Dear Editor
I had taken a moment from my office at the Regional Democratic Council to sit outside Hoppy’s shop which was popularly known as Linden Parliament. I was relatively young; somewhere in my early twenties. I was District Development Officer of Region 10 and also President of 21st Century Youth Movement of Guyana, an autonomous youth group at Linden. My responsibility as DDO was to serve Ituni and the riverain communities in the Berbice River; from Hururu to Develdt. I did not have responsibility for Kwakwani.
It was the midday hour and I sat alone outside Hoppy’s nursing on a cold Malta. George Marshall approached. He was a tall man somewhere in his late sixties. He had slightly bowed legs and walked with an almost invisible limp but it was George’s personality that highlighted the good human being he was. He stood before with the warmth of a smile that equalled the midafternoon Linden sun. I stood up respectfully and asked what he would like to drink. “I will have what you’re having, young tiger.” He said as sat down on the white plastic chair next to mine. I returned with his drink and we sat there looking at the people and vehicles passing. We were silent for an endless minute before he uttered his advice to me.
It was during the period Jagdeo had asked, through Odinga Lumumba, for my youth organisation to help mobilise and organise young people in Region 10 to benefit from the President’s Youth Choice Initiative. Jagdeo had just become president and was welcomed as a young president by youths across Guyana. He had no political baggage and was a breath of fresh air in the tribal politics that obtained. Though I was a card bearing member of the PNC, the youth movement was not affiliated to any political party. I accepted to help but made it clear to Lumumba that I was not helping because I supported the PPP. Behind my back, PNC officials led by Sandra Adams and a few others had started a quiet smear campaign. They never confronted or asked me anything because they felt as a PNC supporter I had committed a cardinal sin. The mesh cap syndrome kicked in and I had no plan to prostrate flat on my face and swore allegiance to a party I chose as my own because of my love and admiration for Burnham.
I carry two things in my soul that comfort me to this day; I did not help with the Youth Choice Initiative and I was never a supporter of the PPP or took a penny from them. I was young and fiery and had the ability to express myself in speech and in print. I was contributing articles to our national newspapers long before that situation arose. I guess that’s why Sandra and her mesh cap squad couldn’t confront me. George spoke without looking at me. We were still gazing at the traffic when he said with conviction and in a most understanding way. “Browne, I know you are not with those people but perception can become fact to those who want it to be; what they are doing to you is wrong. Burnham would have dealt with this differently. You have the potential to be one of our best ever.”
George, I was told, was a Member of Parliament during Burnham’s time. He continued, “They are not speaking nicely about you but I know where your heart is…” I stopped him before he could finish. I replied, “George, I have no one to convince where my heart and allegiance is; George said something to me that I will never forget. He said the PPP will never do good by those who support the PNC and the people that look like us. He said their history is a pendulum that swings to the future with the worst to be visited upon us by them. Today, when I got the news of his passing, I did not even realise tears began to roll down my face. In every thousand people we meet along life’s road, we would be lucky to find one George Marshall. You sleep well, great and humble man. I will salute you as long as I live and I am happy to say I will never sellout or give up the fight. Walk tall, George because the good spirits are walking with you.
Sincerely,
Norman Browne
Social and Political Activist