 |
|
August 19, 2002: There is agreement among all classes, all strata, all groups in this country that Guyana is heading downwards. There are two processes going on at the moment that are accelerating this downward spiral political/criminal violence and massive exodus. There is some type of consensus that the slide can be stopped by courageous political compromise. But herein lies the problem
Why do people think that in the maddening descent into eventual breakdown, the PPP and the PNC are the only two forces that can bring about deceleration? They are wrong if they think so? Fundamental to the working of a society is the coordination of different poles of power that must accept after the conflict and struggle are over, the authoritative allocation of values, once those values have been arrived at by compromise and consensus, must be accepted and respected. Both the PNC and the PPP have been showing signs of compromising behaviour. But herein lies the problem
Other poles of power have to start compromising too. But let's suppose they don't want to, then the PPP, PNC and civil society have to intervene and demand responsible behaviour from these other social compartments. This is my main grievance against civil society. And when I write about the double standards of this pole of power, you find a deluge of letters in the print media with fictional names questioning both your intention and integrity. We are at a delicate stage in the development of social cohesion in Guyana
And if the threads that hold the national garment are to stay neatly knitted then society has to demand a level playing field in this country.
Take for example, two dangerous turns the wrong way into a one way street recently and you can see where atoned attitudes by the PPP and PNC are not sufficient to take us through to daybreak. One of these drivers is a talk-show host on channel 9. Days prior to the celebration of Emancipation Day, he announced on his program that pesticides that contain inflammatory chemicals have been stolen in large quantities from a GUYSUCO bond and the intention of the theft was to make bombs to kill African Guyanese in the National Park as they celebrated the abolition of a sacred day in the calendar of the African people. What this man was telling his listeners was that a race war was being planned. The other side of the coin was that he was urging African Guyanese to retaliate. Using basic human instincts, it would have been natural for the intended targets to retaliate. They didn't for two reasons; first, despite all the overt and latent hostilities that exist among the major race groups in this country, Guyanese are a mature people. Secondly, a significant percentage of listeners to these conspiratorial talk-show hosts, though they listen to them, know that they are one-sided propagandists.
But this particular talk-show host did perform his mischief. Ironically, people stayed away from the National Park. This man did a disservice to those who wanted to be at the park. A boomerang result was achieved. His intention was race war, he invented a plot and in the process damaged the celebration of emancipation. To date, the constituents of civil society is silent on this. So too are the cultural organizations and the political parties. The other driver is Enrico Woolford. Mr. Woolford should not be equated with the particular channel 9 talk-show host. Mr. Woolford is in a far better category and is someone that the society takes far more seriously than that particular talk-show host. But Enrico has to play by the rules. At this sensitive stage in the political life of Guyana, media responsibility has to go hand in hand with party responsibility.
Mr. Woolford's reporting on the break-in at Mark Benschop's home was foolish, dangerous, propagandistic and descended into the level of tabloid journalism. The nature of news reporting on Capitol News which is an integral part of WHRM- Channel 9 which funds this news program never seems to bother its owner Mr. Rex Mc Kay. Mr. Mc Kay is never tired of writing letters in the press calling for a professional approach to judicial behaviour but for a man who owns a news outfit, professional news reporting doesn't seem to bother him. Or is it a case of double standards? Well I believe it is and I have questioned Mr. Mc Kay's silence on the way Capitol News does business in one of these columns before.
Mr. Woolford failed to mention that a criminal theft occurred at the break-in which totaled about half of a million dollars. He highlighted the break-in only, to give the story a political spin. The people in the WPA need to give Mr. Woolford a lecture in sociology. What makes Mr. Woolford think that because Mr. Benschop is a political figure criminals wouldn't use his domestic absence to steal his expensive electronic items? I learnt during my youthful involvement with the Movement Against Oppression in Tiger Bay that despite their professed admiration for your political stance, members of the criminal fraternity have more loyalty to their bellies and their pockets. We would treat them nicely at the movement's headquarters but as soon as we left anything expensive unguarded, it was gone. To put it simply why Enrico thinks that Mr. Benschop unprotected house would not be an invitation to criminals?
The encouraging speech of Mr. Hoyte at the opening session at his party's congress, the open declaration by the PPP leadership that it is prepared to consider inclusive governance, the profound concern shown by civil society for Guyana's future must be matched by equal concern and consideration by other poles of power. There has to be a level playing field if we are going to pull Guyana back from the precipice. Those who want to help this troubled land must now realize that it is time to give up old prejudices and habits. The new culture should be one of compromise and respect and the willingness to speak out. Channel 9 and Capitol News should not be allowed to exacerbate the tenseness we live in at the moment. The alternative is a dead Guyana.