Glasses clink and the privileged of this nation try to ignore the sounds of empty pots and pans echoing throughout the land. Clink, the privileged of this land do not only dream about living a life of luxury. Behind the doors of places that repel the poor, poorer and poorest energy conferences have been held. This while drums beat in front of a ministry, as teachers cried, marched, chanted and held placards in all the regions as they pleaded for a smidgen of what they deserve.
Transformation and modernisation, these concepts are good for building a nation. But it should not only be feel-good words for a section of the population. Building a nation is not just about the vision of a few. New roads, hotels, and malls do nothing for the progress of the majority if the majority are suffering. Yes, they will have better places to walk or drive, hotels to dine for special occasions if they are not a part of the repelled and malls to eat, shop or window-shop.
What is this transformation if the dreams of a few seek to possess lands belonging to the people with the building of another hotel? How can we be comfortable when it is looking like even our people are at risk of being sold to foreign investors in the name and these versions of progress? These shallow ideas that do nothing to significantly improve the lives of the majority release dopamine and oxytocin in that small circle as they rub shoulders while their dollars and value increase. The ambitious and the curious place their foot in the door and are hopeful that they too will eventually be a part of the circle.
It is cortisol that increases for teachers and many other public servants as they fight to win the battle with living under stress. Our people seek respect, not to be insulted, not to be threatened, not to have their wages cut, not to have their names recorded in black books to be targeted for simply standing and asking for a little of what they deserve. They do not want to be labeled with words like blacklisted for we have seen the face of the blacklisted fighting to continue in this struggle. The teachers have been standing for four weeks asking for salary increases but have been largely ignored by the government. Perhaps it was the intention of the government to ignore the teachers, hoping that eventually they would tire and retire; defeated as some would seek greener pastures off these shores.
The teachers went home and rested, and the music sounded. The tramping down the road in a colourful spectacle, tradition, the distractions, and feting are coping mechanisms for those who want to be happy and free even if it is only for a short while. There were trucks and other vehicles more than floats, but perhaps that was only what I observed. I was reminded that the Guyanese culture whatever it has evolved to be becomes more at risk of no longer existing. The versions of us will be intermingled with other identities until we no longer know what it means to be us, but only others. It is Trinidadian music I mostly heard on Mash Day. But again, perhaps that was only me. Yes, the music from our Caribbean neighbour is excellent but, on a day, when we celebrate becoming a republic, when we tramp and dance, it is the excellence of our local artistes that should be celebrated. But what is there to really celebrate in a time such as this? What was there to really celebrate when it was week three of the teachers’ strike?
The teachers stood on the streets in the fourth week as the flights arrived. Caribbean leaders stepped into the land of hopes and dreams. Men in their best suits and women in their finest, gathered to meet, plan, and dine. The handshakes and the smiling, the hugs, and the good feeling, did they hear the noise? Did they ask why?
There were speeches by those who lead about helping ones like our brothers and sisters from Haiti who were shut out by visa restrictions. The feel-good words, in a feel-good time, but who feels good about those words are often not you and me. We exist and find our pockets of happiness as we must make the effort in a time such as this. I guess charity does not always begin at home, when for four weeks those who educate our children have been ignored. I guess charity does not begin at home when thousands of the nation’s children have not sat and learned in a classroom for four weeks. An illiterate nation might be for the benefit of those who wish to exploit and control. An illiterate nation is sure to collapse under the weight of the oppressors’ hands. But we are not an illiterate nation. Yes, some are blinded by race, yes some are blinded by politics, yes some have been left behind and perhaps cannot comprehend how their support of those who do not care is to their own detriment. But still, we are an intelligent people. Our teachers do care and do not want our children to be left behind.
Teachers are not parasites or low-lives as degenerates of this land would have called them during the last four weeks. They are not people who do not deserve to be paid when striking is not illegal.
There are those who say they respect the laws of the land, but their actions tell that they do not. We saw a memorandum about cutting striking teachers pay and recording their names even after a High Court ruling which prevents the government from doing so.
The threats to punish people who are already suffering are serious, but there is still hope.
When those who are in defiance of a court order, can be summoned to appear in court and are found guilty of willful disobedience and disregard for the conservatory orders, we feel hope.
During the dark period of four weeks while teachers protested, The Gas Energy Conference and Supply Expo was held, Mashramani took place and the 46th Regular Meeting Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) also took place.
There are those who tried to ignore the cloud hanging over our country while they celebrated and sold dreams but those who are honest and sincere and allow themselves to feel will not be at peace until every Guyanese can live the good life.
Justice Sandil Kissoon ordered mediation in the standoff between the government and Guyana Teachers’ Union. The Attorney General Anil Nandlall said that he did not think it was necessary since the government was prepared to meet with the union. But when were they prepared to do so? The teachers have been striking for four weeks. Perhaps it is the conferences, meetings and Mashramani that had them busy and the threats to the striking teachers were all imagined.
