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Patriotism, nationalism and Guyana

Jun 07, 2014 Letters

Dear Editor,
Please permit me the opportunity to comment on what is a very important aspect to the development of Guyana’s society, to wit, its national culture.
No one, or at least not too many people, likes to be criticized, even if that criticism is constructive in its nature. Our egos, as Sigmund Freud, the noted Personality Theorist, for want of a better term, called it, has to be very strong indeed, in order for the average human being not to be upset by comments or unsolicited advice. The successful political leader then, must have an ego as thick as an elephant’s hide, so to speak, in order to not show displeasure at the myriad comments, constructive or destructive that is hurled his or her way.
I have to make it clear that my reasons for this article are weighed far more by my feelings of patriotism, and a willingness to offer some advice towards improving same, than any other. Not that such postulations are a guarantee that it would be believed. After all, Guyana is a nation made up of disparate religious, ethnic, and societal groups, whose leaders reflect the unease and suspicion with which these groups relate.
But it is the Government, who has the awesome responsibility for creating activities involving all of Guyana’s citizens!
Last Independence Day, Kaieteur News reported that President Donald Ramotar chided the nation for its lack of patriotism and nationalism. What I believed President Ramotar was reflecting on, was the lack of patriotic activities involving many Guyanese.
Patriotism and nationalism are abstract feelings of love, and loyalty, and defense of one’s country. Patriotism, like nationalism are not heritable traits. We do not pass these behaviors, from one generation to another, through our genes, but through learning of the behaviors that we were taught. These behaviors are either mandated through enacted laws, by the national government, like Independence Day, for instance,  or through historical precedent, and constitutes the national culture, as opposed to the various sub-cultures resulting from differing ethnicities, religion, superstitions, etc., which all fall under the umbrella of the national culture.  Giving national recognition through legislation of the sub-cultures does not lend itself to societal harmony, and places the government in the unenviable position of seeming to be partisan.
The national government has the awesome responsibility to not only  enact laws designed to foster and reinforce a national culture, but must support, though well-thought out programs and activities, created by the Ministry of Culture, possibly through a National Culture Council, that are supported by a cross-section of the nation.
How then must the Government of Guyana accomplish this task? I make no pretense of knowing how much of my recommendations are not already in effect, since I am  an expatriate patriot at the moment, but the following comes to mind:
–    Reciting a pledge of loyalty to the country, at the start of meetings, by the national, city, town, village and regional governments.
–    All students, regardless type of school, public and private, should recite the ‘pledge’ at the start of the school day and collectively sing the National Anthem at the end.
–    All students should be required to take the following mandated classes,every year, from kindergarten through high school: English, History of Guyana. Science and Mathematics.
–    College students should be required to study two years of English and/or History of Guyana, and Studies in Guyana Government, in the first two years.
–    Founders’ Day should be a legislated holiday (Do students in Form One, know who are our Founders?)
–     I would like to propose a Founders Square or Founders Park with appropriate monuments or statutes to these dedicated men and women.
I am sure, if given the opportunity, that Guyanese will have many more suggestions for recognition of events that are worthy of the nation celebrating them as a whole.
Albert R. Cumberbatch, Ph. D

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