Dear Editor,
My last place of residence in Guyana was at David Street, Kitty, which was bounded by Bissessar Avenue and Pere Street. I had bought this property in 1977 and was enjoying my peaceful abode with my wife and three children. This was a fantastic property, a good deal, thanks to Mani who organized most of the transactions. It was relatively large for the neighborhood – yard and colonial big house – with a variety of fruit trees already bearing. There was a sijan, coconut, a Julie mango, two genip, two cherry, a citrus (very sour fruit but good for swank), a papaya, guava, several banana, all spaced around the periphery of the yard. There were also frangipani, bougainvillea, heliconia, morning glory, oleander, palm and more.
When I moved in, I was still a young man and, having come from a background of hard labouring people, my family and I worked very hard to beautify the place to our taste, and to plant other trees, such as dunks, sijan, pink cashew, bling-bling, and sumatoo. I also did a lot of gardening – with year round sem, bora, ochro, married-man pork, hot peppers, bhagee, bigan, etc., and even peanuts. It was a relatively big well-groomed yard. I also had room for a fishpond. Later I reared chicken that I sold to neighbours (as well as eggs). I bought a deep freezer for the chicken some of which I sold to UG cafeteria.
Despite the stringency of Burnham’s ban and dictatorship, in many ways I was sort of self-sufficient because of my resilience, determination and my peasant farming background in Leguan. I really enjoyed my short stay at David Street – the first real property that I acquired… (which I reluctantly abandoned to get out safely). The property was so large that it also had an annex (I suspect “servant quarters” for the Estate Managers, for it was at one time Estate Manager’s residence). There were two young men (younger than me) who asked me to rent the small flats of the annex. One was Sir from my boyhood village, the other was Rahim Bacchus whom I also knew (deceased 2008).
Rahim, brother of my colleague and friend, Zinul Bacchus, whose family I knew very well, worked at UG library while he was also doing studies at UG. His wife, Annette, also worked at the library at that time. That’s where they met initially. Rahim was very politically motivated then. He did the LLB and LLM, and lived in Barbados as a high profile and successful attorney. It was a time when there was a reign of terror, including political killings, being meted out by goons (Rabbi Washington comes easily to mind) associated with the PNC. For security, I tried to keep my property protected as best as I could. Gates were locked. Lights were on all night. It was my wont to sit in my rocker in the early evening looking out the front window with a cup of tea, or reading. Sometimes I would have my dinner while sitting there. My desk was next to the rocker, and there I would do my UG work with back towards the outside.
Early one night (don’t remember the year – probably ’79) while I was at my desk, I heard a tinkling on my locked gate. When I looked out, I saw Walter Rodney trying to gain entry. I hurried down with the key and opened the gate wanting to know the purpose of his visit. He told me that he was visiting Rahim. This happened often subsequently; he would park his small car in front, next to the gate; I would go down to open the gate; he visited Rahim; and I worked until I knew he was out of the yard, and then I locked the gate. The logistic was not convenient for me, so I decided to leave the gate unlocked until he departed.
I started to get nosey, and speculated on the purpose of the visits. Rahim was rather effusive in conversations, always looking for lively discussions on politics. He was a vocal supporter of the WPA. So, I came to a rash conclusion that he and Walter were talking politics or that Rahim was doing research for him! I also was concerned as to why Walter openly drove and parked on the roadside in full view of all without any safeguard or bodyguard knowing his high profile and anti-government stance. Later I learned that he was contacting Rahim’s wife Annette who was doing typing for him: A History of the Guyanese Working People, which was published posthumously. Rahim sadly passed away in the prime of his life; his wife lives in Canada.
In March 1980, on the day of Phagwah in Guyana a few individuals were “playing” Phagwah under my house – with abeer and powder. There was simple fun and frolicking especially among the women and children. In walked Walter Rodney through the driveway. Everyone looked at him with some surprise and amazement. And the ladies moved towards him for an attack with abeer and powder. Walter surrendered but begged to be saved. He was just adorned with powder on his face which exposed a admixture of a smile and panic, with appreciation. That was the last time I saw Walter Rodney, and that scene is imprinted in my memory. For many years now, I have five pictures on the wall facing my desk – Mahatma Gandhi, Cheddi Jagan, Martin Luther King Jr, Nelson Mandela and Walter Rodney – as a constant reminder for moral reinforcement. Walter Rodney – a real Guyana hero. Please keep him alive!
Sincerely,
Gary Girdhari
