What deals or promises were made to Dr. Carrington?

Feb 20, 2012 Letters

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Dear Editor,
One thinks that in this age of enlightenment, the major political leaders (e.g., PNC and PPP) of Guyana like the populace would embrace higher education and the benefits which accrue from such endeavors.
The sad reality is that the political leaders of Guyana have no overall vision of where they are taking this country and its people, consequently they have no idea where they are going and have no idea what they are doing or should be doing. No destination and paths have been articulated by the ruling elite or the opposition members. Professional help and advice are only taken from party hacks or affiliates. Despite our vaunted academic and professional successes overseas we are clueless in Guyana.
One of the questions that I asked on my return (2001) to Guyana was: What are the goals of this government for national development and what are the strategies to achieve these goals, etc.? I was told that the master plan and goals for science, research and development etc. are in President Jagdeo’s head. I was informed that people do not ask questions here, and one of the problems with ‘you foreigners’ are that you ask too many unwelcome questions. I guess the invitation by Dr. C. B. Jagan for qualified Guyanese to return was for subservient persons only.
The PPP employed Dr. James Rose as its man on the job to deal with the possible and potential threats that a vibrant University community may present.  President Jagdeo dealt with the situation by putting Dr. Rose, an ‘Afro-Guyanese’ in charge. It was obvious that this person was no serious academic or visionary which is what the country needed then and now. The UG’s Deans, faculty and PNC politicians rallied around this ‘brother’ of theirs. The most important qualification was that he was from their cultural heritage. They all stood by and watched the mistreatment of Guyanese students irrespective of their cultural identities.
One of the UG’s students first pointed out to me that we have PNC parliamentarians on campus but they are just ‘robed clowns,’ and cared not for the students but about the little perks and privileges they get from being regarded as an academic in Guyana.
President Jagdeo also shrewdly put “Afro-Guyanese’ faces to his Govt. – Dr. Luncheon as Chief of Staff of the Office of the President, and Mr. Sam Hinds as Prime Minister. Despite whatever these gentlemen do (or failed to do), there are no racial criticisms of their actions by their ‘brothers’ in the PNC.
It is kind of pathetic that when we were writing about UG, the PNC was totally silent because in their narrow minds we were highlighting the actions and misdeeds of a fellow “African…” That was a ‘NO NO.’ With their tacit help, Dr Rose stymied the University and national development. After Dr. Rose left UG, the Jagdeo people brought in Dr. Lawrence Carrington to be the new VC.
This was where Mr. Jagdeo won again! He brought in someone who had likewise no national vision for the university and country and was content with the title and privileges such a position brought. We have been writing about this university since after 2002. Some of our letters about UG were in the Caribbean and Community newspapers of USA. UG was extensively discussed in the pages of SN and KN, printed and later electronic editions. Surely Dr. Carrington must have checked these to know what he was getting into. Either he put his blinkers on or he was naïve, or just did not care to know and was happy with the title and offer made to him. None of these possibilities attest to the professional abilities of this VC. There were also the public fiascoes involving short-lived Chancellors Prof. Calestous Juma and his successor, Dr. Bertie Ramcharran. These UN-associated persons ran from the sites of gross violations of human rights of our young people and staff.
What deals or promises were made to Dr. Carrington? Did Dr. Carrington seriously think he could change things in Guyana without Govt.’s support? It took years for this person to realize that the VC position was just an ‘honorary’ position – a completely ceremonial position with minimal powers to do anything meaningful. He like his predecessor held us down amidst the inflicted sufferings. Those that are now praising Dr .Carrington to the skies are likewise duped.  When will we ever learn? The ‘village boys’ make fools of these ‘Academics’ with their PhDs!
With this new tool, President Jagdeo knew that we could no longer effectively raise criticisms on his policies with regards to developmental issues and human rights violations at UG, because we would be now be accused of attacking an ‘African –X.’ Surely, Dr. Prem Misir, Dr. Luncheon, Mr. Sam Hinds etc. knew about this. Guyana lost more years of progress!
We had to back off from criticizing the Admin of UG, and President Jagdeo achieved his goals of neutralizing any opposition to his policies of sabotaging the university and this country’s youths.
Anyone with a sense of decency knows that UG is a place of gross violations of the human rights of children to an affordable and decent education. This is a place of willful abuse and neglect.
The ugly facts are that we have brought this upon ourselves because we see ourselves as ‘Afro- X,’ or “Indo- X’ instead of Guyanese first and foremost. Our politicians are a reflection of us.
We proudly tell the world about our great inheritance and then have to admit that our narrow-mindedness brings despair and accounts for our demise as a people. We have continued the MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) policies abandoned by the super powers.
It is time we break the chains that enslave us. We cannot allow these violations of human rights of our children to continue. We need an independent Board of Governors at UG with people of vision and imagination to take this university, people and country forward.
Seelochan Beharry PhD.

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