Dr. Flaherty concludes his impressions and descriptions of Guyana

May 15, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,

Thanks for publishing the first part of this. I conclude the journey today
Another negative strikes me (pardon the pun) almost every day during my late-afternoon “constitutional” walk. I have driven a motor vehicle in many countries, but I must confess that I would have great reservations about doing so here. Without generalizing too much, many of drivers exhibit a reckless mixture of aggression, carelessness, and wanton disregard for the safety of pedestrians, to say nothing of their passengers or themselves. This is especially true of the minibuses. During my latest visit, I have survived more than one “brush with destiny” at their hands on the major thoroughfares of this city. No wonder the news contains so many stories of fatal road accidents, and these I do believe are an accurate reflection of reality. From my travel experience, I have concluded that driving habits are a fairly good gauge of a country’s “national character” if such a thing can be said to exist. If this is so, then Guyana is in need for considerable improvement, certainly before I would ever feel comfortable taking my place in the driver’s seat.
From my daily reading of the major papers, I have decided that another negative feature is the tendency for each side in Guyana’s yawning political divide to blame the country’s ills on its opponents, while at the same time vehemently denying any responsibility of their own for them. Without trying to delve to the bottom of some of the current controversies widely reported in the media, (e.g.- Harmon-gate, the Camp St. prison riots, the Berbice land deals, Baishanlin, the removal of the Stabroek Market vendors, etc.) it seems to me that if one paper finds the previous PPP-C government at fault, then another one will be equally likely do the same for the current administration. While I do enjoy a partisan, opinion-oriented media, I think sometimes a measure of balance and honesty might be in order. From the articles and letters I read daily, it would appear that both of these are in short supply. A notable exception might be the columns of Frederick Kissoon, whose “a plague on both your houses” stance on these issues is invariably erudite, amusing and insightful.
Taking a historical perspective, I think it is not only a great opportunity but also perhaps imperative that Guyanese take a long, reflective look back on their history on this momentous occasion. The nation has much to be proud of, as one of the large group of what were once called “developing” or “Third-world” countries that took their place at long last on the world stage in the late 1950s and early 1960s as the iron grip of European colonialism finally lost its tyrannical hold across the globe. This significant phenomenon, that shaped the course of history in the late 20th century and continues to echo down to the present day, was the result of many factors, not least of which was the heroic struggle of once colonized peoples to be free to chart their own destinies, for good or ill (or sometime both).
It was also ushered in by a generation of truly remarkable leaders in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America, who inspired their peoples with a vision of freedom, justice, and equality. It is an impressively long list, from Nkrumah to Mandela, and two Guyanese patriots would both deserve to have their names included in it. I do not know how the legacies of Dr. Cheddi Jagan and Linden Forbes Burnham will be commemorated during the upcoming anniversary observances, but in my view they should be, and in an honest way that does justice to the memories of both men, “warts and all” as Cromwell might say, and to the national “collective memory” of them as well.
Dr. Peter Flaherty
Faculty of Education
York University, Canada

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