What have ROAR, GIHA done for Indians?
I am aware of the recent report submitted by the Guyana Indian Heritage Association and the Rise Organize and Rebuild (ROAR) Movement in which they sought to highlight cases of Indians’ sufferings during the past several months.

For a very long time Ravi Dev and ROAR have been hurling criticisms and remarks against the Government for its so-called lack of concern for the plight of Indians in Guyana.

To date there have been many efforts by Government to strengthen the fight against crime. Recognizing that crime cannot be eliminated entirely, several substantial efforts have been made, given the fact that Guyana is a developing country. Although the crime situation has not been brought to a halt as quickly as we would like to see, we must recognize what has been done.

ROAR, as an opposition party, should act more responsibly rather than stand aside and criticize when things go wrong. The role of the Opposition is to oppose but also to be a constructive opposition rather than destructive opposition. If indeed, Ravi Dev would like to represent Indians, then he should use his seat in Parliament to advocate the rights of the people he represents.

Besides trying to highlight the plight of Indians, these two movements have very little to bring relief. Of course, we can count giving comfort to relatives of persons killed in the crime wave but besides that, what has been done on their part?

It is amazing the way the Guyanese society works. We are all willing to sit nonchalantly and observe and criticize instead of doing the right thing and actually representing what we advocate.
Samantha Singh

‘Sun Chapman’ incident linked to ‘X-13’ operations
In a recent article (GC, June 4th , 2003) Mayor Hamilton Green stated that the “Sun Chapman”, a river launch owned and operated by Norman Yacoob Chapman, was blown out of the water at Hurudaia, near Wismar, on July 6, 1964, and that this incident led to the Pogrom against Indo-Guyanese living in Wismar.

What Mayor Green failed to state, and I know that he knows the true story as he was intimately associated with the UF-PNC’s campaign of destabilization in 1962, 1963 and 1964, was that the explosion was caused by the accidental explosion of a number of detonators that were carelessly stored near the heated engine room of the “Sun Chapman”.

These detonators, as the good Mayor must undoubtedly remember, were bound for PNC operatives in the Mackenzie-Wismar-Christianburg area for use in X-13 operations against perceived PPP supporters.

I know all of this because while I was employed at DEMBA in Mackenzie I had many close relatives who were active PNC members and operatives in the area and, as a result of intelligence supplied by them, I knew that the detonators were coming down on the “Sun Chapman”.

Following the incident it was reported to Dr. Jagan that the explosion of the “Sun Chapman” was caused by accidental detonation rather than by any act of sabotage.

To this day I hold the PNC responsible for the deaths of those Afro-Guyanese aboard the “Sun Chapman”.
Yours sincerely,
A. Nedd
Alberta, Canada

Crisis - an exhausted tune
Once again GIHA and ROAR have not failed to surprise me. As a Guyanese, and an Indian at that, I had some respect for Ravi Dev and several persons linked with GIHA taking them to be well-educated and rational persons. But listening to the presentations at Tower during what was supposed to be the presentation of their report on crime, it has made me think thrice about these two movements.

GIHA, it seems, has now picked up the well-sung tune of other opposition forces that there is a crisis in Guyana. They claimed that the articles in the newspapers highlighting the crime situation show Government’s inaction and its denial of a crisis.

Educated though he is, Mr. Dev seems not to know what a crisis constitutes. Crisis refers to a situation of disaster or catastrophe. Yes, we have a crime problem, but that is no reason for us to say that there is a crisis in Guyana.

Guyana, as a developing country, has done well in many areas, for example in education. Compared to the rest of the Caribbean, Guyana demonstrated spectacular performances at the CXC over the last few years. Our leading economic indicators are comparable to the CARICOM region. How then is there a crisis?

We would have a crisis when the social and economic indicators show that we have failed in all of the important areas of social life. Over the last decade, Guyana has recorded tremendous developmental achievements in all sectors, which expels the contention that there is a crisis in the country.
Alain James

Towards greater inclusive governance
On the 37th Anniversary of our Independence which was celebrated throughout the length and breadth of Guyana and not just in Georgetown and the main townships, President Jagdeo touched on many salient points which have probably stuck in our minds and are worthy of review.

He said during his speech that “We have breathed a new dynamism into Parliament not only by agreements to constitute the Sectoral Committees and the various Constitutional Commissions, but also by strengthening mechanisms for it to be more functional. It is reasonable to expect that these changes will result in a qualitative improvement in the discourse and debates that take place within the chambers of the National Assembly.”

We have seen since then the Commissions and Committees have been or are in the process of being appointed, which will lead to the building of greater trust to achieve genuine political cooperation leading to greater inclusive governance in Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Adam Rambarran

 

JUNE 6, 2003