Dear Editor,
I read with great interest, a letter titled “Let us recall our history to bury the past and move beyond the narrowness of race” written by my friend, former President, Donald Ramotar and published in Stabroek News (2/16/2022). Let me compliment him for reminding the public of Black Friday, 1962. We also compliment him for his scholarship and research. However, the contents of his letter have a few flaws, thanks to the information and material and records available to him. I agree with his final plea that we should move on as a people, but may I add this caveat, we must not forget the past. But all of us, in particular our leaders, must understand the environment of the early 60s and show a level of perspicacity and avoid the missteps made by all of our leaders.
Donald and the rest of us must also never ignore the power of perception, a curse that exists to this day, and our current leaders seem unable to relate to global conditions, the attitude of the power-blocks and the powerful financial institutions and conglomerates that hang like the sword of Damocles over our collective heads. The impression I get is that few, very few of our present political leaders appreciate and can assess little of Guyana’s position in the context of global affairs, and therefore know how to navigate the turbulent waters created by the superpowers and the mighty conglomerates. Yes, we must learn from our mistakes and stop this blame game of sinners and saints.
The truth is Guyanese leaders have neither been sinners nor saints, from slavery to indentureship to this day. Fifty years ago, Donald Ramotar was an innocent twelve years’ old student attending St. Andrews School, the area where the flame was ignited. I was a robust twenty-eight years old, better known as Action Green, the youngest General Secretary of the PNC. Every story has two or three sides. I hope to be writing shortly, what could be titled, The Unknown Story.
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
Elder
