However back-handed this might appear (below), it is a plug for all Guyana to go out and support all the (free) events that comprise this weekend’s Inter-Guiana Cultural Festival in
Georgetown and suburbs.
But though my first name is “Allan”, I have to be “Frank”; to be realistic. For starters, I have to accept that, like Caribbean Tourism officials earlier this year here, our neighbours from French Guiana and Suriname will be greeted by a garbage-dominated, stinking capital named Georgetown. Then I have to mention, briefly, my own perspective of the three Guianas.
Three Guianas? I understand that geographically – then even in the historical and political sense – there is a Guiana shield: A pre-historic land-mass stretching from French Guiana to Venezuela.
Now, even the area’s museums collaborate under an Amazon Rainforest network where the work, history and legacy of the Guiana Highlands populations are collectively studied and disseminated.
It is this same inter-socio-cultural enterprise that the IGCF seeks to promote. But do you know that there were actually five Guianas?
Suriname…
More than a half a century ago, as a young teen in the then clean, pleasant-smelling Georgetown, I would hear both “Dutch” and English pop music coming through my tiny radio from Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana. And an aunt who would be in Berbice then, would go to a festival name Confiari in either Nickerie or Paramaribo.
That’s all what most of us Georgetown-August-Holidays-children knew about the then neighbouring colony of Holland, or the Netherlands. Later, the lore of Dutch Baccoos and African Djuka charms and remedies, the worth of the guilder; then the rapid infrastructural development of Independent Suriname took hold of my little Guyanese imagination.
Now, I still marvel at how most Surinamese – you dare not call them “Dutch” – how most Surinamese speak English because of their education system; how this new generation has accepted Desi Bouterse as President even though it was obvious that he was implicated in the deaths of his military/political rivals years ago and that his “Mother-Country” Holland, still maintains that the Suriname President had some active knowledge of Drug Trafficking, allegedly (?)
How people and times have changed! Cultural representatives and Surinamese themselves are in Georgetown as you read this.
They will expose us to their rich cosmopolitan culture of African, Indian, Javanese and other strains. Let us welcome them and learn. Even as we beg pardon for the unsightly garbage.
French Guiana/Cayenne…
One can easily access basic info from the modern-day Google/Wikipedia electronic sources I know, but I still know very little of French Guiana. The “little” tends to be strange: that our Guyanese of today pass over Suriname’s great bridges, other fine infrastructure and emergent economy, to get to Cayenne, the name used for the whole of that French “Department” of a territory; that that French Dependency has long boasted a Satellite Launch Facility built by the Europeans, even as our dream of a similar one was dashed, as usual, in the North-West; that an infamous French Devil Island-prison was sited there and one of its famous prisoners had connected to La Penitence, right here; and that the soldier allegedly connected with the death of our world-famous Walter Rodney lived and died in “Cayenne”. Now this weekend I’m rushing to learn lots more about our French friends.
Guyana…
We’re the host of this most mini-Carifesta. Conceptualised in Paramaribo, this cultural festival – not unlike the Inter-Guiana Games – is meant to showcase both the similarities and differences the cultural legacies of our three, once-European-owned societies now enjoy to identify themselves. People are meant to understand, enjoy, even unite.
Four years ago Guyana, the pioneer, again hosted the Region-wide Carifesta. The jury would still be out in terms of how substantial and lasting the gala festival benefited our own cultural and artistic community. (Just for now, I won’t be frank enough to ruffle feathers.)
But I know we are going to be great, reasonably-organised hosts, despite the rubbish. So go out with the family. Enjoy, learn, then understand. Happy Festival.
*****
What our police
commissioners know…
This is my own belated goodbye to Laurie Lewis after his grand send off on Tuesday. I was thrilled to see his 92-year-old, colourful Uncle Hilton in the St George’s Choir – and all those Ole-police officers still with us.
I had varying reasons to find Laurie Lewis a powerful public servant and an interesting person. (I did some quiet PR work for “his” Force and he assisted me with a very useful publication, Crimewatch Guyana, about (fifteen years ago.) And between 1994 and 1999 I wrote five pieces, right here, mentioning or featuring Commissioner Laurie himself.
Since the announcement, of his passing, I wrote down some Commissioners’ names I remembered: Felix Austin, Henry Fraser, Carl “Bobo “ Austin, Lloyd Barker, Balram Raghubir, Laurie Lewis, Floyd McDonald, Winston Felix, Henry Greene.
What do you know of these Top Cops? How would you assess them – and their contributions to the status of the Guyana Police Force? An institution 174 years old?
I failed Mr Henry Alfonso Fraser – and myself – by only beginning his requested Biography. He had begun to tell me de-classified things about Forbes Burnham et al. I was professionally recalcitrant. And Mr Fraser passed away. Just guess, speculate about how much our Commissioners of Police must know.
In January 1999 I opined that Commissioner Laurie should know: which drug lord had political connections; which of his colleagues were tainted; which business persons begged for, or proposed certain favours; (Commissioner Lewis claimed he had criteria for accepting “donations” from the Private Sector); which murder-executions arose from internal family issues; who in political parties benefited from criminal enterprise; where illegal weapons came from and most of the activities of some prominent attorneys and bankers.
Could you add to that list? Naturally, I’ve heard allegations against our Police Commissioners including Laurie Lewis. But I won’t speak ill of the departed. Old-fashioned values! Nor of those still alive. Law suits! I suspect, however, that Mr Lewis’ soul will rest in reasonable peace.
*****
Reflect…
*1) Mr Lewis had a grand send-off. He is on record as describing Cheddi Jagan’s funeral as the largest ever. In front of Rodney’s and Burnham’s!
*2) I often wonder – since early last year – did Dr Roopnaraine ever ask his (new) APNU Leader, the Brigadier, whether he (the Brigadier) ever knew anything about a GDF aircraft airlifting any suspected assassin to French Guiana?
*3) Identify other depressed communities, like Linden, for other “equal priority”, immediately!
*4) Great, Brittany! Shame Guyana!
*5) Organise group visits – cheap bus fares and taxi transportation, to the three-Guianas Festival events between today and Sunday.
’Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
