geology and Mines, to the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, to the humble Ministry of Housing and Ministry of Agriculture and oops, I nearly forgot the Forestry Commission, these latter agencies all have something to do with the Guyana land and space, even if you buy land or property on a private basis.
But what has prompted all this in this my anniversary column? Two reasons, I wanted an opportunity/excuse(?) to re-visit the issue and theme of Afro-Guyanese, land and patrimony. Secondly, just the trivia of my curiosity to discover just who now owns that plot of land on which my beloved Metropole Cinema once stood in Georgetown. After hearing about the new owners of that piece of the city’s real estate, I jumped to a conclusion. I’ll return to that in a few paragraphs.
Afro’s, Indo’s – and land
As many of you have probably done, I have, over the decades, read and listened to the familiar reasons for Afro-Guyanese very limited ownership of the vast Guyana motherland these days. From the historical memories of slavery on plantation land, to the trickery, sabotage, dispossession and their own voluntary selling off of their lands after, heroically, they had bought and developed villages and engaged in commercial agriculture in the post-slavery era. From the accounts of choices they made to opt for the Civil Service, the professions and trades even as the Immigrant Indians chose to stay on sugar estates and use concessions granted them to farm and eventually, own very much of post-British Guiana space. To the legal, financial and political cards stacked against them when they – the Afro individuals – were advised that they now had no collateral, no track-record to grant them significant loans or mortgages when they did decide to approach government agencies and commercial lending institutions.
More History, compensation?
And I’ve often visited our history which records that upon full emancipation in 1838 the dreadful planters had long collected some $21M for losing the labour of 85,000 African slaves here in 1833/34, after Buxton’s Emancipation motion was passed in the British Parliament. The ex-slaves, of course, received nothing for their past services.
Compare that to the 1877 distribution of land to Indian immigrants to entice them to stay near the estates and not return to India. Indians, some taken from India and many born in B.G., thus knew ownership of Guyana land early on.
Regular readers would recall too, my repeating of ACDA’s call for an African Land Commission and for reparations or compensation for land and labour lost. An organization here also still demands compensation, in some form, for the manumitted Africans citing a British Crown Agreement. Poor Afro-Guyanese. No team of legal historians fight any case. And the last government, debated compensation, arguing that Crown Land is now State land and in any case, many early Afro-land owners sold out chunks of their village properties to modern-day speculators. Guess who!
Amerindian Guyanese, meanwhile, finally “own” swathes of hinterland Guyana much larger than Antigua or Barbados. Just compare their lands granted between 1992 and today with what they owned before.
The patrimony, the owners
If you indulge in the neutral, theoretical truth that the Government owns, controls and manages most of Guyana, on behalf of the people you can remain comfortable in just renting your little space.
If you really want to discover who owns fruitful portions of Guyana, in some form, find out from the institutions mentioned earlier.
Then do this simple/simplistic thing: Write down these words: – Agricultural, industrial, commercial, mineral, geological, (even “medical”, “pharmaceutical”.), who, which families own and control lands and properties/businesses under those categories? Cast no negative aspersions as to how those owners came by their wealth and Guyana “patrimony”. Then fast-forward your imagination and analyse why Burnham’s vision to have GNS pioneers settle and own virgin lands failed.
I close these ramblings by stating that on finding out who owned the Metropole spot, I concluded that the newspaper spats about ownership really reveal families’ fights to own our Guyana. Now name ten families who own Georgetown and its business places! And those newer housing projects!
My Mashramani – and yours
I am out of space but I’ll sneak in my annual appeal to the indifferent, to support and participate in this National Festival. Next week, I’ll appeal directly to certain stores and companies, political parties and Diwali parade experts to contact Minister Anthony. The Government does apportion our tax dollars to the celebration but still welcomes your support.
Mash is for me – and the PPP, and for you – and APNU. Discuss…
Nineteen years, not out! “The Only Discipline in my ordinary life”. This column today marks 19 years (of Fridays) since it has been around.
Not profound or high-brow, I contend that 19 represents some record for consistency in local journalism.
Happy Anniversary? Thanks…
Until…
*1) scary news!
I am being scared by being told what persons do with Heads of corpses and fake I.D. cards. I’m frightened!
*2) So Vic Puran is today’s special prosecutor.
*3) Guyana Justice, as Cases take years, files and names disappear, DNA Samples delayed, one overworked DPP, Mediation efforts arise …
*4) So, will one set of players play for two Guyana cricket teams? Assist me, please. Or two sets play for one???
*5) When will we get the four non-elected, technocrat ministers?
Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
