Does nationalism/patriotism exist in Guyana?

May 28, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Kaieteur News – The Cheddi Jagan era was characterised by cold war ideology (Capitalism vs. Communism). Jagan was a committed ideologue to Russia and this motivated the capitalist block to engineer his removal from office. Lest I be castigated, Jagan had little scope to accelerate national development. We were under British control when he was Premier. His subsequent presidency was also short-lived.
Burnham did the ideological dance, which pleased the masters. Guyana ended up in tatters. Neither the capitalist nor the communist block helped to develop Guyana. Rather, they helped to divide us and Burnham was a willing participant. But Burnham recognised that his supporters alone did not have the wherewithal to move Guyana forward. He needed the other ethnicities on board. In 1966, the national motto: ONE PEOPLE, ONE NATION, ONE DESTINY was introduced as an expression to ostentatiously evoke national consciousness, nationalism and patriotism. The national motto had to be KNOWN in schools, offices; in fact, throughout Guyana. The same intent can be ascribed to the National Pledge and Guyana being officially known as the “Co-operative Republic of Guyana.” Even the private sector had to display some acceptance of these nationalistic expressions. Young and old were encouraged, if not demanded, to acknowledge them. They were meant to advocate ‘NATIONALISM’ and “PATRIOTISM.”
I just verified that on-line classes do not even attempt to suggest any motto. What an opportunity lost!
Today, the National Anthem is hardly known, even by many teachers, let alone students. Dave Martin’s “Not a blade of grass” has long been overtaken by Jamaican dubs and chutney-soca madness. The intrusion of meaningless noise has driven away any semblance or sense of Nationalism from the Guyanese psyche.
My take here is that the psychology of nationalism forced or otherwise, was seen as a necessary mantra for Guyana. In the absence of any other attempt to get the people to identify with any other ethos, Burnham’s approach had merit; if not in practice, then in intent. What exists relative to NATIONALISM and PATRIOTISM in Guyana today?
From the Hoyte era to date, NATIONALISM and PATRIOTISM have undergone a process to the point where a new “ism” has been driving our Nation: INDIVIDUALISM; where our politicians disregard the masses and where nepotism runs roughshod across Guyana. Is anyone fooled? The awarding of contracts by the Regions and higher up will make for interesting study. “REBUILDING THE ECONOMY” appears to be the new (obscure) mantra. But the mantra is not being chanted loud or often enough to infect the masses. It will be useful if one of our more erudite scholars were to dissect the anatomy of “NATIONALISM” and “PATRIOTISM” from Burnham to the present.
In effect, Nationalism initially gave way to parties, and now parties subserve to personalities. For instance, the greater part of the Afro-centric populace recognises Harmon and Granger more than the APNU, while the opposite numbers recognise Ali and Jagdeo instead of the PPP. The name of the Parties are mere umbrellas. I would hazard a guess that both the PPP and the APNU do not have sizeable bona fides memberships; sizeable ethnocentric support – but not bona fides memberships.
Guyana needs proverbial glue, an ideology or formula that can bring us together and hold us together. The absence of such an ideology makes national progress brittle and tenuous. The populace cannot feel “belonged;” they will feel that whatever is achieved will not filter down meaningfully to all strata. The APNU+AFC’s five years in office underscores that. Stratification is rearing its head on the national landscape. But I think the current administration, for now, enjoys the benefit of the doubt. For how long? Quite frankly, I do not see many NATIONALISTS in the political arena. Nor many PATRIOTS, for that matter. How do you see it?

Sincerely,
Taaj Jadunauth

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