Dear Editor,
I have a fascination with the month of October. It was in this month that due to a perception by the British that the newly elected PPP would take us into the communist camp that on October 6, 1953, our Constitution was suspended and our six Ministers were dismissed.
This saddened me as I recall the victorious people’s representatives, all clad in white, marching with military precision into Parliament led by the six Ministers (in alphabetical order) Forbes Burnham, Ashton Chase, Cheddi Jagan, Sidney King (Eusi Kwayana), J.P. Latchmansingh and Jai Narine Singh.
And I recall how with majestic dignity the first women to be members of our Parliament walked behind the six Ministers and ahead of the other nine Members of Parliament, the three Js, Jessie Burnham, Janet Jagan and Jane Phillips-Gay.
The suspension therefore in October was a heavy blow and disappointment to many of us.
At the other end of the globe, we recall that it was on October 1, 1949, that under Chairman Mao-Tse-tung, the People’s Republic of China was established. China has since made great strides forward and today is a quiet but powerful force in world affairs.
The interpretation, strategies and tactics to deal with the all-consuming Cold War was pivotal.
Our two political Titans, Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham chose different paths to deal with this problem of the Cold War.
As we approach October 6, we can also tearfully remember the Cubana air disaster in 1976, where a total of seventy three passengers perished; including eleven Guyanese, fifty-seven Cubans and five North Koreans. The incident certainly related to the Cold War.
Today, what with events in Europe are we inching towards the prospect of World War III?
In little Guyana, we seem to be at war but not based on ideology but economic and class disparities and the old belief of domination of the have nots by the haves, while using improved propaganda techniques supported by what the Romans described ‘panem et circenses,’ simply meaning handouts and entertainment provided by government to appease discontent, where ordinary wage earners cannot provide basic comfort and nutritional meals for their families.
Here, the Cold War was sparked and sustained by ideological considerations.
Today, we note ideological positions have blurred in many countries including Guyana. You see rightwing parties in Italy and the Philippines prevailing.
In Guyana, none of our political parties dare apply the old political labels, none of our parties can honestly claim to be right, left or centre. The trump card is for all of our leaders to cast aside their differences and say to the outside world, and say to the investors, and say to those who come to harvest our vast, precious non-renewable resources that we speak for all the people, not some of the people, and this is what we want to lift us out of poverty into the land of plenty.
Those who come here to do business and recognise that when a Minister or official or the President engages them, his proposals, his requests, his demands are supported, not by a fifty or even sixty percent of the people, but one hundred percent of the people, they are bound to listen, and so help us realize our dreams and vindicate the sufferings of our ancestors.
Our oneness must be authentic, meaningful and powerful and make Billy Pilgrim’s “Let’s Cooperate for Guyana. Can we do it, Yes, we can,” be a reality so that next October and every other October every Guyanese can celebrate being in a land with gusto, plenty and peace. A real Eldorado.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green
Elder
