by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 28 October 2007)
I can imagine that the new zero tolerance approach to traffic violations will be difficult for a few people to accept, especially since some have become accustomed to a reckless type of behaviour on the roads and now must learn to behave in a different manner.
Everyone knows this crackdown on the driving situation is long overdue, but that will not make it any easier to swallow for those who are used to blasting music, driving at incomprehensible speeds around pedestrians and overstuffing mini buses.
This new reality will be a harsh wake-up call for some and a sigh of relief for others. There will no doubt be letters of outrage in the daily newspapers from drivers who were pulled over by a policeman for speeding. This is to be expected as Guyana’s roads transition from a pathway to carnage to a more civil and orderly conduit to work and home.
It is easy for me – an independent observer – to look on at such major transformations in Guyana and conclude that the nation is just going through growing pains. Also, it makes it all the more easy to see these growing pains since the small city I just moved to a year ago in Texas is going through the very same thing.
When the census was taken in this city in 2000, the population was about 4,500 people. When the next census is taken in 2010, it would be no great shock if the population has doubled – or even tripled. Yet the governing body of my new city, which is very resistant to growth and change, has done very little to accommodate this population explosion.
The result is that one traffic light, which almost everyone in the city must pass through to get to and from the bigger city 20 minutes away, creates a line so long during rush hour that it takes several cycles before a driver gets through the light.
Traffic lights are another type of growing pain Guyana has been experiencing of late. I can imagine it would be difficult to sit through some of those new lights when recent memory pulls up images of intersection passage without the delay of lights. Although the new lights make everyone’s passage through that intersection safer, there is a price to pay for safety – and it is patience.
The crackdown on those who have been acquiring electricity at little or not cost is another way in which Guyana will feel the growing pains. Electricity is not a mango growing on a tree in the yard; it takes money and energy to produce electricity. So why should the electric company be expected to give it away for free?
There might have been a time when cheating the electric company may have been acceptable (though still not right), but the nation is growing up and it is time to realise that like any other developing country, anyone who uses electricity must pay for the usage.
The new “Stamp It Out” consultation paper being promoted by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to finally address the over abundance of sexual violence is another example of how much Guyana is growing up. The young nation is coming of age and starting to tackle some of the responsibilities of progressive society.
I remember an occasion of grocery shopping years ago when my oldest son was just a toddler. He was sitting in a cart (there was a section for a child to sit) as I did my shopping. An older lady approached me and, after cooing with my son for a bit, told me as she pointed to the store floor, “Never let his feet touch the floor.”
I did not understand what she meant, so I just smiled and accepted her advice like any young mother should respond to advice from an older woman. However, it was just a few weeks later that I allowed my son to get out of the cart while I shopped. He ran here and there and I quickly regretted letting him down.
I picked him up and attempted to put him back in the cart, which proved to be quite a chore since he now knew the freedom of the floor. Every time I went shopping after that and went to put my son in the cart, I found a tantrum waiting for me. This meant I had to take the time to discipline him every time, but I was the one who should have been disciplined for not listening to the advice from the older lady.
My point is now that certain drivers in Guyana have been accustomed to driving like maniacs – to the detriment of so many others – it will not be easy to put the genie back in the bottle and expect them to start behaving like decent drivers who care about the lives of others.
This is why such a crackdown is vital to rein in the mischievous motorists. It might mean that responsible drivers will have to be tolerant of the need for increased police stops, but in time the driving situation will become far more orderly and safer.
The focus on enforcing orderly driving is just one more growing pain for this young nation. The adjustment to traffic lights is also a growing pain. The effort to force people to pay for the electricity they use is a growing pain. And the campaign to keep the streets free from littering is a growing pain.
One could moan and groan that there are too many pains to deal with at one time, but the pains only last for a few short months and – as long as there is equitable enforcement of these expectations – the nation will fall into a new groove with traffic lights, clean streets, and orderly driving.
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Stella Says…Anyone need to use the toilet?
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 26 October 2007)
In the last year there has been a lot of time and effort spent on revamping Guyana’s image. New roads have been built, a modern stadium has been erected and trash has been cleaned up off the streets.
With the same degree of joy many experienced because of the progress taking place, it is now a sentiment of disappointment that is evident as it is discovered that the toilet facilities at the new stadium, which is not yet even a year old, are not being properly maintained.
A country is only as strong as it’s infrastructure. Take the Roman Empire for example; it developed a thriving metropolis, a network of useable roads for the trading routes, beautiful architecture, coliseums, water supply system, etc. However, Rome did not stop at the developmental stage – this great empire continued to properly maintain what they had built.
Guyana and its friends have invested large sums of finances to help the nation overhaul the deteriorating infrastructure – right down to the installation of traffic lights. Everyone had good reason to feel the pride of seeing the glory of the new stadium.
However, development of the national infrastructure is only half of the job. The other half of the job is the maintenance of the new development. For example, a letter in Wednesday’s Stabroek News said the new toilet facilities at the stadium were in such an unsanitary state that “Worms could be seen in the bowls as big as baby fingers.”
One Website dedicated to the stadium (guyanaprovidencestadium.blogspot.com) posted this comment, “Most of the Stadium external toilets behind the Party Mound were closed during the KFC match between Guyana and Trinidad. This led to patrons urinating behind the toilets in public as can be seen at the far end [the blog had a photo of this]. The question is why would these external toilets be closed with a crowd of about 8,000 people in attendance?”
Good question, why? In truth, it would not cost much to hire a team – or even just one person – to maintain these facilities on a regular basis. Though more workers would be required during events with thousands of people in attendance.
It is so disappointing to know that the government has not already taken measures to maintain this stadium that cost so much to build. If money is the problem, I am sure a group of volunteers could be organised to help keep the stadium clean. Civic-minded people or a religious group could create a maintenance schedule to make sure it stays clean.
If that proves to be problematic as well, then perhaps a judicial ruling for community service to clean the toilets could be served to traffic violators. If you speed, then you clean. If you blast loud music while driving, then you clean.
Whatever it takes to properly maintain the new stadium is all that matters on this account. I just do not see the Romans allowing their coliseum to fall into disrepair between gladiator matches. So why should Guyana’s stadium fall into disrepair between cricket matches or other stadium-worthy affairs?
Again, I want to reiterate that development is only half of the job. Maintenance is the other half. It would be a shame to see all of that money, invested to provide toilet facilities for stadium visitors, go down the drain.
With large worms in the toilets, it is only a matter of time before the plumbing needs to be repaired as well, something that could be avoided by cleaning the toilet bowls regularly.
Since the government is collecting so much in taxes from the citizens lately, it seems the people should at least expect to be able to use clean and functioning toilets at the new stadium.
I am not suggesting that the toilet facilities should be like a spa – a fresh smelling soothing atmosphere that is ornately decorated. However, would some new toilet paper, clean bowls and no worms be too much to ask?
I bet if one of those in Jagdeo’s administration had to use those toilets on a regular basis (instead of the nicer facilities reserved for the important people), the worms would be gone and everything would be sparkling clean.
How about it, Mr. President? Need to use the toilet?
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 26 October 2007)
In the last year there has been a lot of time and effort spent on revamping Guyana’s image. New roads have been built, a modern stadium has been erected and trash has been cleaned up off the streets.
With the same degree of joy many experienced because of the progress taking place, it is now a sentiment of disappointment that is evident as it is discovered that the toilet facilities at the new stadium, which is not yet even a year old, are not being properly maintained.
A country is only as strong as it’s infrastructure. Take the Roman Empire for example; it developed a thriving metropolis, a network of useable roads for the trading routes, beautiful architecture, coliseums, water supply system, etc. However, Rome did not stop at the developmental stage – this great empire continued to properly maintain what they had built.
Guyana and its friends have invested large sums of finances to help the nation overhaul the deteriorating infrastructure – right down to the installation of traffic lights. Everyone had good reason to feel the pride of seeing the glory of the new stadium.
However, development of the national infrastructure is only half of the job. The other half of the job is the maintenance of the new development. For example, a letter in Wednesday’s Stabroek News said the new toilet facilities at the stadium were in such an unsanitary state that “Worms could be seen in the bowls as big as baby fingers.”
One Website dedicated to the stadium (guyanaprovidencestadium.blogspot.com) posted this comment, “Most of the Stadium external toilets behind the Party Mound were closed during the KFC match between Guyana and Trinidad. This led to patrons urinating behind the toilets in public as can be seen at the far end [the blog had a photo of this]. The question is why would these external toilets be closed with a crowd of about 8,000 people in attendance?”
Good question, why? In truth, it would not cost much to hire a team – or even just one person – to maintain these facilities on a regular basis. Though more workers would be required during events with thousands of people in attendance.
It is so disappointing to know that the government has not already taken measures to maintain this stadium that cost so much to build. If money is the problem, I am sure a group of volunteers could be organised to help keep the stadium clean. Civic-minded people or a religious group could create a maintenance schedule to make sure it stays clean.
If that proves to be problematic as well, then perhaps a judicial ruling for community service to clean the toilets could be served to traffic violators. If you speed, then you clean. If you blast loud music while driving, then you clean.
Whatever it takes to properly maintain the new stadium is all that matters on this account. I just do not see the Romans allowing their coliseum to fall into disrepair between gladiator matches. So why should Guyana’s stadium fall into disrepair between cricket matches or other stadium-worthy affairs?
Again, I want to reiterate that development is only half of the job. Maintenance is the other half. It would be a shame to see all of that money, invested to provide toilet facilities for stadium visitors, go down the drain.
With large worms in the toilets, it is only a matter of time before the plumbing needs to be repaired as well, something that could be avoided by cleaning the toilet bowls regularly.
Since the government is collecting so much in taxes from the citizens lately, it seems the people should at least expect to be able to use clean and functioning toilets at the new stadium.
I am not suggesting that the toilet facilities should be like a spa – a fresh smelling soothing atmosphere that is ornately decorated. However, would some new toilet paper, clean bowls and no worms be too much to ask?
I bet if one of those in Jagdeo’s administration had to use those toilets on a regular basis (instead of the nicer facilities reserved for the important people), the worms would be gone and everything would be sparkling clean.
How about it, Mr. President? Need to use the toilet?
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Stella Says…Corbin is wrong; you should put self before party
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 24 October 2007)
It makes me steam under the collar when politicians use the love that people have for their country to manipulate well-intentioned people into compliant apathy. Such is the case with the PNC.
This was quite evident in an article printed in this newspaper yesterday entitled, “Put party before self, Corbin urges members.” The article reported, “Corbin had no doubt that the present difficulties which the party is experiencing would soon be overcome, but he emphasized that all involved must demonstrate a commitment to put party before self-interest.”
I have never heard such gobbledygook in my entire life. A lack of unity is not what will cure the ailments of the PNC, new leadership would be the best medicine to remedy for what truly ails this party.
The members of the PNC are not what is wrong here (other than those who voted for Corbin to remain in leadership). Yet the leaders are trying to make it seem like any discontentment on part of the members is the cause of everything going wrong with the party.
The discontentment of party members is good and just. They should be upset about how their leaders have failed them. They should be disappointed about the way their leaders have been disregarding democracy. They should never unify themselves with these horrific actions that have been taking place.
Let’s be honest for a minute. Does anyone really think Corbin believes any of his own tripe of party unity before self-interest? If he truly believed in putting party before self-interest, he would have stepped down as party leader a long time ago instead of insisting on his own continued leadership even at the expense what was obviously good for the party.
In the world of reality outside of Corbin’s make believe world where everyone bows and curtsies to him, the members of the PNC should be mad. They have every right to question his actions and decisions without being dragged before a disciplinary committee. That is how true democracy works.
Let me set aside some time here to tutor Mr. Corbin on what constitutes a democratic party since he has obviously forgotten (or he never knew in the first place). Robert Corbin, the party means nothing – absolutely NOTHING – without the people.
You are nothing more than a hired hand who is supposed to be doing their bidding. If even one of them – even one – takes issue with how you are doing your job, it is you who needs to clean up your act, not them.
Now let me set you straight, you poor misguided soul, the PNC should be about nothing more than the interests of the people. They are supposed to be looking out for their own self-interests, and so are you and the party!
Corbin, you are so twisted that you have this whole entire thing backward. Party unity is pure hogwash. The party is suppose to be about the people and their interests, not your one man crusade to hold on to what little power that still hasn’t evaporated into thin air.
That you would have the gall to stand in front of party members and tell them to put aside the very interests the party should be championing (like transparency, justice and healthy guidance for the party) is beyond the scope of bad leadership, it is cultish.
Devotion to you and to party purely for the sake of devotion would be masochistic for PNC members – especially given your leadership record. These members are not required to turn a blind eye every time you deny them the quality leadership they deserve just for the sake of “party unity.”
Therefore, it is my recommendation that instead of seeking party unity, as suggested by Robert Corbin, PNC members should instead seek their own self-interests. This is how true disciples of democracy all over the world live their lives. They are not tied down by blind loyalty to a mere man who chases his own self-interests while he preaches group harmony.
I guarantee you today that if each member starts seeking what she or he feels is best for the party, in one years time the PNC will be the party it should have been years ago. How long will PNC members continue to feed one man’s ego while the rest of the party wallows in discontentment?
The PNC is a political party, not a Corbin cult. If you need a god to follow, go to a place of worship. If you want a political leader who cares about your interests, Corbin is obviously not the guy for the job since he just told you to put your interests aside for the party.
If I were a PNC member, I’d have a few choice words to Corbin about what he could do with his “party unity.” This mentality of party unity is what has cornered the people of Guyana into a stagnated political situation for so long.
The people are looking out for their leaders and the leaders are looking out for the leaders, but no one is looking out for the people. How twisted is this?
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 24 October 2007)
It makes me steam under the collar when politicians use the love that people have for their country to manipulate well-intentioned people into compliant apathy. Such is the case with the PNC.
This was quite evident in an article printed in this newspaper yesterday entitled, “Put party before self, Corbin urges members.” The article reported, “Corbin had no doubt that the present difficulties which the party is experiencing would soon be overcome, but he emphasized that all involved must demonstrate a commitment to put party before self-interest.”
I have never heard such gobbledygook in my entire life. A lack of unity is not what will cure the ailments of the PNC, new leadership would be the best medicine to remedy for what truly ails this party.
The members of the PNC are not what is wrong here (other than those who voted for Corbin to remain in leadership). Yet the leaders are trying to make it seem like any discontentment on part of the members is the cause of everything going wrong with the party.
The discontentment of party members is good and just. They should be upset about how their leaders have failed them. They should be disappointed about the way their leaders have been disregarding democracy. They should never unify themselves with these horrific actions that have been taking place.
Let’s be honest for a minute. Does anyone really think Corbin believes any of his own tripe of party unity before self-interest? If he truly believed in putting party before self-interest, he would have stepped down as party leader a long time ago instead of insisting on his own continued leadership even at the expense what was obviously good for the party.
In the world of reality outside of Corbin’s make believe world where everyone bows and curtsies to him, the members of the PNC should be mad. They have every right to question his actions and decisions without being dragged before a disciplinary committee. That is how true democracy works.
Let me set aside some time here to tutor Mr. Corbin on what constitutes a democratic party since he has obviously forgotten (or he never knew in the first place). Robert Corbin, the party means nothing – absolutely NOTHING – without the people.
You are nothing more than a hired hand who is supposed to be doing their bidding. If even one of them – even one – takes issue with how you are doing your job, it is you who needs to clean up your act, not them.
Now let me set you straight, you poor misguided soul, the PNC should be about nothing more than the interests of the people. They are supposed to be looking out for their own self-interests, and so are you and the party!
Corbin, you are so twisted that you have this whole entire thing backward. Party unity is pure hogwash. The party is suppose to be about the people and their interests, not your one man crusade to hold on to what little power that still hasn’t evaporated into thin air.
That you would have the gall to stand in front of party members and tell them to put aside the very interests the party should be championing (like transparency, justice and healthy guidance for the party) is beyond the scope of bad leadership, it is cultish.
Devotion to you and to party purely for the sake of devotion would be masochistic for PNC members – especially given your leadership record. These members are not required to turn a blind eye every time you deny them the quality leadership they deserve just for the sake of “party unity.”
Therefore, it is my recommendation that instead of seeking party unity, as suggested by Robert Corbin, PNC members should instead seek their own self-interests. This is how true disciples of democracy all over the world live their lives. They are not tied down by blind loyalty to a mere man who chases his own self-interests while he preaches group harmony.
I guarantee you today that if each member starts seeking what she or he feels is best for the party, in one years time the PNC will be the party it should have been years ago. How long will PNC members continue to feed one man’s ego while the rest of the party wallows in discontentment?
The PNC is a political party, not a Corbin cult. If you need a god to follow, go to a place of worship. If you want a political leader who cares about your interests, Corbin is obviously not the guy for the job since he just told you to put your interests aside for the party.
If I were a PNC member, I’d have a few choice words to Corbin about what he could do with his “party unity.” This mentality of party unity is what has cornered the people of Guyana into a stagnated political situation for so long.
The people are looking out for their leaders and the leaders are looking out for the leaders, but no one is looking out for the people. How twisted is this?
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Stella Says…Why is Guyana’s food so expensive for Guyanese?
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 21 October 2007)
I have a question that I am hoping someone can answer for me. I am no economist, but I do know a little bit about how national economies work, which is why I cannot understand why products produced in Guyana cost so much for those who live here.
I have been thinking about this for quite a while now, but I saw a letter printed in the October 17 issue of the Chronicle from Baldeo Persaud that addressed this issue and gave me a reason to write about it.
Persaud said, “Vegetables in Guyana are always expensive except when there is a glut. Some fruits are out of the reach of the small man for example papaya. Fruits that are imported in Guyana tend to be cheaper than locally grown fruits despite mark-up and freight charges for fruits coming from abroad.”
This high cost phenomenon is very interesting to me because although I have never lived in Guyana, I have lived in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama and while living in each of these countries I could buy the locally produced fruits and vegetables for a very, very small sum.
I lived in Panama for several years and got spoilt on the wide array of locally produced bananas, plantains, coconuts, papayas, mangos, avocadoes and many other delectable treats. Many of these I could not get in the U.S. Midwest and if I could, I would pay a high price for very low quality.
Even in Panama, which uses the U.S. dollar for its currency and had no variance in exchange rate from the States, locally produced products were far less expensive than anything imported. I could even buy a wonderfully crafted wood carving for a good price.
In Guatemala I bought hand-woven textiles and in Costa Rica they had small hand painted carts for decoration and those ruffled dresses were adorable on my daughter. In all of these countries I could easily go to the local market and buy what I needed for dinner without breaking the bank.
This was nice since we were living on a very tight budget at the time. Which makes me wonder how those on a tight budget in Guyana manage to survive when even the price of locally produced products cost so much. But what I really wonder is WHY the locally produced products cost so much.
Logic would seem to dictate that Guyanese should be paying very low costs on rice, sugar and locally produced fruits and vegetables. This is the question that is plaguing me. I hope someone can help me understand why those in Guyana have to pay so much for products produced in Guyana.
Perhaps Smart and Sharp Robert Persaud, MBA can use his degree to explain this phenomenon. But I hope if and when he does detail the reason for such high prices on Guyanese product that he does not try to tell me that it is the weather or the increasing global demand that makes Guyana’s papayas so expensive for Guyanese.
Even if the rest of the world wants to pay astronomical prices for papayas, should there not be a reserve for those at home to get papayas for a reasonable price? Surely a socialist party would understand this concept and ensure that the people of the nation are taken care of even in the midst of their own capitalist endeavours?
The people of Guyana should not be expected to pay the same price for Guyanese products as those in other countries who buy Guyana’s food. Moreover, when production of these goods is government run or subsidised, the people should pay very, very low prices since they are the ones who paid to produce it in the first place.
Come on now, you PPP comrades, you have taxed the people so that every pocket is hurting and they already have to pay more for imported products that are not locally produced at present. To make them pay through the nose for fruit and veggies grown in their own backyard is a weight too great to bear.
Why not take a trip to any of your neighbouring countries and see with your own eyes that locally produced goods cost very little. If the government needs to put a cap on the price vendors assign to their local merchandise so that the people are not being overcharged – do it.
I understand the need for taxes. I get that there have been floods that have affected the price of certain products. But my question remains the same – why is Guyana’s food so damn expensive for Guyanese?
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 21 October 2007)
I have a question that I am hoping someone can answer for me. I am no economist, but I do know a little bit about how national economies work, which is why I cannot understand why products produced in Guyana cost so much for those who live here.
I have been thinking about this for quite a while now, but I saw a letter printed in the October 17 issue of the Chronicle from Baldeo Persaud that addressed this issue and gave me a reason to write about it.
Persaud said, “Vegetables in Guyana are always expensive except when there is a glut. Some fruits are out of the reach of the small man for example papaya. Fruits that are imported in Guyana tend to be cheaper than locally grown fruits despite mark-up and freight charges for fruits coming from abroad.”
This high cost phenomenon is very interesting to me because although I have never lived in Guyana, I have lived in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama and while living in each of these countries I could buy the locally produced fruits and vegetables for a very, very small sum.
I lived in Panama for several years and got spoilt on the wide array of locally produced bananas, plantains, coconuts, papayas, mangos, avocadoes and many other delectable treats. Many of these I could not get in the U.S. Midwest and if I could, I would pay a high price for very low quality.
Even in Panama, which uses the U.S. dollar for its currency and had no variance in exchange rate from the States, locally produced products were far less expensive than anything imported. I could even buy a wonderfully crafted wood carving for a good price.
In Guatemala I bought hand-woven textiles and in Costa Rica they had small hand painted carts for decoration and those ruffled dresses were adorable on my daughter. In all of these countries I could easily go to the local market and buy what I needed for dinner without breaking the bank.
This was nice since we were living on a very tight budget at the time. Which makes me wonder how those on a tight budget in Guyana manage to survive when even the price of locally produced products cost so much. But what I really wonder is WHY the locally produced products cost so much.
Logic would seem to dictate that Guyanese should be paying very low costs on rice, sugar and locally produced fruits and vegetables. This is the question that is plaguing me. I hope someone can help me understand why those in Guyana have to pay so much for products produced in Guyana.
Perhaps Smart and Sharp Robert Persaud, MBA can use his degree to explain this phenomenon. But I hope if and when he does detail the reason for such high prices on Guyanese product that he does not try to tell me that it is the weather or the increasing global demand that makes Guyana’s papayas so expensive for Guyanese.
Even if the rest of the world wants to pay astronomical prices for papayas, should there not be a reserve for those at home to get papayas for a reasonable price? Surely a socialist party would understand this concept and ensure that the people of the nation are taken care of even in the midst of their own capitalist endeavours?
The people of Guyana should not be expected to pay the same price for Guyanese products as those in other countries who buy Guyana’s food. Moreover, when production of these goods is government run or subsidised, the people should pay very, very low prices since they are the ones who paid to produce it in the first place.
Come on now, you PPP comrades, you have taxed the people so that every pocket is hurting and they already have to pay more for imported products that are not locally produced at present. To make them pay through the nose for fruit and veggies grown in their own backyard is a weight too great to bear.
Why not take a trip to any of your neighbouring countries and see with your own eyes that locally produced goods cost very little. If the government needs to put a cap on the price vendors assign to their local merchandise so that the people are not being overcharged – do it.
I understand the need for taxes. I get that there have been floods that have affected the price of certain products. But my question remains the same – why is Guyana’s food so damn expensive for Guyanese?
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
Friday, October 19, 2007
Stella Says…An all-woman political party could be the answer for Guyana
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 19 October 2007)
I often wonder what it will take to change the stagnated political climate in Guyana. The AFC stirred things up for a bit when it first formed, but for all of the benefits of this new party, there have been no real shake-ups that would benefit the people of Guyana as a whole.
However, I think I may have found a way to really and truly shake things up in Guyanese politics. This idea is so brilliant that I am ashamed for not having thought of it first.
This week in India a group of women, who were tired of waiting for the men to get down to business, started an all-woman political party to offer an alternative to the traditionally male-dominated political parties in India.
The United Women Front (UWF) party intends to give special attention to issues affecting women like dowries (because the bride is such a burden on her husband even though she will clean, cook and bear children for him for the rest of her life) and abortion of female foetuses (kill the girl because a boy is far more valuable).
It is about time the women stood up for themselves. For example, there is bill in India’s Parliament requiring at least 33 percent of federal and state legislatures be reserved for women. This bill, called the Women’s Reservation Bill, has been pending in Parliament for over a decade!
According to newindpress.com, UWF President, Suman Krishan, said, “Despite having the second highest population in the world, of which women constitute 50 percent, the average representation of women in Parliament is a dismal low of just 8.8 per cent.” The world average is 17 percent, which is still pretty pathetic.
Krishan, who is also the wife of former Vice President Krishan Kant, continued, “Women in the country are discriminated against and are insecure. And through this front we want to ensure that the issues of priority concerning half the country's population come to the forefront in India's national agenda.”
The UWF says it thinks women are more “honest, more capable and more hardworking.” Well, you certainly won’t get a fight from me on that account. What a wonderfully proactive way for women to finally (after thousands of years of oppression) take things into their own hands instead of waiting for men to decide to care about the best interests of women.
This new development in India this week inspired me to consider all of the wonderful possibilities of an all-woman political party in Guyana. I am already convinced that some of the best leaders in Guyana are the female politicians. My mind simply cannot help but consider how a joint female effort could completely revamp the entire nation.
There is not a week that goes by that Guyana’s women are not begging for someone to do something about the violence against them. The educational system is in ruins and I would bet my bottom dollar that a bunch of women would take this issues far more seriously than it currently being taken.
The Red Thread continues to cry out for help for impoverished women and single mothers. Yet it seems these cries for help fall on the deaf ears of the male-dominated PPP administration. Sexual abuse against the nation’s children is another issue that would no doubt be on the forefront of an all-woman political party.
In fact, I believe if that if anyone can overcome the racial divide in Guyana – it is the women. When you get right down to the nitty-gritty, for a true demographic representation of the population, women should rightfully hold 50 percent of the seats in Parliament anyhow.
It seems to me that an all-woman political party in Guyana would help solve many of the nations social ills since many of those ills stem from the mal-treatment of women and the total disregard concerning the issues that most effect women.
Do not get me wrong; I emphatically do not want an all-woman dominated world. If history has proven anything, it is that humans need to have the benefit of both genders in leadership. However, at this point in time perhaps an all-woman political party would help to remedy the dreadful lack of female representation in government.
Let’s be honest for a brief moment. Men alone are just not doing a good job running the world. The world is in shambles and the future does not look very bright. On the recent MTV Video Music Awards in September, Sally Fields made a statement that got censored before airing on television.
She said, “If mothers ruled the world, there would be no goddamn wars in the first place.” This type of mentality is desperately needed at all levels of governmental leadership to curb the male appetite for aggression and domination that emerges from time to time.
One of the very few times anyone will see truly aggressive behaviour from a woman is when she is protecting her children, which is why a woman would rather use diplomatic efforts to settle an issue than to resort to armed conflict.
For centuries upon centuries it has been said that women have no place in government because their makeup is different from that of men. It is precisely for this reason that women should be in government. The feminine brings balance to masculine and vice versa.
Male leadership alone does not encompass all that is needed in governing humankind. Female leadership, with all of those wonderful feminine qualities, provide certain attributes and wisdom in which men have typically been found wanting.
There is no doubt that men and women are different on various levels. However, those differences do not make one gender better than the other. Rather, the differences provide humankind with even more unique possibilities by which to solve our problems.
An all-woman’s political party in Guyana could help jump start this process of joint leadership that should have existed throughout our entire existence. I can think of several qualified candidates to get this party up and running with the expectation that other female leaders would jump in as well.
Really, girls, how much longer will you sit around and wait for the men to care about the issues that effect Guyana’s women? India’s women waited for over a decade for a bill that still has not passed just to have 33 percent representation in Parliament (not 50 percent, as it should be).
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 19 October 2007)
I often wonder what it will take to change the stagnated political climate in Guyana. The AFC stirred things up for a bit when it first formed, but for all of the benefits of this new party, there have been no real shake-ups that would benefit the people of Guyana as a whole.
However, I think I may have found a way to really and truly shake things up in Guyanese politics. This idea is so brilliant that I am ashamed for not having thought of it first.
This week in India a group of women, who were tired of waiting for the men to get down to business, started an all-woman political party to offer an alternative to the traditionally male-dominated political parties in India.
The United Women Front (UWF) party intends to give special attention to issues affecting women like dowries (because the bride is such a burden on her husband even though she will clean, cook and bear children for him for the rest of her life) and abortion of female foetuses (kill the girl because a boy is far more valuable).
It is about time the women stood up for themselves. For example, there is bill in India’s Parliament requiring at least 33 percent of federal and state legislatures be reserved for women. This bill, called the Women’s Reservation Bill, has been pending in Parliament for over a decade!
According to newindpress.com, UWF President, Suman Krishan, said, “Despite having the second highest population in the world, of which women constitute 50 percent, the average representation of women in Parliament is a dismal low of just 8.8 per cent.” The world average is 17 percent, which is still pretty pathetic.
Krishan, who is also the wife of former Vice President Krishan Kant, continued, “Women in the country are discriminated against and are insecure. And through this front we want to ensure that the issues of priority concerning half the country's population come to the forefront in India's national agenda.”
The UWF says it thinks women are more “honest, more capable and more hardworking.” Well, you certainly won’t get a fight from me on that account. What a wonderfully proactive way for women to finally (after thousands of years of oppression) take things into their own hands instead of waiting for men to decide to care about the best interests of women.
This new development in India this week inspired me to consider all of the wonderful possibilities of an all-woman political party in Guyana. I am already convinced that some of the best leaders in Guyana are the female politicians. My mind simply cannot help but consider how a joint female effort could completely revamp the entire nation.
There is not a week that goes by that Guyana’s women are not begging for someone to do something about the violence against them. The educational system is in ruins and I would bet my bottom dollar that a bunch of women would take this issues far more seriously than it currently being taken.
The Red Thread continues to cry out for help for impoverished women and single mothers. Yet it seems these cries for help fall on the deaf ears of the male-dominated PPP administration. Sexual abuse against the nation’s children is another issue that would no doubt be on the forefront of an all-woman political party.
In fact, I believe if that if anyone can overcome the racial divide in Guyana – it is the women. When you get right down to the nitty-gritty, for a true demographic representation of the population, women should rightfully hold 50 percent of the seats in Parliament anyhow.
It seems to me that an all-woman political party in Guyana would help solve many of the nations social ills since many of those ills stem from the mal-treatment of women and the total disregard concerning the issues that most effect women.
Do not get me wrong; I emphatically do not want an all-woman dominated world. If history has proven anything, it is that humans need to have the benefit of both genders in leadership. However, at this point in time perhaps an all-woman political party would help to remedy the dreadful lack of female representation in government.
Let’s be honest for a brief moment. Men alone are just not doing a good job running the world. The world is in shambles and the future does not look very bright. On the recent MTV Video Music Awards in September, Sally Fields made a statement that got censored before airing on television.
She said, “If mothers ruled the world, there would be no goddamn wars in the first place.” This type of mentality is desperately needed at all levels of governmental leadership to curb the male appetite for aggression and domination that emerges from time to time.
One of the very few times anyone will see truly aggressive behaviour from a woman is when she is protecting her children, which is why a woman would rather use diplomatic efforts to settle an issue than to resort to armed conflict.
For centuries upon centuries it has been said that women have no place in government because their makeup is different from that of men. It is precisely for this reason that women should be in government. The feminine brings balance to masculine and vice versa.
Male leadership alone does not encompass all that is needed in governing humankind. Female leadership, with all of those wonderful feminine qualities, provide certain attributes and wisdom in which men have typically been found wanting.
There is no doubt that men and women are different on various levels. However, those differences do not make one gender better than the other. Rather, the differences provide humankind with even more unique possibilities by which to solve our problems.
An all-woman’s political party in Guyana could help jump start this process of joint leadership that should have existed throughout our entire existence. I can think of several qualified candidates to get this party up and running with the expectation that other female leaders would jump in as well.
Really, girls, how much longer will you sit around and wait for the men to care about the issues that effect Guyana’s women? India’s women waited for over a decade for a bill that still has not passed just to have 33 percent representation in Parliament (not 50 percent, as it should be).
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Stella Says…Alright, alright. I think Oprah is gorgeous.
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 17 October 2007)
A few years ago I felt good about the direction humans were going as it seemed various forms of hatred toward other humans was on the decline. I watched as those around me found it easier to accept my bi-racial marriage and my children of several different races.
It seemed as if humans were finally finding ways to celebrate racial and religious diversity instead of using these differences between us to create fear and mistrust. I had hope that wars would become less frequent and I saw whole nations as moving toward a more tolerant approach when dealing with other nations and cultures.
However, the last few days have made it clear to me that my dreams of a more tolerant approach to each other is now further away than a decade ago.
I was browsing a Guyanese Website over the past weekend and saw a comment that caught my interest. A writer said he felt the letter pages of the Guyana daily newspapers was demonstrating a trend of drawing distinct lines along a racial divide.
I do notice these types of letters from time to time, but to be honest, I seldom read them. In my own life, when I come across a person who makes racial distinctions in a negative manner, I take quick steps to remove that person from my life. Likewise, I give no time to racially charged letters either.
It is not that am blind to reality, but I simply see no point in allowing any type of hatred to fester in me. I have faced plenty of racial remarks because of my diverse family and could easily fall into the trap of stereotyping every single race that has ever acted badly toward me – which would be every single race.
Yet I would rather believe that if I have the capacity to see a person for who they really are and celebrate their racial and cultural makeup, so can everyone else. This was the positive direction America was moving until 9/11. Now there is fear and mistrust around every corner again.
There are stories in the news about racial conflict in Louisiana, Middle-Easterners in America cannot board a flight without being watched carefully, and the fear and mistrust of 9/11 has many wanting to take drastic measures to close the borders. There are now even raids to find illegal immigrants and send them back to their homeland.
This is all nonsense to me. A person’s race is no determinant for whether she or he has strong moral character and a good heart. Just like there are good people of all skin colours, there are also bad people of all skin colours. It is ridiculous to pick out a couple bad eggs and subsequently pronounce that all people from that country or that race cannot be trusted.
This is what happens every time I write about Buxton, too. There has not been one time that I have written about the plight of those in Buxton that I have not been told that I am wasting my time. I refuse to succumb to such blind hatred simply because others live with that darkness in their hearts.
Last Sunday I wrote on three women who are some of the richest people in the world. One was an heiress from China, one was an author from England and one was a television host from America. I mentioned that the television host, Oprah, made it big regardless of the fact that she was “not overly aesthetically pleasing.”
This statement upset some who read my column and it was somehow misconstrued that my statement was because she was of African decent when in fact my statement was because she was the only one I wrote about who was in the entertainment business, which is known for only wanting the most beautiful women in front of a camera.
My point was that Oprah made it big using her brains and despite a constant fight with her weight. Oprah is no Halle Berry, but she made her mark despite the superficial expectations placed on all women in the entertainment business. This opens doors for more women to follow in her footsteps.
That my remark was somehow twisted to be a racial insult is beyond me. I simply do not think that way at all. I believe there is beauty to be found in every race. In fact, by my own standards, Oprah is drop dead gorgeous because she is a strong woman with a generous heart who is not afraid to put her intelligence on proud display.
Like Oprah, I will never be a size two. I have a round face – not that square face that Hollywood loves so much. However, I am a strong woman with a generous heart who is not afraid of being intelligent.
It seems there are some who cannot comprehend that race does not factor into the thinking of certain people. One reader who emailed me suggested that I should be more sensitive to the racially charged atmosphere in Guyana. While I understand this person’s point, I also believe my racial blindness could help others better accept each other.
What good does it do to react to a racist with more racism? At the end of the day there is just more entrenched hatred. If we shun such actions and walk away from those who are racists, surely at the end of the day goodwill and acceptance will overshadow the hatred.
Moreover, what good does it do to focus on those things that make us different and separate us? I prefer to focus on those things that bring us together and to celebrate our beautiful diversity.
I do not focus on racial differences because it simply does not factor into my determination of a person’s character. When humanity as a whole can reach beyond its differences – be it racial, religious, geographical, gender or financial – that is when we can focus on the truly important things in life.
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 17 October 2007)
A few years ago I felt good about the direction humans were going as it seemed various forms of hatred toward other humans was on the decline. I watched as those around me found it easier to accept my bi-racial marriage and my children of several different races.
It seemed as if humans were finally finding ways to celebrate racial and religious diversity instead of using these differences between us to create fear and mistrust. I had hope that wars would become less frequent and I saw whole nations as moving toward a more tolerant approach when dealing with other nations and cultures.
However, the last few days have made it clear to me that my dreams of a more tolerant approach to each other is now further away than a decade ago.
I was browsing a Guyanese Website over the past weekend and saw a comment that caught my interest. A writer said he felt the letter pages of the Guyana daily newspapers was demonstrating a trend of drawing distinct lines along a racial divide.
I do notice these types of letters from time to time, but to be honest, I seldom read them. In my own life, when I come across a person who makes racial distinctions in a negative manner, I take quick steps to remove that person from my life. Likewise, I give no time to racially charged letters either.
It is not that am blind to reality, but I simply see no point in allowing any type of hatred to fester in me. I have faced plenty of racial remarks because of my diverse family and could easily fall into the trap of stereotyping every single race that has ever acted badly toward me – which would be every single race.
Yet I would rather believe that if I have the capacity to see a person for who they really are and celebrate their racial and cultural makeup, so can everyone else. This was the positive direction America was moving until 9/11. Now there is fear and mistrust around every corner again.
There are stories in the news about racial conflict in Louisiana, Middle-Easterners in America cannot board a flight without being watched carefully, and the fear and mistrust of 9/11 has many wanting to take drastic measures to close the borders. There are now even raids to find illegal immigrants and send them back to their homeland.
This is all nonsense to me. A person’s race is no determinant for whether she or he has strong moral character and a good heart. Just like there are good people of all skin colours, there are also bad people of all skin colours. It is ridiculous to pick out a couple bad eggs and subsequently pronounce that all people from that country or that race cannot be trusted.
This is what happens every time I write about Buxton, too. There has not been one time that I have written about the plight of those in Buxton that I have not been told that I am wasting my time. I refuse to succumb to such blind hatred simply because others live with that darkness in their hearts.
Last Sunday I wrote on three women who are some of the richest people in the world. One was an heiress from China, one was an author from England and one was a television host from America. I mentioned that the television host, Oprah, made it big regardless of the fact that she was “not overly aesthetically pleasing.”
This statement upset some who read my column and it was somehow misconstrued that my statement was because she was of African decent when in fact my statement was because she was the only one I wrote about who was in the entertainment business, which is known for only wanting the most beautiful women in front of a camera.
My point was that Oprah made it big using her brains and despite a constant fight with her weight. Oprah is no Halle Berry, but she made her mark despite the superficial expectations placed on all women in the entertainment business. This opens doors for more women to follow in her footsteps.
That my remark was somehow twisted to be a racial insult is beyond me. I simply do not think that way at all. I believe there is beauty to be found in every race. In fact, by my own standards, Oprah is drop dead gorgeous because she is a strong woman with a generous heart who is not afraid to put her intelligence on proud display.
Like Oprah, I will never be a size two. I have a round face – not that square face that Hollywood loves so much. However, I am a strong woman with a generous heart who is not afraid of being intelligent.
It seems there are some who cannot comprehend that race does not factor into the thinking of certain people. One reader who emailed me suggested that I should be more sensitive to the racially charged atmosphere in Guyana. While I understand this person’s point, I also believe my racial blindness could help others better accept each other.
What good does it do to react to a racist with more racism? At the end of the day there is just more entrenched hatred. If we shun such actions and walk away from those who are racists, surely at the end of the day goodwill and acceptance will overshadow the hatred.
Moreover, what good does it do to focus on those things that make us different and separate us? I prefer to focus on those things that bring us together and to celebrate our beautiful diversity.
I do not focus on racial differences because it simply does not factor into my determination of a person’s character. When humanity as a whole can reach beyond its differences – be it racial, religious, geographical, gender or financial – that is when we can focus on the truly important things in life.
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
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