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Historical body reviews history, politics, environment

Jun 27, 2010 News

History and the Environment was the theme yesterday as the Guyana Institute of Historical Research staged its third annual conference.
Held at the National Library Conference Room, the four panel discussions and opening ceremony spanned the entire day. More than a dozen presenters took to the microphone and expounded on four very distinct subject areas in the context of the theme.
Those presenting did not include the speakers at the opening ceremony, among whom was the historian Mr. Hugh ‘Tommy’ Payne.
Payne, who gave an overview of what to expect from the conference spoke of the link between history and the environment, pointing out the relevance of history in all of the frames that were being considered.
He spoke of educational models and the changes in attitude and mentality of students over the years, as well as the need to balance the rights of the child against the retention of certain societal values that are fast disappearing.
From the perspective of the physical environment it was pointed out that what are considered contemporary issues now – such as global warming will in another decade or two be a standard inclusion in the average historian’s work, considering the impact climate change is having and will have on the world.
Because the government plays such a large part in shaping the course of a country, Payne noted that it was imperative that the administrative bodies of the country be looked at as well.
And there was a study of the arts – specifically architecture and writings of a number of prominent Guyanese such as Dr. Walter Rodney and Edgar Mittelholzer.
The Guyana Institute of Historical Research is a non-governmental organisation to do research, to educate, to disseminate information and to publish.
Mrs. Juliet Persico discussed the History of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) with reference to Guyana. She pointed out that the Council was set up as an indigenous body to replace the British Examination Boards in the post-colonial days.
Formally inaugurated in January 1973, the Council which offered five subjects that year now offers thirty three subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Certificate Examinations (CSEC) Level.
There was Mr. Frederick Kissoon who spoke on Bharrat Jagdeo and Politics and Dr. Melissa Ifill who discussed the PWC/UF Coalition in Pre-Independent Guyana.
The final presenter on this panel was Mr. Ronald Austin who spoke on Desmond Hoyte and Economic Development while the chair person of the panel was Dr. Thomas Singh.
In his presentation, Mr. Frederick Kissoon posited that “Guyana’s modern politics has been plagued by the manipulation of its ethnic diversity by political leaders obsessed with the pursuit of absolute power”.
He surmised that both Dr Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham used racial manipulation (not to be confused with ideological racism) as a means of furthering their agendas.
“They did not, like President Bharrat Jagdeo, use ideological racism as a tool of political preservation”.
Kissoon contended that Jagdeo “is not prepared to accept that the state has to give due recognition to different ethnic communities and place resources at their disposal.”
The final panel included a presentation by Lennox Hernandez who discussed, ‘Architecture and the Colonial Guyanese Environment’ and Mr. Petamber Persaud who spoke on ‘The writings of Colonial Guyanese Literature with specific reference to Edgar Mittelholzer’.
The final presenter for that panel was Ms. Andaiye, who spoke on ‘The writings of Walter Rodney with specific reference to Guyana.’
There was also a fourth panel that actually focused specifically on the Environment. The chair of this panel was Dr. Randy Persaud and the presenters included Dr. David Singh who spoke on Sustainable Development and Ms. Denise Simmons who spoke on Environmental Studies at the Tertiary level.
The final presenter of this panel was Mr. James Singh, who discussed Sustainable Forest Management and Conservation.

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