Oil and elections: should I be scared?
For the sake of still-friendly argument, I’ll believe Home Affairs and National Police Security Minister, Honourable Robeson Benn – named by his late father after the alleged communistic Afro-American singer Paul Robeson – that the enhanced city anti-crime plan was conceptualised since November last.
That the police force’s hierarchy’s visits to Stabroek Square last week had nothing to do with the American Embassy’s current advisory to its staff and American citizens generally.
(One of possibly hundreds of cynics told me that all of our President’s adumbrations and exhortations at all police conferences could not motivate instant action as the American advisory did.) (“Yuh tink Exxon oil people does stroll ‘roun Stabroek Fenty?). I do not agree with my cynic-friends!)
But I do have a close friend who has presented me with yet another irony.
L.C. actually stopped himself from visiting the Stabroek Market Square many, many months ago. He claims to be mortified by the socially-toxic combination of rampant traffic congestion, vendor-take-over of Stabroek streets, unregulated parking and stopping by buses and the brazen day-light and night-time robberies around the square.
Two circumstances emanating from my pal L.C. constitute the irony mentioned: he was once fond of the Stabroek Square – 10/15 years ago – often by night; and he hails from the communities on the edge of Georgetown named McDoom and Agricola!
The name Fenty was associated with Agricola in times past. But this Fenty would hardly stroll around my friend’s Agricola these days. Yet he is scared of Stabroek now. Like the resident Americans are.
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Urban paradise long lost
Those of us past-sixty/seventy/eighty who experienced Georgetown in now by-gone days know what was meant by the region’s “Garden City”
Green reserves and parapets with stately palms and other trees supplemented two major gardens and other clean manicured spaces. Young folks tend not to believe when I describe “Town Hall” workers sweeping Water Street almost daily (as I witnessed in Havana, Cuba.) But many obvious reasons prevent my good-time reminiscences from bringing back a simple pristine Capital City. There is so much to undo to “bring back Georgetown”. I suppose it would take one year of solid civic-mindedness; generous, creative, practical relocation of vendors; city constabulary – police force relentless collaborative enforcements; and private sector inspiration from the government to begin to restore our city’s status and pride.
Just check out the success of nearly all of our Caribbean islands and Suriname’s municipalities in making their own capitals orderly, clean and picturesque.
Agricola, strangely, boasts lots of Latin/Roman symbolism. But alas, that community still is tainted by crime and former linkages to Buxton E,C.D when the prison escapees dwelled there for years. But there is no community that is ever beyond rehabilitation and redemption. Residents must have the will, the assistance from security authorities as well as, of course, varied resources from sympathetic patriotic sources.
Frankly speaking, to me now past 75, I detect a national submission to urban/community mediocrity. Too many prefer to travel to, even live in other people’s foreign spaces to experience sustained standards and class! Poor us…
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The politics of crime – (Race and Hammie)
Apologies if the impressive, academic looking caption raised expectations of some significant discourse on the issue mentioned.
Don’t feel competent to so expound. But it’s really a journalistic entrée for me to share my own summary of reasons for today’s existence of and attitudes to crime here.
Naturally we inherited, for decades, the “usual” manifestations of crime. But to me, after the anti-Jagan/anti-PNC race riots of 1962 to 1964, crime became a little tinged with race. Depending on the bandits’ varied locations. For me things quietened down between 1964 and 1968 as Burnham consolidated his (“coalition”) power.
I contend that, as successive years of electoral thievery stole a people’s will, both common criminals and political thugs and suave corrupt official thieves fostered a virtual culture of crime here. (If politicians could steal votes why couldn’t we just steal? Everything!)
Against that brief, I wish to invite Comrade Hamilton Green – former PNC General Secretary, former Prime Minister, former political leader of the GGG and former longest-serving City Mayor in the world – to a robust debate on how race influenced crime in Guyana, 1962-2014. Stand by…
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Oil, elections – and I become scared!
You’ll experience my sustained consistency in requesting that you-all – especially this column’s “regulars” – become interested in this country’s next elections. Granted local community/local government elections hardly ever attract full voter turn-out. But all elections from now on here will be mighty indicative.
So pay heed to what GECOM does from registration to PNC demands. Let’s ask for a forum featuring GECOM, major political parties and genuine civic groupings to hold regular conversations of constructive recommendations prior to any polling day. Agreed?
Nothing, nothing can convince me against my belief that besides just the maintenance of governmental power, the five-month electoral power-grab of 2020 was motivated by the ambition to manage our decades-to-come oil-economy.
That’s why I become scared when our next election of democracy looms. Oil and power frighten poor me. Do the young care?
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Just imagine!
1) The manufacturers of war armaments – from planes to missiles to rifles and tanks must be smiling gleefully.
2) What do you understand when you read of massive cocaine and cannabis drug busts weekly?
3) Social realities – some are needy, even starving; but a local store advertises a cellular phone costing a quarter of a million (G) dollars!
`Til next week!
