Dear Editor,
When I first entered the political arena in 1953, a popular love song ‘Little things mean a lot’ was composed and made popular in 1954. Today, seven decades on that sentiment remains valid. Every citizen of Guyana should ingest this philosophy and in whatever way we can, accept that little things mean a lot. In Guyana today, certain little things by themselves added to other things constitute a threat to many values and morals we have cherished over the years. Old and young must agitate against those pernicious little things that can compromise the dreams and aspirations of each and everyone of us for love, plenty, peace and liberation. Mr. President and people, we seek your forbearance, just a few little things that mean a lot.
The resignation of Mr. Ivor Thom, Director of Burrowes School of Art, one of our enduring cultural personalities. A school named after a cultural icon E.R. Burrowes. The Director’s resignation stemmed from an incident where a person parked his car in the parking bay, used by the Director for several years. When spoken to, the person’s retort to the Director was “the trouble in Guyana is you black people.” Mr. Thom was then summoned by Minister Ramson, Youth, Sports and Culture. After waiting in the Minister’s office for sometime, the abovementioned incident was discussed. Two things emerged (a) The Minister was concerned that the gentleman was asked not to park in the parking spot of Director Thom, and (b) Mr. Ramson failed to address the above mentioned scurrilous racist statement.
Mr. Thom, an artist, patriot and wedded to ancestral piety returned to his office and dispatched a letter offering his resignation. This action, some may deem hasty or impetuous, but here you have one who has served for years, in the cultural development of our Republic and on the other hand, the Minister charged with the responsibility of advancing cultural development in Guyana, meaning doing things necessary for the fusion of the different and varying strands of our cultural experiences and based on our history, the important assignment of creating an environment of tolerance, understanding and respect for and among our identified six races and the various religious beliefs and practices. So the Minister ignoring of Mr. Thom’s complaint, as he did, sent a statement that is worrisome.
Second, equally worrisome is the statement or was it a dictum that the Vice President took upon himself with imperial-like dictum to say that all advertisements, public and private to Kaieteur News, should be withdrawn because he alleges that its publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall has now entered the political arena. Three cheers for democracy, three cheers for freedom, three cheers for the essence of our Constitution which the President and all of his subordinates have promised to uphold. This is why useful and perhaps necessary as it may be, to examine the provisions of our Constitution, what is vital is our churches, our mosques, our temples, our institutions of learning to produce a cadre of persons who know the difference between right and wrong or of a solid moral fibre to do the right thing at all times. And where all Members of Parliament and Ministers be true to the oath they swore to on taking office.
Further, we need to be reminded that the Creator has blessed us with an abundance of minerals, fertile soil, no natural disasters, like hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and now an abundance of oil and gas. The great tragedy is that the PPP’s person in charge of that sector is failing this and therefore succeeding generations from obtaining the optimum benefit for reasons that are beyond understanding. Unhappily, human history has shown that if we allow men to fritter away our blessings, we’ll end up being cursed. Little things mean a lot. Finally, our system of Government requires meaningful consultation, the Parliament being a forum, not for abuse but for the exchange of views and the implementation of ideas emerging out of healthy and meaningful debate. Our young people in our institutions of learning must carefully examine these issues and act so that we are truly liberated.
In a country we are familiar with, the USA, one hundred years ago, this month, Oklahoma used martial law against the racist KKK. One hundred years on, there are still remnants of the intolerance and deep racism, which still affect the US. We must learn earlier events and be careful not to be misled by the appearance of a handful of iconoclasts who can lead us down the rocky road of disaster if for whatever reason so many of us are afraid to speak up and commit the crime of silence instead of being vocal. Little things mean a lot. Citizens of Guyana, there is great secrecy surrounding the youths of billions collected daily in oil and gas and we are borrowing millions, unnecessary but will be a burden on succeeding generations.
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
Elder
