That renaming of the National Archives

Dec 02, 2019 Letters

Dear Editor,
Nothing is wrong with naming something after Dr. Walter Rodney. For instance, renaming Croal Street, where the WPA office was, to Rodney Street, or where he was born or grew. The National Archives has a particular denotative and connotative value to be seen as a national entity.
According to the National Archives of Guyana Act, Chapter 40:08, Section 3 (2), the institution was established to “be the place of deposit for the storage and preservation of public archives.”
We have the Victoria Law Court, which is named after Queen Victoria. Back then, it was the Supreme Court of British Guiana and it was about colonisation and control to show who was really in charge and had control over us. By the same token, are we now witnessing efforts by the WPA to play the control game on us?
For instance, you don’t take the Guyana Defence Force, whose first local-born Chief of Staff was Colonel Clarence Price, and rename the institution the Colonel Price Defence Force. Neither do we rename the Ministry of Education the Forbes Burnham Education Ministry given that he was the first local-born Minister of Education under internal self-government.
Or do we name the Ministry of Agriculture the Cheddi Jagan Agriculture Ministry because he was the first Minister of Agriculture, Forest, Land and Mines?
Will we see the WPA wanting the Ministry of Telecommunications be renamed the Sydney King or Eusi Kwayana Public Telecommunications Ministry, whichever is preferred, because he was the Guyana’s first Minister of Communications and Works?
Would they want two departments of government renamed in honour of Jocelyn Dow and Andaiye, the founding women of the WPA?
The only two WPA leaders standing on their own two feet without the ghost of Rodney on their shoulders are Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and Professor Clive Thomas.
And this raises the concern about the need to rename the National Archives the Walter Rodney Archives. Is it because he was the co-leader of the WPA and may be known in the international community?
Comparatively on the local scene, he has not distinguished himself with the body of work akin to fellow historians such as Sister Mary Noel Menezes, Prof. James Roses, Pat Dyal Singh, Vere T. Daly and archivist, Tommy Payne. Taking this reaming business to the logical, ridiculous conclusion, the Cooperative Republic of Guyana can be renamed the Cooperative Republic of Jabuda in honour of Cheddi Jagan, Forbes Burnham and Peter D’Augiar, Guyana’s founding fathers.
Knowing the culture of the WPA, fighting for recognition, the party will want the name Rodney added, so we can then do a final renaming to that of the Cooperative Republic of Jabudaro. Instead of being Guyanese, we will be Jabudaroes or Jabudaroians.
This will make the WPA happy.
There is disagreement with the government’s position to remain the National Archives the Walter Rodney Archives because it represents the path of least resistance and a show of weakness.
Their action shows that they are not confident in decision-making.
If the government knows it couldn’t defend its actions after it was done then it should think, consult, and ventilate before acting. If they have to back-pedal and apologise so frequently, it means they are not thinking before they act and are acting recklessly. They must discuss the pros and cons before they act but they always keep doing things that make them look weak and ineffective.
This Coalition must demonstrate it can deal with the 0.005 force of internal resistance and challenges if they want people to believe they can deal with the powerful PPP.
Minette Bacchus

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