What new protest(s) today?
Remember always – I hardly make you forget – that this is the working class layman’s perspective of things. Even of lofty national issues. For I seem incapable of the more necessary scientific data-oriented “analyses.”
Take today’s lead issue of the three diverse topics I attempt today. Why do (Guyanese) males see and treat women as inferior? As less than they – the men – are? Or hold themselves to be?
As usual I’ll be summary in outlining Guyana’s approaches to harassment, abuse and degradation of females by males. From awareness, “education” to legislation and enforcement. And those measures and vital interventions in between.
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Mr Lowe, social science – and location reality
An evocative missive from university-based Mr Sherwood Lowe wondered whether local women’s rights reps really had access to the means to acquire, definitively, the policies and enduring institutionalised norms required.
His letter to SN’s Editor recently discussed the various governmental, human rights/civil society thrusts to solidify gender-rights against myriad abuses – legislation, endorsing/accepting international treaties and conventions, reviews of policies; parliamentary formulae regarding female “representativeness” and such like.
A Women and Gender Equality Commission, a Parliamentary Sectoral Committee to abet and promote Guyanese women’s rights through such social “infrastructure”, all still see woman’s advocates bemoaning the lack of actual effective responses to our women’s needs. Why?
Minister of Human Services Vindhya Persaud like most of her cabinet colleagues, certainly gets around these days. At Mon Repos ECD, she embraced a UN/EU assisted Spotlight Initiative structured to change the “mindset and culture of gender-based violence”. Another “programme” to “combat” violence against girls and grown women.
Always, these social, well-funded “projects” are noble, well-intentioned and welcome. But how lastingly effective are they? Where do you begin to change negative, destructive “mindsets”?
I suggest that the minister’s teams should visit villages known to harbour abusers; keep orientation sessions by the pool tables where the fellows drink; deploy social workers and trained women police to dwell within locations where frightened vulnerable females are domiciled in fear. Must “authorities” always await “reports”?
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Prevention and penalties
I recently was light-hearted about Christians accepting that their God took Adam’s rib to create the first woman. Did that contribute to menfolk feeling forever superior?
Some religions inform governments about women’s status. Only a homemaker; can’t drive vehicles; go to school or do certain tasks. Believe it or not all that still obtains in some African, Asian and Eastern societies.
Frankly speaking, little boys should be taught at home that “girls and women hold up half the sky”. That they themselves come from females who are loving mothers, aunts, sisters, wives. Home, church, school used to assist here.
When all fails and abusers are brutal then caught what should be appropriate punishment? Counselling? Castration for rapists? Hard-labour? Old-time floggings? We’re now civilised, so you tell me.
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Oil, Aggrey and Agriculture
Aggrey is nineteen. He is from Agricola named after a Roman General and relative to agriculture. But of course, all Aggrey hears about much more now is about Guyana’s oil wealth. He is a cool Afro fellow and appreciates that his type knows not when they’ll benefit from our oil/gas revenues. Sadly Aggrey who had a kitchen garden once, is not fixated about agriculture. Why?
His forefathers were forced to “leave the land”. For uniforms, professions and trades. They bought their food from others.
Today Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha is really evoking my interest. Is he a Berbician? He moves around weekly. Among his recent announcements: $58M for Region 6 shrimp production; rice farming communities in the giant Polder, Black Bush will quickly get brand new drainage and irrigation Pump Stations and a requested Agri-Development Committee has just been launched at Ithaca, West Bank Berbice. I suppose that because Ithaca is an Afro- community Minister Mustapha was moved to assure that his government doesn’t “see race”.
Anyhow this latter project inspires me to hope that it could be replicated in dozens/scores of committees where there is idle suitable land.
Aggrey in Agricola can help resume Guyana’s place as Caricom’s leading food-producer as Minister Zulfikar wishes.
I too resume my call for government and/or land co-ops to provide young farmers with reasonable monthly allowances as the land is being developed or as the crops grow. They’ll need the encouragement of structured financial assistance even as they consolidate as full-fledged career life-long farmers. The land will always be there. The support must be too. Even if the new farmers have to repay.
Granger-Harmon activities this week
One day before I pass away I’ll actually hear an opposition giving praise to the government for some project or event that really benefited all. Not today!
The “installed PPP regime” is faced with PNC criticism, even hostility. (That oil money!) New York surrogates attack. Covid and flooding responses still attract criticism, little co-operation. GPSU demanding increases now. A clueless government commits foreign policy blunders. Food prices/cost-of-living spirals. As does social brutal crimes.
But the opposition just won’t succeed in sabotaging the $19,000 cash grant. That report cannot be accurate. Ho-ho-ho. “Oppose” responsibly comrades.
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Take moments to ponder…
How is Go-Invest getting along? Many investors?
Any real leads after discovering burnt-out drug planes?
Thousands of Americans died; trillions spent to stabilise terrorist-oriented Afghanistan. Now the Taliban is still poised to take over! Thoughts?
So our ubiquitous sporting minister wants to name stands in the Kanhai/Lloyd Cricket Stadium at Providence. Good move?
I wasn’t surprised at the racist outburst by some after England lost the European Cup Final. But management and team rallied around the three. Manager Gareth Southgate once missed a crucial penalty himself.
But hey! Why no Afro-riders in the prestigious Tour-de-France?
’Til next week
