Dear Editor,
I wish to join in supporting all who contributed meaningfully and sensibly to decry the act of cowardice against our brother, Mr John Adams, a qualified maths teacher of Aishalton Secondary School, Region 9. This further confirms the backwardness of the administration. It is an act of desperation , hopelessness, intimidation and a total disrespect for our people in the region. It shows clearly that the standard of the administration is in the gutter.
Relevant questions could not be answered by the President and team in a civilised way. Intimidation is the only way the PPP/C Government knows; brute force, ignorance and arrogance are their way of handling issues of concern by our people.
The Presidents speech was backward since it was based on the past. The people were not there for a pandong or nancy story; they wanted to hear about developmental plans for the region, land to the indigenous peoples, proper roads, power, communication, better health and education, better support for our children in athletics and other sports. The truth is the government has very little interest in those things right now; their need is to have continuous power to our detriment. The PPP/C minority government just does not care about Amerindians . So, they box you to keep quiet, and are you prepared to continue to take this insult?
All people of the Rupununi should know that it is a total violation of our human rights, our indigenous rights to be slapped about in that manner. We must press on for an apology. I call on the National Toshaos Council and the indigenous Peoples’ Commission to take the necessary steps to correct this wrong done to our brother, otherwise it will continue. I call on the Rupununi leaders to make proper representation for our people.
I know that things have gone wrong for so long, so to do the right thing seems wrong, but we must not condone this eyepass.
My brothers and sisters of the Rupununi are at a disadvantage since all of us do not have easy access to the daily news, and we do not have any Guyanese television or proper radio communication; only a very few have access to the internet. Nevertheless, those who do have access will tell you that on the coast many, many people are unhappy with the govermment; even supporters are fed up with the nonsense that is being exposed daily. So they should take note that the government is desperate to have their votes by sharing out money and machines without a plan under the pretext that it is from the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF). However, they will agree with me that it is the Amerindian Division Fund, because over the past three years we have seen an upsurge of division within our communities, and that’s exactly what this government continues to aim for, since the PPP feels that the interior people are their only hope at the next elections. I say they shouldn’t be fooled by this.
I wish to share two quotes from a few great chiefs from one hundred and twenty-five years ago who fought and died for their rights in the American West. These are taken from the book, Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee by B Brown:
“My friends, for many years we have been in this country; we never go to the Great Father’s country and bother him about anything. It is his people who come to our country and bother us, do many bad things and teach our people to be bad… Before you people ever crossed the ocean to come to this country, and from that time to this, you have never proposed to buy a country that was equal to this in riches. My friends this country that you have come to buy is the best country that we have … this country is mine; I was raised in it; my forefathers lived and died in it; and I wish to remain in it!” -Kangi Wiyaka (Crow Feather)
The second one is as follows:
“You have put all our heads together and covered them with a blanket. That hill there is our wealth, but you have been asking it from us… you people , you have all come in our reservations and helped yourselves to our property, and you are not satisfied, you went beyond to take the whole of our safe.” – Dead Eyes
The actions of the PPP/ C Government remind me of those times.
We are a people, special to this land known as Guyana, and must be treated with respect. We have never disrespected any other group in this country, nor have we ever seen any other administration get so mean as to act in this cowardly way against one of our brothers .The President should have been assuring the people that land claims would be settled, extensions would be completed, better roads would be done, etc. We are a peace-abiding people and would love to live as a true Guyanese nation, since there is enough for all. What we do not have presently is a government for the people; we have a one-party state, a government for a party and a selected few mighty ones.
According to Article 25 of the constitution, we have a duty to improve environment: “Every citizen has a duty to participate in activities designed to improve the environment and protect the health of the nation.” Article 36 says, “The well-being for the nation depends upon preserving clean air, fertile soils, pure water and the rich diversity of plants , animals and eco-systems.”
Over the centuries we have been living this way; we are the ones who care for the environment, and we understand the laws of nature and not man-made laws. We have always made an environmental contribution by working with nature instead of against it. It is our basic human and Indigenous rights that have always been challenged – ‘We want we land, no more discrimination.’ Our homeland is being attacked from three key areas: logging, mining and now the integrity of our people.
The people of Rupununi should unite to bring back some decency to Region 9 – North, South, Central, South Pakaraimas. We should make the change that this region needs, which is a good life for all the people living here. Let us love and respect one another; let us all represent our region. Let all other Indigenous groups of people in this country join us to stamp out this unwanted situation. Let us support Mr John Adams. We need many more John Adamses within our villages. Let us keep and protect our brother.
Mr John Adams is a hero; let us break the back of intimidation.
Yours faithfully,
Sydney Allicock
