Control of two Guyana “Forces”, Little St. Vincent, no dereliction
Come and have a quick reflection with me on a few very basic principles and realities about democratic representation. In the context of Guyana.
Democracy devised an elections mechanism to determine who governs. As well as who represents who; even who controls our resources and aspects of our lives. Different societies have all sorts of defined electoral systems. How many of Guyana’s under-thirty-year-olds realize that our own current electoral system was “birthed out of racist animations and killings of the period 1962 to 1964?
As the “vote-for-yuh-own” movement took hold, driven by racist choices, Forbes Burnham easily appreciated that Jagan’s numerical, electoral majority would always be a victory. So in the midst of the vicious, ongoing tit-for-tat weekly murders, Burnham impressed the British to change from first-past-post to proportional representation as a more “appropriate” electoral system for multi-racial, slanted Guyana. The Americans, who were very skeptical of communist / socialist Cheddi and his PPP, were happy to assist – in some sense.
But even those elections in 1964 could not afford Burnham any clear victory over Cheddi. It was Burnham’s masterful “coalition” with D’Aguiar Unified Police that ultimately did the trick. Today we’re voting essentially “proportional representation” with some additional “regional” adjustments.
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The people, the delegates agenda
These few comments are my own view – having participated as a voter and / or party campaign worker in eleven (11) national elections, some rigged, some free and fair – that the Most elected representatives usually decide to serve themselves more, rather than the constituents of the country and the rest of society under the age of eighteen.
Why my collection? Because even as Burnham seized power for its PNC for 28 years and even as it began as a transformational – even visionary, his children, who eventually surrendered to their autocracy, were only serving themselves as their era led to the politics of discrimination and corruption. Desmond Hoyte did not survive long enough after the intervention of the American Carter to re-calibrate his PNC. Then my generation (1997 to 2015 to 2020) experienced the selfish excesses of modern Jaganite / Burnhamite heirs.
Who can be confident of PNC’s young, self-serving, “ambitious” representatives these days? And can we put faith in this incarnation of the PPP now choked by Granger’s power grab and enchanted by oil, gas and gold? How hopeful, speaking bluntly, I will not hold my breath. What do you say?
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Our “forces” of police, the army
Trinidad and Tobago prefer the Police “Service” than the Police “Force”. But negative behaviors inspire the inquiry: what’s in a name?
Well straight-forward friends, I had to be prompted to add a few comments after reading Doolichand’s police chaplain’s remarkable prayer about the Police and the equally remarkable Sunday Stabroek editorial this Sunday.
Our Guyana Police Force is one of the oldest organizations in this land. Conceptualized by the British colonists as the Emancipation of the slaves, a structured police organization was established by 1839, first considered since 1836. Thus the force was born out of people’s freedom. And those individuals and the novice workers had to obey new law and order behaviors. Any 182 year old organization should attract a lot of respect. But…
Also, after “British colonial commissioners” the “Independence” Heads of Police, poor fellas, began to become subject to Mr Burnham’s political proposal. To this day, no matter how subtle or indirect, the police “feel” the hands of politicians. In addition, the quality of the recruits, later members, leaves much to be desired. Top Cop Lloyd Barker always reminded us: “We get the recruits that society supplies us”.
A training school certainly cannot transform a working class of ordinary communities that are angel-challenged with the high qualities and morals required by good honest professional cops. And as I mentioned a few columns ago, the junior traffic site and detective experience corruption and blackmail in their own organization. Preacher Doolichand was practical, cruel on point! I suspect that the PPP has “plans” for a new hierarchy.
Have you – all noticed? Does the army (GDF) compared to the more ubiquitous police – attract negative public spotlights too often? (Some private officers may commit minor offenses and flour and milk sometimes disappear from the shops, but not too many public detectives do.)
Quite frankly, for me that’s because the army has maintained / maintained a higher standard of discipline – after more rigorous training – left by the British tradition. From Volunteer Force (British) – experienced foreign service – to SSU to GDF, army commanders continue to study and qualify to manage an organization tasked with national security and defense appropriately and professionally.
Don’t think I’ve forgotten that some of our “best”, most dangerous criminals once served in the army to learn specific skills. But thankfully, that is never the “norm”.
The president recently had the occasion to address the police and senior citizens. His ambitious remarks were informative. As with the army brigadier on GDF “operations”, internal security and “Shared Services” support. The army appears to be in “good hands”.
Now for two strangely unconnected points: for me, it was unprecedented for the army to assure the best foreign diplomats, just before the August 2nd 2020 declaration of results, that it would recognize the will of the people. And don’t expect Indo-Guyanese to flood the Allies; expecting in their Asian homeland, they don’t prefer costumes in favor of business and fast money.
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Hail better St Vincent!
Many years ago a little bit – Guyenterprise included me on a five hour visit to St Vincent – a little bit of CARICOM island. Imagine taking the influential residents of Eccles to explore a full scientific landfill facility to persuade them that our proposed version of Haags Bosch would be safe for their worthy community. Imagine that!
I congratulated the Bus Drivers guide on the organized cleanliness of its capital Kingstown. No junk; flowing drains; no derelict vehicles left on parapets; salesmen are organized, attractive. He said the tourist island must be kept very clean for its visitors. I had to whistle: What? So you don’t keep it clean for yourself? ”He laughed as I felt ashamed of my now smelly Georgetown. Poor us.
`Till next week