What will be the fate of Dr Harding?

Feb 19, 2012 Letters

---

 

 

Dear Editor,
A lot has changed in our culture from the earlier days when a woman was treated like a glorified maid by most Guyanese men. The days when the emphasis on educating a child was given to boys, and girls were encouraged to get married early in their teens. I feel blessed that my only daughter who, at the tender age of 21, received her Masters Degree in Criminal Justice Leadership with a perfect GPA of 4.0, did not have to endure this righteous indignation that some women still suffer.
Much has changed, but a lot more needs to be done before Guyanese women are treated as equals to their male counterparts. Despite the obvious disadvantage, a few have distinguished themselves as the pioneers of women’s struggle in Guyana. These include: Winifred Gaskin, Viola Burnham, Patricia Benn, Thelma Reece, Janet Jagan, Shirley Field Ridley, Philomena Sahoye and Indranie Chandarpal amoung others.
The baton has now been passed on to Priya Manickchand, Carolyn Rodrigues, Gail Teixeira and Dr. Faith Harding.  Although credit must be given to the PNC government under Forbes Burnham, that implemented social programmes to develop women in the workforce, it was not until the Jagdeo Administration, that real reforms with teeth were enforced to protect the rights of women.
More men are being prosecuted for domestic violence, and more women are now empowered and emboldened to demand their rightful place in society. Some political leaders give the impression that they will champion the rights of women, but when the elections are over, well, that’s a different story. But when your name is Faith Harding, and you hold an impressive resume with a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Teaching, a Master’s degree in Education and a Doctorate degree in Education, you don’t take crap from anyone.
After being a member of the PNCR Central Executive for over 25 years, Dr. Faith Harding recently resigned from that body, but remains a member of the Party she has served faithfully for over 40 years.
Why did this happen and what will be the fate of Harding? I guess we’ll know as events unfold in the days to come. But one thing is certain, she will not disappear. According to Dr. Harding, “I have been working in several communities throughout the year. I’ve launched the Quick Impact Programme in June 2011 bringing relief to several communities around our country, placing our unemployed in jobs, at least 20 per month. Placed 20 already for this month. Feeding and clothing hundreds of people; teaching hundreds of children about saving and starting them off with savings banks; taking HIV/AIDS testing and counseling to the communities from Corriverton to Long Creek. I am facilitating the Corriverton Community to begin poultry farming with 26,000 chickens and preparation for a day care centre. Long Creek Women’s Farmers Group is preparing their land for a huge production of Sorrel for the China Market and host of other activities.”
Citing both David Granger and Robert Corbin as the two culprits responsible for her quitting, “Dr. Harding is of the view that the party is opposed to vibrant and dynamic women, and will continue to side-line women who express an interest in taking up key leadership roles in the party. Asked about her views on A Partnership for National Unity, she said she is yet to see the partnership realising the issues affecting citizens and work toward addressing those.
She said that it is the PNCR’s attitude that has left Guyana without women leaders, because they have made progressive, experienced and dynamic women disappear.” (Guyana Chronicle Feb. 14). And in a damning admission, she declared that the members of the PNCR Central Executive Committee, “no longer have the passion, interest and well-being of the party, its members and supporters at heart.” The primaries to elect the PNCR Presidential candidate was just “a pappy show”. She explained that while this was in progress, members of the Central Executive were shamelessly guilty of breaching Party protocol: Using party resources, both human and otherwise, to aid the campaign of retired Brigadier David Granger despite other candidates in the race; providing Party vehicles and PR personnel to cover Granger’s activities when the same was not afforded the other candidates; the blatant and biased support for the Granger candidacy over the others by the Leader of the PNCR, Robert Corbin; and distributing David Granger t-shirts and other paraphernalia in the Congress, under the collective nose of the leader and other executive members on the day elections were held to determine the PNCR Presidential candidate. This she said, “was the most glaring and absurd charade by the executive.”
Kaieteur News, June 23: “Brigadier Granger has said that his first preference would be a woman, and that is not only good politics but it would be good for the nation.” But as Dr. Harding puts it, “David Granger is a stranger to the truth”.
In a previous letter, I warned that David Granger was just window dressing for Robert Corbin, and predicted the PNCR had no hope of winning the general election as long as Corbin remains leader of that party, and continues to dictate its policies. I was proven right.
Dr. Harding is not the only one to be side-lined by Granger and Corbin, another Party stalwart and former PNCR Parliamentarian Judith David-Blair of Bartica, resigned from the Party all together. She wants nothing to do with politics now.
Hard-working Aubrey Norton and Mervyn Williams have both been victimized by Corbin and Granger, and were denied much deserved seats in Parliament. They may well be on their way out. It would appear that all those who supported the late Winston Murray to rid the PNCR leadership of Corbin’s iron grip, have paid a heavy price.
Seems like the more things change, the more they remain the same.
Harry Gill

---

---