What should a citizen – young, or matured and experienced – understand about (the concept of) patriotism?
Simply put, it is “Love of and for country (of birth or adoption)”. For me this should be absolute love that should not be compromised by intimidation or incompetent, skewed governance. One definition I came across advises that a patriot is “one who defends or is zealous for his country’s freedom or rights”. [Preliminary query: am I unpatriotic if I choose not to defend my country if I am convinced that the leaders are fundamentally wrong and evil in insisting on vital policies?]
Frankly speaking, to me patriotism is also about honour at both a personal and collective national level. Genuine patriots must speak out against executive excesses which would surely bring dishonour, disgrace and ultimate destruction to the status and character of one’s nation. Patriotism, of course, must accommodate political democracy which in turn, is about fair play, even-handed productive governance resulting in a contented proud people, it should also be a commitment to wholesome national identity.
Granger, on being Guyanese
So what brought all the foregoing (context) about? It’s about remembering what it is to be a proud Guyanese citizen always, as well as our two weeks-old President Granger’s initial national pronouncements and activities.
The new Executive Head of State, with a background as academic, military strategist and historian, declared his personal penchant for the re-inculcation of Guyanese-ness (patriotism) and national pride through respect and love for our national symbols and monuments. (A reliable source told me that on the Sunday after his Saturday swearing-in he advised the Permanent Secretary to the then Culture Ministry that that Ministry must concern itself much more with “things cultural”.
Well, for most of my adult decades living right here only, I made it a mission to contribute to the preservation and promotion of the Guyanese identity and traditions. If only in little oral and written (traditional) ways – short-stories, folk proverbs, songs, explanation of place-names, biographies and such like.
Currently, I lament the cultural intrusion of the global community submerging the Guyanese identity. I mean the Jamaican overwhelming ‘take-over’ and American accents via radio and television as the young seem to yearn to be where their overseas relatives are. The unacceptable quality of life meted out to the majority of us over past decades made countrymen migrate into exile. Or stay and suffer as just a few enjoyed our massive resources.
Since Brigadier Granger’s ascendancy hope and opportunity seem to beckon. Urgently. Let both young and old embrace those promises his government will make reality. There are so many inspirational ideas I want to now implement to complement his Guyanese First initiatives. Look and listen for me.
Granger’s Governance
The act, the vision, mission and administering of governance should result in government, management and tenure that all result in a people actually being confident that those chosen to serve, are delivering the best policies, programmes that continuously treat those people as supreme.
On major occasions early in this week the President gave assurances of governing through inclusionary strategies with a whole new ministry seemingly dedicated to re-fashioning governance structures. Granger also spoke of local/self government and the “ethic” of inclusivity from National Assembly to National Democratic Councils. To me the challenge will be finding persons, at all tiers, with renewed spirit and expertise to manage the affairs of their “communities”
Looking at the Brigadier’s demeanour at his Tuesday Parades, I keep wondering when his “military instincts” will really kick in; when his Prime Minister and Cabinet colleagues will detect his discipline and determination to lay the foundation for clean, efficient, speedy governance. How soon? It is long overdue.
When results were vitiated
Pardon my relative laziness to research this properly but I do recall the aftermath of the 1997 elections being the period of the Hoyte Opposition upheaval(s).
Hoyte’s PNC, having faced electoral defeat for a second successive post-Burnham time, found various grounds for protests of various types. PNC compiled their own “dossiers” of electoral malpractices during and after the ’97 elections. Mrs Jagan was sworn in hurriedly. Joe Singh said “privately” not “secretly”. Street protests produced terror and social and economic disruption. Hoyte called for a “forensic audit” of the ballots and other polling day documents. A Caricom audit yielded little to affect the PPP victory.
Then the PNC filed a full-fledged election petition, a post-election relief always available here for aggrieved losers. As government proceeded, Justice Claudette Singh took her time – a few years – to finally vitiate the results of the 1997 polls.
Most simple lay-people’s minds did not grasp that term “vitiate”, at the time. It meant that she had rendered the election results legally ineffective – both a legal and moral victory for the Opposition. But by then Janet Jagan had demitted office, the nation had experienced the advent of young Jagdeo and the 2001 elections were due anyway. The tenure of the 1997 PPP government was allowed to be valid, to stand.
The PPP is saying it has a powerful case to prove electoral fraud against it nineteen days ago. Wonder what will happen this time around?
For your consideration…
*1) What are your recommendations for the Granger Coalition Administration in terms of appeasing that sizeable PPP portion of the electorate which is persuaded that their electoral will was indeed filched?
I’m wondering whether (reasonable) PPP voters will accept fair democratic opportunities long denied to the PNC folks. Ho-Ho! Electoral democracy versus promised, then real socio-economic progress.
*2) Tuesday’s Independence/ Inaugura-tion events show-cased civilian co-operation with military organisational planning and execution (???).
*3) Yes, agreed! The PPP/C did elevate Independence Day after 1992. But little else!
*3b) Coming Soon: How 200,000—plus PPP Supporters can make themselves proud after clearing out their corrupt, greedy Leaders. And when will the Regional Democratic Councils (RDC’s) be installed with their new members?
*4) The local national song “Let Us Co-operate” beat President Obama’s 2008 “Can-We-Do-It to it. Shrewd of President Granger “to copy” a theme.
*5) Acting as Information Chief I was present to hear how Forbes Burnham explained many ministers to the BBC reporter. Tell you next time.
‘Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
