Michael Parris and Rohan Kanhai: Name something after these men

May 06, 2022 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

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Kaieteur News – The only president since Independence to have possessed a university degree in history was David Granger. The former president has written several pieces on topics in Guyanese history including editing a large volume on African Guyanese history.
I was disappointed that Mr. Granger demitted office without giving State recognition that is due to many historical figures and historical events. I agree that presidents and prime ministers will not easily name a building or street after a personality whose politics they resented.
I would not have expected the APNU+AFC government to name a prestigious scholarship in the name of Father Andrew Morrison. But there are non-political figures whose recognition is long overdue. President Granger did name the Ogle Airport after someone who had a long association with his party – the PNC. The decision attracted criticism from some quarters. But herein lies the problem. Those who opposed the airport named after Eugene Correia used the very criterion that Mr. Granger did – the political yardstick.
Mr. Granger named the convention centre after the first non-executive president, Arthur Chung. I do not disagree with both decisions. What I am deeply frustrated about is the ever growing young population that should know and do not know about seminal achievements of some outstanding Guyanese and some important historical developments.
I mentioned two relevant things before and I will do so again right here. The seawall bandstand is now glowingly alight in the night. This is good work by the First Lady. There should be a lit-up billboard inside the Monument Garden opposite St. Rose’s School. That is where the city got its drinking water from in the 20th century. The same lit-up billboard should adorn the village of Victoria. This should inform our young population that this was the first village that the freed slaves bought.
In 1980, Michael Parris became the first Guyanese to win an Olympic medal. Forty-two years after, he remains the only Guyanese to achieve that feat. Look at our demographics. Seventy percent of the population is under 45 years. This nation does not know we have an Olympics medalist. Name something after this man.
Do you know we have a man who has been involved in cycling and administration of that sport for over 50 years? His name is Hassan Mohamed. Name something after this gentleman. What is wrong with the people of Berbice? They have never pressed the issue of a street being named after Rohan Kanhai.
Three cricketers put Guyana on the map from the fifties to the seventies – Lance Gibbs, Clive Lloyd and Rohan Kanhai. A street is named after Gibbs, and another after Lloyd. Shivnarine Chanderpaul now has a street that bears his name. Really man! What about Kanhai.
Young people must know about Parris and Kanhai. I was chatting with a young clerk in the NIS and she did not know who Father Andrew Morrison was. Years later, a young reporter at Kaieteur News told me she never heard about Morrison. I wrote two columns on Martin Carter recently. I got some emails asking me who he was and what he did. This is what happens when you have a young population.
Do you know every time I hear a song by Engelbert Humperdinck or the former English instrumental band, the Shadows or the deceased Italian saxophonist Fausto Papetti, I remember Ron Robinson. He awoke the nation with his music programme in the early morning on radio. Ron has spent over 50 years in theatre and radio. He cannot be the focus of politicians because he never dabbled in politics. This is the third announcement of mine on this page over the long years to name something after Ron.
This article here is the second expression of mine about why four prominent places are named after a colonial planter named Thomas. You have the area of Thomas Land that houses Camp Ayangana, ACDA head office, the National Park, the defunct sports club of the Public Service Union, Malteenoos Cricket Club, among others.
The main street in Thomas Land is named Thomas Road. In North Cummingsburg, there is Thomas Street. In Kitty, there is Thomas Street. It takes no big effort to change the outdated names of roadways and substitute new relevant ones. The continuing de-recognition of Rohan Kanhai is overbearing. I don’t have a problem at all with Shiv Chanderpaul having a street that bears his name. But it was Kanhai who paved the way for him and many others like him. Name the Berbice crossing, the Rohan Kanhai Bridge. Give this man what is long overdue to him.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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