Border matters, bus park killing, and rum (yes! Rum)

Oct 09, 2022 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

>>>Encouraging Event, Disturbing Development<<<

By GHK Lall

Kaieteur News – The bold stances of President Ali and the Vice President on matters involving our neighbours encourage. In the instance of the former, it was at the UN and over the border controversy with Venezuela. The fact that the Venezuelan leadership took objection conveys to me that His Excellency took the right course, and it is alright by me. If interpreted as jingoistic, then don’t look in this direction for an apology. After all, that is why Exxon got such a sweet deal in contract ransoms it extracted from Guyana. I have always taken that stance, and there is no backing away. In my book, President Ali did right, and it is the way to go. None of this is intended to be provocative, simply Guyana coming into its own, and standing up for its rights. This land is our land. This land is my land. Let the jurists decide, and let’s see where everyone stands.

Those fisherfolk in Berbice are brothers, and their families are ours also. Therefore, I am as one with the Hon Vice President in his salvo directed at the Surinamese about fishing licenses, and whatever else he threw into the mix. There is time and place for the fineries of diplomatic etiquette, and there is a time when people must be called out to their faces. Indeed, the Vice President’s broadside was a shade on the sharp side, but Guyana cannot continue being the punching bag of neighbours, who are bent on persisting in their bullying ways. On this fisherfolk licensing issue, all the Surinamese leadership has done is kick the can up the road, with nothing of substance developing for our deliberately shortchanged citizens plying the waters to make an honest living.

As should be known by most by now, I do not find favour with many things that come from the Vice President, but on this one, I am with him all the way. There are times when cards have to be laid on the table, and sometimes even the best of friends have to be shown the error of their ways. When it must be roughly, then that, too, should not be flinched from, or avoided. Now, just in case anyone thinks I am going soft on President or Vice President, I call out both on that cricket carnival revelry. It disturbs that I have to tell these wayward brothers of mine that circuses are not the way. Also, the differences with neighbours indicate a new and self-confident Guyana, as could be gathered from The President’s and Vice President’s postures. Thus, there is surprise that it was felt necessary to imitate what others do. We have our own celebrations, and if we have to get a new thing to captivate our interest, then let it be something original. But please move away from this disturbing panem et circenses (bread and circus) mentality. We have oil, we shouldn’t be playing heathen games. Or what neighbours own.

Well, the monstrous occurred at the bus park in the savage killing of 19-year-old Samuel Grannum. The implements of murder, a waiting car, and a young man beaten to a pulp amid a bustling crowd. What disturbs is the spiraling disregard for law, the sheer brazenness of what appears to be a premediated crime. Baseball bats and hockey sticks were not as tools of play that day, but weapons with serious intent. I sense a case of our young patterning themselves after their seniors in leadership positions, who themselves have scant regard for the law. I have said it before, but it is worth repeating: Guyana is a lawless, standardless, and valueless society. The top deals this way, so we live with what we have.

Then, there was rum. I said nothing about UG and that sponsorship. I now hear about some ‘Rum Nite’ and on Diwali of all nights. See what I mean about standardless and valueless? These things creep up on us, and before we know, they become the norm. Like leadership’s ethical and financial killings. Like a bus park killing. Like how rum is killing us, and which I tender that circus carnival as Exhibit A.

(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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