David Hinds urges Buxton towards self-emancipation
GDF summer camp closes
Stabroek News
July 31, 2002
With Emancipation Day just days away one black community leader yesterday urged Afro-Guyanese to exhibit the dignity of the race and not perpetuate evil.
David Hinds, an assistant professor in Political Science and Caribbean Studies at the Arizona State University in the United States, was born in the now troubled village of Buxton. When he was called upon to deliver the feature address at yesterday's closing ceremony for the Guyana
Defence Force (GDF) Summer Camp, he spared no criticism.
"We have been guilty, in this community, of some racial atrocities. It is shameful and it ought not to be condoned... your dignity as African children can only be upheld when you respect the dignity of Indian children and Amerindian children and children of all other races," Hinds posited to resounding applause.
Dissemination of the message depends on the few villagers who turned out for the midmorning ceremony at the community centre on the Friendship Middle Walk, East Coast Demerara.
Hinds stressed, too, that beating and otherwise assaulting people because of their race was evil. "Evilness has never been one of the talents of Buxton and those who have invited it here, I want to say a resounding `No!' to it. Because when you invite evil on other people, you yourself become evil... I want that message to sink in very clearly."
The audience comprised mainly of very young Afro-Guyanese and, despite the broiling sun, they remained engrossed. Much promise was evident on the multitude of faces as the children of Buxton-Friendship sat on the front lawn of the community centre and listened to their mentor.
"[Tomorrow] will be a historic landmark - Emancipation from slavery. I want to say that as African people, we are a people of dignity, a people of a dignified history. Let us be drawn together by a commitment, a commitment to invoke that which is most glorious in us."
He challenged the organisers, parents and members of international community to make Summer Camp 2002 the beginning of that process. "Buxton, like most other villages, is a product of an impoverished past (and I am speaking here economically) and the best way to fight poverty is through education and jobs. I want to challenge the [Guyana] Defence Force... the representatives of the government and the state [and] the international community to let this be the beginning of a long walk. The young people have demonstrated their capacity to step up to the plate if given the opportunity and, therefore, I urge you to consider committing resources to this village and other similar villages so that our people can begin to lift themselves and engage in self-emancipation."
According to Hinds, who is a member of the Committee for the Improvement of Buxton in the United States, people must strive for their own development and not depend on any political party.
"Never has a political party developed people. It has never happened in the world and it will not happen in Guyana. Political parties have a particular function in the society. Some of them do it well and some of them don't do it so well. But we the people have a duty to ensure our security... We have got to eat, have shelter, educate our children - that is the primary tasks of citizens. We have to defend ourselves against negative influences and nobody is going to do it but the community involved," said Hinds.
There have been complaints that the village was neglected; that there are hardly any opportunities for skills training and not enough is being done to secure jobs for the youths. But Hinds yesterday stated firmly: "Yes, we need help. Buxton needs help. But Buxton must demonstrate that it is worthy of help. We need a high school in this village. This village used to be home to three high schools and today it does not have one. Buxton was the centre of education in this country. We need a skills training school so that our young people can be trained in modern skills so that they can be part of what is now known as the modern economy.
"We need jobs. We need young people to be engaged in small business activities."
To the army, he appealed: "Don't leave us here today and come back when there is another crisis. Help us to realise our civic duty and our civic responsibility. Please, give Buxton some help and assistance so that we can realise our potential once again."