If there is any society on our planet that is absolutely, perfectly classless, I have not yet been convinced about its existence.
And if there is any where there is no poor or needy, I’d be thrilled to experience that society too. I bet that in most societies of our world significant numbers of the poor co-exist with the comfortable, the rich. Today it is not for me to enumerate reasons for the poor being “ever-present amongst us”. Rather, I’m positing that because there will always be the poor, the better-offs, for varying reasons, find it convenient to assist them. Whether benevolence, true caring- for others, or crooked “laundering”, the charity gets dispensed. And those poor often submerge morality and integrity just to live. Which brings me to our local context.
In a relatively small country with a relatively small population, but which territory is blessed with the natural resources of timber, bauxite, gold, diamonds, oil, marine life in commercial quantities, agricultural lands, ecological locations, scenic wonders and obvious potential for generating electricity- among other national attributes – I have to agree with our nine-month old government’s leader: “Guyana is too rich for us to be poor”.
Well said by our soldier/scholar President. Alas! The Guyanese poor are very much with us. Visibly, evidentially so! Charity thus enters. As a minimum per cent enjoys the benefits of those resources.
Giving, teaching to fish
It’s an often-touted mantra: “teach a man to fish (for himself), rather than (always) giving him a fish.”
But some in the world actually want the poor amongst them. Dependence, exploitation, cheap labour from the under-educated and such are elements that make the rich stay wealthy. I would argue that not enough really appreciates that a society with most of its citizens being comfortable would develop in a sustained manner. And stay so!
The 2015/2016 Christmas season ended a little over a month ago. Well that “season” is usually a springboard for giving and “giving back.” Frankly Speaking, I get impatient with huge commercial entities speaking about “giving back.” After they’ve made huge millions all year round before.
In Guyana, I suspect that, as with the Coca farmers of Colombia, the needy now cares little about the source of the charity they need. Fuel and gold smugglers, “importers” of undeclared items, drug barons, exploitative employers all become saviours!
But here are two related dimensions to giving- and telling about it: One, if not the Salvation Army or the President’s Office, the Service Organisations, the registered charities and the companies and Diaspora (civil) society all have to seek publicity and awareness when they give. Why? Okay, their principals, original donors and sponsors have to verify that their contributions were legitimately distributed as intended. So lights, camera, media!
Two, publicity-seeking has an element to it whereby a group or individual with specific self-interest needs to generate recognition. Sometimes to promote his/her own agenda of laundering an image, initiating a political ambition, or just plain self-aggrandisement. Of course, the beneficiaries, the recipients over-look all the above. Their donors’ attention grabbing, status- seeking strategies are theirs.
But guess what triggered me off on these reflections today. It’s our President’s laudable five “B’s” programme of assistance to vulnerable families to ensure that their children get to school when school days beckon
Buses, bicycles, boats, books and breakfast are the President’s efforts to lessen the “educational apartheid” he spoke about when leading the opposition.
It is tough, near not-rationally-possible to fault this initiative which now attracts even the staunch pals of Bharrat J. (For some reason?)
The boots, the benevolence
“Boots for beyond” and “Soles for life”. Smiles as the donations are made. Look, please believe that I’m sold on this Presidential initiave. Hopefully those boys and girls will grow into communities that will catch their own fish on their own.
Why then do I think the frequent handing over publicity should be more muted and a little after the fact? The faces of the child recipients reflect both pleasure, thanks and a little shy embarrassment.
What? It’s a programme and not governmental benevolence. And the donors “need” the publicity? Discuss
Ryhaan, Ravi, “B’s”
I am still a fan – of sorts – of Ryhaan Shah- writer, columnist, (Indian Rights?) Activist. Just a few years ago, she along with politician-thinker Ravi Dev, offered spirited intellectual opposition, even denunciation to Mr Jagdeo’s version of the PPP.
I seem to recall a GIFT- Guyanese Indian Foundation Trust (?) defending Guyana’s “Indian” causes oftimes in collision with Robert Persaud’s pro PPP/Jagdeo Indian Arrival Committee (IAC)
Objective circumstances often conjure up good reasons for persons to adjust their political minds. All right and democratic…Both Ryhaan and Ravi are now accommodated by/at the Bobby-Ramroop controlled, PPP/Jagdeo-friendly Guyana Times newspaper. I happened to actually purchase this Sunday (7th Feb) edition of the Times.
Ms Shah therein takes witty digs, amidst occasional analyses of the current Budgetary features, against President Granger’s five B’s School-Children Initiative. She offers her own numerous B’s- “Big Bad Budget, Blah, Baloney, Buffoonery, Bull, Blundering, Backwardness, Burnhamism, Blabber, Bacchanal Bamboozle, Bread, Benefits and Betterment”.
I swear she left no “B’s” in the dictionary in putting down the 2016 Budget, lecturing Amna Ally on Social Cohesion wherein one race group does not get away with assaults on others and taking a swipe at the President’s own B’s.
Ms Shah’s style is most engaging even if now supporting or echoing the PPP positions. I can find time to read her. The content is now a long way from anti Jagdeo positions and Ravi on Radio and attempting to challenge or replace GAWU. I even agree, in principle, when the lady writes ”… the poor would much rather have opportunities for employment so that they can buy… this is what would assure them pride and dignity…”
Wonder what she thought of Mr Ramotar and Priya Manickchand’s “because-we-care” $10,000- grants, positioned before elections?
Ponder…
1) I leave 2016 Budget issues to others. Partly because I watch my blood pressure levels if listening to PPP criticisms.
Imagine “Bobby Bharrat” speaking of Ramjattan-Lloyd Singh friendship. Will the air, the wind cost more than the Ruimveldt estates?
2) The badly-wounded victim was taken to the Port Mourant hospital, then to the New Amsterdam one, then to the Georgetown facility. Could he survive?
3) Can anyone actually run for Mayor here?
4) How is our Police SWAT Team coming along?
‘Til next week!
(Comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
