Our police travails – real and fake (?)
My own vital formative years – six to twenty-one – were spent in the George-town ward of Alberttown. Behind grandmother’s one–room cottage on Church Street, a staunch Indo – Hindu – Milk Vendor family lived. As an Afro–oriented boy I still had to grapple with the Dass’ prayers – mornings and nights, Ihandi flags and replete with some authentic Hindi language, music and songs.
For eleven years – 1961 – 1971 inclusive I taught Primary School in Goed Fortuin Housing Scheme W.B.D. School population and community predominantly Indo. I have lived to regret that, despite the experience mentioned above, I have never internalised the Indo-element my Madrasi mother bequeathed me. In other words although I, from my teens, embraced the folkloric, creole Guyanese–ness of my identity, most of my school friends, my father’s family and my later–life colleagues – not to mention the six or seven Christian–type worship places I frequented as a 8 to 16 years youth, including the Salvation Army and Jordanites – all combined to fashion my Afro centric–orientation and lifestyle (Indo–douglah looking or no indo looking!)
So pardon the foregoing miniature autobiographical foray. It is merely some circumlocution to make context for my brief exploration into the minds of some Afro-Guyanese leaders. Especially the political ones.
In the West Demerara taxis of my youth, passengers and drivers – both Afro and Indo – spoke truthfully of how they felt about their respective ethnic counterparts. In those days I was accepted by both major “camps”. After all I was “mixed” – Indo-Afro “dougla”! Oh but I learnt so much about each group’s thoughts of “the others”.
Then in 1973 I became a PNC Kitty comrade. Smack in Burnham’s hometown; later the people’s militia; even my wife teaching at “Burnham’s father’s Kitty Methodist” (J.E.Burnham). Afro-Fenty positioned to study some afro-leaders.
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Sorry for the columnist’s distress
Believe it or not, against the foregoing the following remarks were evoked after I read several pieces by the well-known Kaieteur News daily columnist. (Good Lord! Even if many are slight how does one produce commentary every single day the lord has provided??)
Anyway, since I’ve generally agreed with the columnist’s strongly-held, principled positions regarding the evil, goings-on and political desecration of last year’s five-month power-grab, I’m familiar now with his grief, sadness, pain, disillusionment, disappointment and distress when he assesses the positions promoted by his former “freedom-fighter” democracy guardians/friends. Many of his one-time political colleagues were Afro-descended “brothers” who have now caused him distress.
Initially, I tried to share his pain. Having had some passing acquaintance with some – Hinds, Trotman, Lewis, Alexander and, of course, the earlier PNC types. Then my long-held realization modified my empathy and sympathy. Why? Summary conclusions:
• No matter how patriotic, how nationalistic the analytical writings, histories and political leadership stances seem, those gentlemen are African first. (Not a thing wrong – if they don’t behave as racist, discriminatory or biased.) • The call of the ethnic and party tribe always remains strong • Political struggle is often the mechanism for national authority and control – a way for the tribe to retain or get to the top. Having lived amongst, being a part of the more governmental Afro-elite, I cannot be surprised that the one-time Afro rebels have returned home. After all they are merely behaving as their Indo-counterparts do!
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Regarding foreign “local” content
As the local oil/gas sector emerged I read a lot on the phenomenon – local content. The ordinary meaning gave way to numerous technicalities, even contractual agreements and new legislation. I won’t be overwhelmed. But today I touch on just one aspect recently revealed to me.
Since we know that local content is greatly more than the provision of local meals, fuel, accommodation or transportation, the knowledgeable source explained, expert companies must be established to service this industry. He said we’ll see “local companies” being registered. Local addresses and faces will abound.
But closer scrutiny of the directors, shareholders, contract agreements will reveal the foreign dominance of the “local content” entities. They have the requisite expertise, equipment and capital. So despite the newspaper exposes and national conferences local content will be a work-in-progress for many months to come. Agreed?
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Our Police, travails and concerns
I am the son and relative of ole-time police in Guyana: genuine, professional, honest, hardworking police. I know now I’ll have to return to this issue. So I digress-with some reference.
Some American communities and radicals are calling for some police forces to be defunded. Or be “re-imagined”. I yearn to find out about the police services of St. Vincent, Thailand, Norway or Sweden.
Here, the young traffic cop is feared. He hears about allegations against his seniors – past and current. Me? I need time. No one is above any law they should be enforcing. We can’t comment on on-going court-cases. But is the service commission really to be reformed? Should my belief in the integrity of two retired seniors be shattered? Poor me. Much more later.
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Consider just these…
● 1) Many newer Afro-Guyanese leaders – since around 1990 – have had little to be proud about. They’ve been denied leadership, economic status, equal opportunity. Understand their mind-set.
● 2) Amidst all the righteous brouhaha regarding electoral reform, my basic demands: a new upgraded voters list approved by all and – mount every statement-of-poll on every station to be signed off by all GECOM, party and observer reps. And made public nationally by say 10 pm on election might.
● 3) Never thought “All lives matter” would generate negative thoughts of undermining “Black lives matter”. Poor me. Just saw a piece on CNN about the American BLM Inc. being investigated for financial improprieties. Poor me again.
● 4) Again, remember comrade Amanza: when the comrades complain about “living conditions,” it’s 5 years vs 10 months.
`Til next week
