No one enjoys “badmouthing” one's country
Freddie on Monday
Kaieteur News
January 3, 2005
I ran into Mrs. Chamalee Rohee, wife of Minister Rohee, in one of the city supermarkets yesterday. She said that she hadn't seen me for a long time. I told her that the reason for that was ironic, in that I keep away from the limelight. I saw the puzzled smile on her face when I said that.
I explained that while I am in the public's eye because I appear almost daily in the Kaieteur News, I do in fact keep away from the limelight.
But though I want to avoid eyes being on me, I want to write more this year. Maybe, I should fill in those two days when I do not write for the Kaieteur News. There is so much to expose in this little, underdeveloped country; so much to write about in the hope that Guyana changes for the better.
I cannot speak for other people, but for me as an analyst, I am living out a daily battle in my mind. I am caught between two emotions – conscience and patriotism.
I love Guyana . It gave me birth. It gave birth to the two most important persons in my life – my daughter and my wife. But not only that, I have been shaped philosophically by many Guyanese who are my heroes. Some of my dearest friends are living right now in Guyana . Guyana then means the world to me.
But nationalism must not replace conscience. I am driven as a human being by my conscience. Why should I remain oblivious to the unacceptable, social dimensions of Guyana ? And believe me, these persistent social maladies need to be constantly reflected on.
No one likes to “badmouth” one's country. But silence can be dangerous. Silence can lead to destruction. Silence changes nothing. In 2005, I will let my conscience be my guide. I will write even more, and I will highlight the political and social ills of this nation that the people of this land do not deserve to live with. Some things are just hard to take in Guyana , and we must write about them.
I am about to point out to you one sickening manifestation of a country gone wrong. Tell me if one is “badmouthing” one's country or if what I am doing is not following my conscience.
Two months ago, I saw a metal waste basket that is bolted down on the seawall parapet thrown down, maybe by someone, or it fell on its own. This is right opposite the Bel Air Texaco gas station on the East Coast Demerara highway. All the rubbish and plastic bottles were strewn on the grass. It formed a miserable and dirty sight.
I saw this in early November. I wrote about this in one of my columns in that very month. Yet that horrible sight at one of the most frequented tourist sites in Georgetown is still there. New Year's night I was on the seawall, and I saw many tourists strolling on this part of the wall. This is a popular venue for people who visit this country.
Yesterday, very early in the morning, my wife and I went driving. I stopped at this dastardly spot and told my wife that we should pick up the rubbish. She agreed but thought it best we should use gloves. I didn't have gloves in the car.
I ask you in all sincerity, is this not a large indication that Guyana is facing disintegration? This is where one will be accused of “badmouthing” one's country. You are told when you do this, the younger folks will read what you say and will want to leave. But it comes down to a choice of conscience or patriotism.
I have chosen conscience. And I will continue to let my writings be dominated by conscience.
In 1995, when my contract came up for renewal at UG, it was not extended. My employment was terminated. In discussing my dismissal, the then acting Vice-Chancellor, in arguing for my dismissal, cited my criticism, which was carried in the media, of the lack of resources in the law programmes. The University at the time was fighting desperately for UWI to accredit its own law programme.
But why should I have put patriotism in front of principles when I knew in my own heart that the University did not have the resources to start its own programme. To support that fiction was a vile act of indecency.
So what happened? The UWI personnel came down and insisted that UG must have a separate building for law and that the Commonwealth Law Reports must be subscribed to and be placed in the library among things that must be done. UG has since complied. Silence and patriotism would not have achieved this. Quite often, parents would come up to me and say that based on my critiques of UG, they aren't going to send their kids to UG to study science subjects and technology.
My conscience would never allow me to mislead these folks. I knew UG had no properly functioning labs, but then I became friends with two Canada-based scientists teaching at UG, Drs. Daljeet and Beharry. They took me into the science faculty and showed me the non-existent laboratories. I was heart-broken.
My wife is a chemical engineer. She studied at a university that was a block away from mine. Many times I went to visit her while she was in the lab. So I know what a lab is. UG has no functioning labs in the science and technology faculties. Dr. Daljeet, Dr Beharry and I went public with our criticism. The President joined us and used the word “atrocious” to describe laboratory conditions at UG.
His government then asked the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for US$3 million to instal labs at UG. Sadly the CDB said it will only give that sum for lower not higher education in Guyana . Shall I pretend out of nationalism that UG has working labs, knowing fully well that the students in bio-chemistry and micro-biology do not do lab work? If one does that, then where does that leave one's conscience?
So what is my role in 2005? Should my Kaieteur News columns become bastions of nationalist protection and receptacles of over-flowing patriotism? The answer is no. I will cite what is good about my country, and I will lead readers into pathways where pitfalls await them in the hope that these cul-de-sacs are removed.
The eye-sore on the Bel Air seawall tells a sad story.
One is forced is ask the question, “Who is in charge?” How could a fallen steel basket of stench occupy a part of the Bel Air seawall for two months and is still there at the beginning of a new year, yet there is a government in this country with a Minister whose portfolio takes in the environment, and a Minister whose jurisdiction takes in tourism. Not to mention that the Bel Air area has a functioning Neighbourhood Democratic Council.
So is this article here a piece of “badmouthing?” If the answer is yes, then do you accept that permanent stench on the Bel Air seawall?