Fellow Citizens.
It is time we take issues with the Indo thing –the Afro
thing – and the Amerind thing. Governments
we’ve had, failed miserably in taking the country in the direction of
Nationalism –the pride of belonging to a country. Every government fostered their
relationship with the citizens as communities within a community. Be it race or
religion. They played the game of quiet division – priding themselves with
photo opportunities giving meager handouts – house lots, boat, gifts for cultural
events, etc, etc, etc,. The citizens of this country own all the lands and all
the resources on it.
Why must we grovel for what is ours?
Guyanese of every race whether at home or abroad would say,
“If only the people could see beyond race, Guyana could be a paradise to live
in.” One would believe that we never in our life or history ever transcend
racism. But we have. Seldom, but we have for moments forgotten our racism. Think of the times at Bourda, where together,
we cheered our cricketing heroes throughout the decades when the scourge of
divisional politics came upon us. Similar to the curses of Pandora’s Chest.
In this decade, think of the times when Shivnarine
Chandrapaul - at the wicket with his bat. Strokes and blows to the leather
chasing a century at a fast pace. The crowds roar with excitement, swept away
in the magic of the moment. Everyone at the stadium, television or radio knows,
that’s a Guyanese on glory’s trail. The proud moment exclaimed in chants of his
name. Not, “Shivnarine Chandrapaul”, instead it is “Chanders”. A name coined by
all races of Guyana for their cricketing hero.
For an on-looker, familiar with the reasons of our
hatefulness, moistness must come to his or her eyes. Not so much for Chanders’
glory, but to actually see our countrymen and women, for a brief moment forget
about their difference.
I want to capture that moment with you. I want to get you to
listen to the promise of the future - a glorious future of a better standard of
living. And a just society.
I call on all who want to voice, but are quiet. I call on
all those who have religiously written in the letter columns of the newsprint –
GHK Lall, Leon Suseran, Maxwell, Kissoon, Chris Ram, Golsarran and the many
others who have etched their pains, sorrows and dismays with ink on paper. I
have read many of my countrymen comments over decades. I call on Tacuma Ogunseye.
I call on ACDA. Mr. Norton you cannot be
idle. Karen De Souza and Clarissa Reihl your previous efforts must not be
discounted in a movement that seeks a unified opposition. Many of you have been
there in the past. Clinton Urling and the Blue Caps movement. The women whose
works are beneficial to the abused in our society. Your desires for a better
country that cares.
It is time again.
Our country needs a turning back. It has been heading the
wrong way since 1953.
I am extending my hand to you, I ask you to take it. When
you take it, I will not walk ahead of you. I shall join your ranks. Side by
side we will walk – together we will forge our future. And you will be an
active part of it. It is not impossible
for such an effort.
And the deliverer of
the Israelites enquired from God and He answered, “Is there anything too hard
for Me to do.”
We cannot escape the Racism that exists in this country. And
to say, it is not there, is to fool one self. In particular, we have Guyanese
who write continually on the marginalization of Afro-Guyanese. At the current
trend, I cannot predict when this nation will be able to embrace itself with
the races of people we proudly say we have in our midst. But we must do what we
must do to develop a country for all. We
have seen political parties that have trampled on the civil rights of ethnic
groups in our history. And we never know when again such men would come out of
the woodwork and receive approval of their constituents.
If you have no political affiliations or disillusioned with
the current state of this country or you have abandoned a current political
party because of indifference to its leadership. This is an invitation to you.
This is a call to every Guyanese.
At no time in our history has this country been so ready for
a change. Our representatives still toy with communism, socialism and cronyism
or whatever suits their fancies. Failing miserably at providing a system of
government that do good for the citizens. Instead of speaking to the needs of
the citizens, these Guyanese international speakers glorify the achievements of
other nations-not realizing that it was men and women with vision that charted
the rise of such countries. In Guyana, our government on all occasions do
everything possible to drown out the voices of citizens who want to make their
country a better place. Perhaps, it is only lip service they peddle at home and
abroad.
Two question needs to be asked. Is there anyone coming to
rescue Guyana from the sixty four years of divisional and opportunistic politics?
The other question. Will you the multitude of impoverished citizens be willing
to change from the inside? Setting aside physical appearance. Choosing the
correct path for a country that you will leave behind for your children and the
children yet to come after you have departed this life. Our lives are
interwoven, yet as Guyanese we live as communities within a community. It is
the culture we fashioned for ourselves and culture is in the mind. When the mind is changed, then the culture
will change.
This is your moment to stop the wholesale giving away of
your inheritance. Our own takes advantage of our indifferences.
Choose well.
For we are a people given the blessed inheritance of fertile
ground- rich with minerals, vast forests and water ways teeming with life. Our
forefathers had arrived here by different boats from continents and cultures we
can only read about. But today, we are all in this boat we proudly call Guyana -
the same boat. Unknowingly, a unique culture was fashioned for us and every
verse of our National Anthem reminds us of it. The colours on our national flag
display our diversity.
And from time to time, we are told by those who govern us,
we are One People, One Nation with One Destiny. Those who say so, have not
demonstrated the true meaning of those words. As an impoverished people, you
are busy trying to survive in a country that cares less about poverty and
caring of the aged. Lacking the desires of offering a better standard of living
to the citizens.
For five of the races - our presence on this land is fairly
recent in comparison to the Native People-first to arrive out of the Old World
into this New World. Living uninterrupted for thousands of years before
adventurous Europeans imposed themselves among them. Later, Gold, Greed and God
mingled in their midst-inflicting severe hardships for those who were brought
here from West Africa, The Azores, China, Calcutta, Madras and Bombay.
As a nation, you overcame adversities by conscientious
action-Slave Rebellions, Emancipation, Labour Unrest, Independence and many
more trials.
Political Independence was never about the end of
adversities - instead of foreign, we now have to contend with our own homebred
elites.
So, my fellow countrymen.
This is just another adversity we have to overcome. Remove
an old political system riddled with careless and doan care individuals.
Once, not so many years ago I boarded a flight out of Timehri.
Thirty thousand feet in the air, I opened the BWIA magazine. There, I read of a
man who lived in England that had travelled the Hinterlands of British Guiana.
I did not read twice. For it is true for every Guyanese, no matter where we
live. I would learn the meaning of the Amerindian word “Timehri”-the mark of
the hand. The writer reflected on the drawings etched into the rocks, depicting
the way of life of the native people of Guiana. Our history is incomplete
without theirs - for they have treasured these lands for thousands of years.
They are not a culture. They are a civilization.
The writer continued, “For the produce of the ground
(Guyana) nourished my body and my thirst quenched by its streams.”
Reflections on that article caused me to be grateful for
growing up in Guyana.
I remembered the countless individuals of my village, they
were role models with encouraging words.
Many gone from this life.
I cannot drown that article out of my head. Neither can I
surrender the goodness and kindness of those who have invested in me and others
like me in the multitudes of village that make up Guyana. That was a time in
Guyana when we had something of value.
It is time to care again.
Sincerely,
Velutha Kuttapen.
www.timehritoday.blogspot.com
