…the Republic
Distinguished professor of history Dr Clem Seecharan, in his lecture commemorating our attainment of Republican status, advised we mustn’t sweep the discussion of relations between the different races/ethnic groups under the carpet. We couldn’t agree more. But it’s just as important not to encourage the discussants to gratuitously inject divisive elements into the conversation.
We must use the discussion to encourage a common destiny and head off fissioning, such as unfolding in the Ukraine right now. This thought was prompted by a letter from a member of “The Cuffy 250 Committee”. They rightfully declared that Cuffy and his band of rebels launched the struggle that culminated in the independence of our country.
But while declaring that Cuffy’s actions form a legacy for all Guyanese, they then specifically appropriated it for one section of our society: “The 1763 Revolt must become a constant symbol of resistance and overcoming in the hands and collective mind of African Guyanese.” To ensure there’s no doubt as to where they are coming from (or going to) they then connected Cuffy’s struggle with that of the “African” protesters at Linden in 2012.
Now tell me in God’s name – how the heck can we ever get Cuffy to be a hero for all Guyanese when groups like this one, insist on expropriating it for one section? If our problem is that people keep talking about “me and you” rather than “us”, surely this exclusive thinking encourages division.
The next thing we might hear is that since Berbice was a separate colony back in the days of Cuffy, he’s only an African Berbician hero. Or even more divisive by going “tribal” – that Cuffy was an Akan African Berbician hero.
As we try to get our Republic on its feet, it’s disheartening that the political leaders don’t condemn this kind of divisive thinking. Because it was their fraternity that turned our diversity from an asset into a liability. Burnham wanted votes and interpreted every PPP action through “racial lens” to build his “constituents” after 1955. While your Eyewitness is no slavish follower of Marx, at least Jagan and later Rodney attempted to look through other lenses in interpreting our history.
Anyhow, we hope that our citizens have seen through the futility of this kind of blinkered thinking.
…the Judiciary
The opposition’s been stridently attacking the Judiciary ever since the last election. It does not take a rocket scientist to see the correlation between the stridency of their attacks and the decisions by the courts against their high handed moves to take over the functions of the Executive.
They’ve been bleating that the judges are sucking up to the government because the top guns are only “acting” so they’re scared stiff they won’t be confirmed if they go against the government. The opposition’s point being that the mouth is muzzled by the hands that feed it – and all that. If the said judges were to be confirmed, they’d be independent – and presumably, all judgements would go the way of the opposition.
So imagine our surprise when the government decided to confirm the acting Jurists – and the opposition balked! It was obvious that the latter worthies just want to keep their cauldron boiling. This truth became even starker when it was just revealed that the opposition parties haven’t been consulting with the President to appoint one member of the Judicial Service Commission – which appoints the judges – nor two other JSC members via their control of the National Assembly.
O Judgement! Thou are fled to brutish breasts!
…the bar
One partisan of Llewelyn John outlined his many qualifications for appointment as Senior Counsel. He neglected to mention as Home Affairs Minister and responsible for elections, John was complicit in Burnham’s first, seminal rigging.