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Harry’s harengiform and Harry’s harengula

Feb 16, 2011 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

In the February 15 edition of this newspaper, there are commentaries by Harry Gill of the USA and Harry Hergash of Canada, on some of my thoughts as they relate to what I wrote about their political positions on the PPP’s governance. Let me start with Harry Gill’s harengiform. But let us get out of the way, the reason behind my three-time use of the word, “bennettitaceous.”

It is a term lifted from a branch of biological science and applied by me to the style of governance of Mr. Jagdeo. I will explain what it means after Mr. Jagdeo demits office.

Donald Ramotar once asked me in a letter to KN about six years ago what I meant by the “poetic essence of history.” I didn’t answer then. I did last week in one of my pieces.

On Monday,  an emissary of one of Guyana’s little dictators asked me what meaning I was trying to convey in my column last Saturday on Gail Teixeira when in my caption were the words; “Orpheus Descending.” If the PPP loses the 2011 election, I will describe what that phrase means. Back to Harry Gill.

Mr. Gill didn’t change his position at all from his previous viewpoint – the PPP has chalked up some achievements and looks set to win the election and the new AFC is too green to want to get into power.

To describe his feeling, he used the analogy of a story in a book about a ship and its crew. But he read an ancient, fossilised edition. Maybe he didn’t know there is a brand new 21st century edition that is out. For the readers’ sake let me repeat Harry’s rendition of the ancient volume.

The British gave the PNC a ship to sail around the world. By the time they chalked up some miles around the world, they ran aground. Everything was lost. The Americans came, gave the same ship to the PPP. They fared better although they didn’t achieve brilliance in their captaincy. The patrons of the PPP have agreed to let the PPP continue to sail around the world.

That is the first edition that was printed long before Plato wrote “The Republic”, thousands of years ago. Here is the modern print. The British gave the PNC the ship. While on the waters, the PNC indulged in reckless sailing. They asked the British then the Americans for more money which was refused. Disaster struck. But the ship got stuck also because the PPP mined some of the harbours.

Up came the Americans and gave the structure over to the PPP. Generosity not known by the previous PNC captains, was overflowing. The PPP captains had so much money that it almost sank the boat. After reaching two ports, the PPP radioed the Americans and requested more money.

The Americans reacted with shock. The money was supposed to carry them around the world but the PPP only made it to two ports. The Americans demanded to know where the money went to. No PPP captain could answer but the Americans believed that when the first stop was made all the money was sent to Switzerland, so there was nothing left to buy ration and other things.

The PPP pulled off again, but before the ship could reach the third port, it ran aground. The British returned with the Canadians this time and informed the Americans that it would not be a bad idea to let the AFC be given a chance, but with a definite preference for a broad-based coalition that includes new PNC elements, people like Mark Benschop, civil society leaders like Christopher Ram and Stanley Ming.

Sorry Harry! You read too many old books. You must remember that there is always newer stuff that goes into later editions. Later I will tell you in what context I used the word, “harengiform.”

Finally, Harry Hergash’s herengula. He informs me that over 18 years now he has helped the University of Guyana instead of maligning it. By the use of the term “malign”, he is referring to my 25 years of critical viewpoints on the sad decline of UG.

If in doing that I maligned UG, then I am in the company of hundreds of illustrious Guyanese citizens who have patriotically lamented the tragedy that UG has become.

For Mr. Hergash’s information, President Jagdeo in declaring open the Centre of Technology at UG,   referred to the labs at UG as “atrocious.” Don’t take my word for it, Hergash, check the newspapers at the time.

Frankly, Hergash, I don’t believe you gave a single cent to UG.

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