by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 13 April 2006)
Last week I received an email from Sean Adams, a frequent letter writer, who pointed out that although several countries around the world are voting women into high (if not the highest) governmental positions, America has yet to vote a woman into the office of President.
Mr. Adams feels this is a double standard by the United States – and quite frankly, I agree. The U.S. loves to talk about women’s issues and encourage other countries to protect women from the many atrocities the gender has suffered (and is still suffering). However, when it comes to electing a woman to lead the country, America is - to some degree - still in the Dark Ages.
While there has been significant progress made for women in the last few decades and a healthy majority of the population view women as intelligent and capable, there is still a sizeable group of Americans who believe a woman should be barefoot and pregnant. Translation: Keep the ignorant woman out of the man’s way while he makes all of the important decisions.
I grew up in this type of environment so I know all too well the means by which this group keeps its women under the masculine thumb. Most of these thinkers are religious people, hence one of my biggest issues with the church. The primary reason for the continued survival of this type of thinking stems from the fact that the dominant religions in the world still practice their archaic belief systems that practically enslave the female gender.
It seems to me that the men alone have not been doing such a good job in these leadership roles. Yet they still refuse to ask for help anymore than they will ask for directions when they are lost. But help is exactly what they need from the women. The good news is that I believe America may very well have a woman for its next president.
Mr. Adams is right that there is a double standard in this regard, but the hypocrisy is not an American issue – it is a man issue. I would venture that the same percentage of men worldwide who resist the notions of feminine leadership probably closely mirror that of American men.
Therefore, the question is how do we help these last few cavemen move beyond their archaic thinking and into the 21st century. The answer is simple – we don’t. This is not the kind of lesson that can be imposed on any culture; it is a matter of allowing them the time to evolve their belief system to catch up with the rest of the world.
Meanwhile, it seems that the men of Guyana are making huge strides in their thinking about women. Just this week a letter to the Editor from Wendell P. George said, “All the women heads of states over the years have shown they were and are quite capable of making decisions that their male counterparts would have shirked.”
It is because of this balanced thinking by men (and women) that Guyana has had a female president while America has yet to rise to this high standard. However, Guyana has a double standard too.
Guyana still has so very far to go when it comes to protecting its women. Just recently, we saw how even the wife of a police officer is not exempt from brutality from her husband. When I think about all of the women who trusted this officer to protect them, it makes me furious to think about what allegedly happened to this lady by a sworn protector of society.
What is the conclusion then? More women need to take their rightful leadership place in society and reject the notions that men are somehow superior to them. Women should not wait for people like that allegedly abusive officer to change, they should make the changes in themselves and if the guy doesn’t like it, then he is history – just like his archaic thinking.
Email: Stellasays[at]gmail.com
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Stella Says…Where are all of the biker politicians?
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 11 April 2006)
In the United States, the term “biker” is used to describe a certain type of rebel. This person is usually rebelling against the social expectancies laid down by pop culture and sees his/her bike as a form of escape from the pressure to conform to society.
I have always thought of bikers as being free spirits with a touch of Steve McQueen in them - a portion of society that would never forfeit their freedom without a fight. It would seem that Guyana’s bikers share this same “rebel with a cause” spirit.
In that same spirit, I stand heart-to-heart with the bikers who took to the roads of Guyana over the weekend in a ride for peace. I applaud this group of bikers for their tenacity in making their call for peace known. They are rebelling against the cultural norms in Guyana that have become acclimated to a climate of murder, crime and constant racial strife.
These bikers are not willing to forfeit their freedom to the criminal elements without a fight and they are not about to succumb to the social expectancy to reject another race regardless of the nation’s violent past.
The peaceful co-existence, or dare I say racial harmony, sought by these bikers over the weekend is a possibility if more people joined in this pursuit. It has never been easy for any society to overcome the issues that accompany racial differences, but just like many other nations around the world, Guyana can come to a place of peace if it can only move beyond the hurt of the past.
Where were Guyana’s leaders during this noble ride for peace? That was the one big question that was glaringly evident as I read about the event. Quite frankly, the lack of participation by these leaders speaks volumes about them.
Where were the representatives from the PPP, PNCR, AFC, GAP/ROAR, GTF and all of the political and social groups that claim to be working for Guyana’s best interest?
When a joint racial effort like this presents an opportunity for the nation’s leaders to let the country know they are not going to draw their political lines along the preset racial boundaries – the leaders should jump at the chance to participate.
By playing it safe and staying away from noble efforts such as this proves their cowardice to take a stand against racial division and reveals that they are obviously more concerned about getting those preset racial boundary votes than they are about helping Guyana heal from her past.
In my opinion, leaders who curtsey to a constituency full of hate rather than support a constituency seeking peace are no leaders at all. Their silence and lack of participation in these types of events sends a strong message to the world that they themselves are not ready to heal and move the nation forward.
I especially want to know where the women leaders were during this event. Where were Deborah Osman-Backer, Bibi Shakick and Sheila Holder during this ride for peace? If they were not on a bike and making a statement for peace, then perhaps they are not the type of women I thought they were.
Ladies, you can make a difference in this country and the rest of Guyana’s women are waiting for you to be brave enough to make the changes that your male counterparts have not been able to make. You can set a whole new tone for the nation, if only you can embody the spirit of these bikers and rebel against the expectancy to conform to the ebb and flow of Guyanese politics as it has been practised so far.
Are you willing to project the statement that your absence and silence on such matters makes to the nation? If so, then you are no better than the many other leaders who have failed this nation.
If you are not willing to send that type of message, then by all means start making some noise and let the world know that you are not a willing participant (by commission or omission) of racial division in Guyana. Let everyone see you fighting for the country you have vowed to served by bridging the gap between the races instead of letting the system of hate drag you down with it.
According to the article in Sunday’s Kaieteur News on this event, these are the words of Ravi Harichand, one of the organisers of the peace ride, “We need peace in our homes, communities and the country at large. With much work we were able to accomplish this peace ride… and this should not be peace for only today but every day.”
Now that is a sermon I would have actually gone to a church to hear.
Email: Stellasays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 11 April 2006)
In the United States, the term “biker” is used to describe a certain type of rebel. This person is usually rebelling against the social expectancies laid down by pop culture and sees his/her bike as a form of escape from the pressure to conform to society.
I have always thought of bikers as being free spirits with a touch of Steve McQueen in them - a portion of society that would never forfeit their freedom without a fight. It would seem that Guyana’s bikers share this same “rebel with a cause” spirit.
In that same spirit, I stand heart-to-heart with the bikers who took to the roads of Guyana over the weekend in a ride for peace. I applaud this group of bikers for their tenacity in making their call for peace known. They are rebelling against the cultural norms in Guyana that have become acclimated to a climate of murder, crime and constant racial strife.
These bikers are not willing to forfeit their freedom to the criminal elements without a fight and they are not about to succumb to the social expectancy to reject another race regardless of the nation’s violent past.
The peaceful co-existence, or dare I say racial harmony, sought by these bikers over the weekend is a possibility if more people joined in this pursuit. It has never been easy for any society to overcome the issues that accompany racial differences, but just like many other nations around the world, Guyana can come to a place of peace if it can only move beyond the hurt of the past.
Where were Guyana’s leaders during this noble ride for peace? That was the one big question that was glaringly evident as I read about the event. Quite frankly, the lack of participation by these leaders speaks volumes about them.
Where were the representatives from the PPP, PNCR, AFC, GAP/ROAR, GTF and all of the political and social groups that claim to be working for Guyana’s best interest?
When a joint racial effort like this presents an opportunity for the nation’s leaders to let the country know they are not going to draw their political lines along the preset racial boundaries – the leaders should jump at the chance to participate.
By playing it safe and staying away from noble efforts such as this proves their cowardice to take a stand against racial division and reveals that they are obviously more concerned about getting those preset racial boundary votes than they are about helping Guyana heal from her past.
In my opinion, leaders who curtsey to a constituency full of hate rather than support a constituency seeking peace are no leaders at all. Their silence and lack of participation in these types of events sends a strong message to the world that they themselves are not ready to heal and move the nation forward.
I especially want to know where the women leaders were during this event. Where were Deborah Osman-Backer, Bibi Shakick and Sheila Holder during this ride for peace? If they were not on a bike and making a statement for peace, then perhaps they are not the type of women I thought they were.
Ladies, you can make a difference in this country and the rest of Guyana’s women are waiting for you to be brave enough to make the changes that your male counterparts have not been able to make. You can set a whole new tone for the nation, if only you can embody the spirit of these bikers and rebel against the expectancy to conform to the ebb and flow of Guyanese politics as it has been practised so far.
Are you willing to project the statement that your absence and silence on such matters makes to the nation? If so, then you are no better than the many other leaders who have failed this nation.
If you are not willing to send that type of message, then by all means start making some noise and let the world know that you are not a willing participant (by commission or omission) of racial division in Guyana. Let everyone see you fighting for the country you have vowed to served by bridging the gap between the races instead of letting the system of hate drag you down with it.
According to the article in Sunday’s Kaieteur News on this event, these are the words of Ravi Harichand, one of the organisers of the peace ride, “We need peace in our homes, communities and the country at large. With much work we were able to accomplish this peace ride… and this should not be peace for only today but every day.”
Now that is a sermon I would have actually gone to a church to hear.
Email: Stellasays[at]gmail.com
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Stella Says…While the government sleeps, the people can still prosper
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 09 April 2006)
Last Sunday, Sweet and Sensitive Freddie wrote a scathing column about tax evaders that would make anyone who has not paid their taxes red in the face for a very long time. I applaud his strong stance on this issue, especially as it applies to the richer Guyanese who have the money to pay their taxes, but withhold from the country her rightful dues.
His lecture on this issue reminded me of the time when the prolific writer Henry David Thoreau decided not to pay a portion of his taxes to the U.S. government. However, he was not trying to rip off his country. He was protesting the American war on Mexico and even though he only withheld the portion of his taxes that he felt would be used to fight the war, he still went to jail for tax evasion in 1846.
Much to his chagrin, Thoreau only spent one night in jail because someone else paid his taxes and he was release. However, his creative “protest” was widely publicised and he accomplished his goal of letting the world know what he thought of his government’s actions concerning the war.
I should point out that Freddie’s column was speaking about a different type of person though – the greedy type. I am talking about yet one more way to remind the government who is really in charge in a country – including Guyana. This is in keeping with Guyana’s Constitution, which says in Chapter 2, Article 9, “Sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it through their representatives and the democratic organs established by or under this Constitution.”
In other words, the people are the ones who decide Guyana’s future and the government is merely the tool by which these decisions should be enacted. I say this for two reasons; one reason is because I believe all governments have a tendency to over step their rightful boundaries and need to be reigned in from time to time.
The second reason is because I believe the ultimate fault for failure in any democratic nation lies squarely on the shoulders of the people. While I think George Bush is one of the worst things to happen to America in her short history, I blame the people for the current situation because they are the ones who voted him back into office after failing miserably during his first term.
I voted for Bush in 2000, not because I thought he would be a good president, but because I felt he was the lesser of two evils. Boy was I wrong! I even supported his decision to go after Bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks. It was when he decided, against the will of the people and international advice, to invade Iraq that I then took a very strong stance against his behaviour.
There was no way he was going to get my vote again during the last elections. Which is why I simply could not understand how so many Americans would have voted for him again. The only reasons I could see is that these Americans either supported his cowboy politics or they were so entrenched in their conservatism that they justified his questionable behaviour as a mandate from “God.”
The ironic part about this whole thing is that Bin Laden believes “God” told him to attack America too. “God” is either playing some serious mind-games with his creation or neither of these men heard from “God.” I believe it is the latter since neither the Koran or the Bible condones such atrocious behaviour.
At least Guyana’s government is not using God to justify their questionable actions. Instead, they just play dumb and act like they have done nothing wrong. Or they blame someone else when everything blows up in their faces. I wonder whom they will blame when the floods come again next year? Maybe that is why they want the elections as soon as possible?
Thoreau said, "Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right."
Oh that governments world-wide would have the same sense of decency as Thoreau! But they do not, which is why the people need to keep a vigilant eye on their representatives. Power corrupts and complacency sets in too quickly, leaving the people to clean up the messes made by the very ones they entrusted the country to in the first place.
Newsweek recently highlighted India’s fantastic growth, but said it was the people who brought progress to India. “India’s growth is messy, chaotic and largely unplanned. It is not top-down but bottom-up. It is happening not because of the government, but largely despite it… But it has vast and growing numbers of entrepreneurs who want to make money. And somehow they find a way to do it, overcoming the obstacles, bypassing the bureaucracy.”
In other words, the people of India refuse to allow their government to run the nation into the ground any longer. They are bypassing the government and bringing economic growth to the nation while their “government sleeps at night.”
Guyanese are just as ingenious. If the people of Guyana can find ways to survive in the mess the government has created, I bet they can find a way to make Guyana prosperous despite the government’s resistance to economic growth as well.
Remember Guyana - this is your country. It does not belong to Jagdeo or Corbin. They are merely your representatives – if you decide they are worthy of the role. The real power to make this country great lies in your hands alone. Don’t wait for the government to give you permission to succeed. Follow India’s role and bring economic growth the Guyana while your government sleeps.
Email: Stellasays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 09 April 2006)
Last Sunday, Sweet and Sensitive Freddie wrote a scathing column about tax evaders that would make anyone who has not paid their taxes red in the face for a very long time. I applaud his strong stance on this issue, especially as it applies to the richer Guyanese who have the money to pay their taxes, but withhold from the country her rightful dues.
His lecture on this issue reminded me of the time when the prolific writer Henry David Thoreau decided not to pay a portion of his taxes to the U.S. government. However, he was not trying to rip off his country. He was protesting the American war on Mexico and even though he only withheld the portion of his taxes that he felt would be used to fight the war, he still went to jail for tax evasion in 1846.
Much to his chagrin, Thoreau only spent one night in jail because someone else paid his taxes and he was release. However, his creative “protest” was widely publicised and he accomplished his goal of letting the world know what he thought of his government’s actions concerning the war.
I should point out that Freddie’s column was speaking about a different type of person though – the greedy type. I am talking about yet one more way to remind the government who is really in charge in a country – including Guyana. This is in keeping with Guyana’s Constitution, which says in Chapter 2, Article 9, “Sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it through their representatives and the democratic organs established by or under this Constitution.”
In other words, the people are the ones who decide Guyana’s future and the government is merely the tool by which these decisions should be enacted. I say this for two reasons; one reason is because I believe all governments have a tendency to over step their rightful boundaries and need to be reigned in from time to time.
The second reason is because I believe the ultimate fault for failure in any democratic nation lies squarely on the shoulders of the people. While I think George Bush is one of the worst things to happen to America in her short history, I blame the people for the current situation because they are the ones who voted him back into office after failing miserably during his first term.
I voted for Bush in 2000, not because I thought he would be a good president, but because I felt he was the lesser of two evils. Boy was I wrong! I even supported his decision to go after Bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks. It was when he decided, against the will of the people and international advice, to invade Iraq that I then took a very strong stance against his behaviour.
There was no way he was going to get my vote again during the last elections. Which is why I simply could not understand how so many Americans would have voted for him again. The only reasons I could see is that these Americans either supported his cowboy politics or they were so entrenched in their conservatism that they justified his questionable behaviour as a mandate from “God.”
The ironic part about this whole thing is that Bin Laden believes “God” told him to attack America too. “God” is either playing some serious mind-games with his creation or neither of these men heard from “God.” I believe it is the latter since neither the Koran or the Bible condones such atrocious behaviour.
At least Guyana’s government is not using God to justify their questionable actions. Instead, they just play dumb and act like they have done nothing wrong. Or they blame someone else when everything blows up in their faces. I wonder whom they will blame when the floods come again next year? Maybe that is why they want the elections as soon as possible?
Thoreau said, "Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right."
Oh that governments world-wide would have the same sense of decency as Thoreau! But they do not, which is why the people need to keep a vigilant eye on their representatives. Power corrupts and complacency sets in too quickly, leaving the people to clean up the messes made by the very ones they entrusted the country to in the first place.
Newsweek recently highlighted India’s fantastic growth, but said it was the people who brought progress to India. “India’s growth is messy, chaotic and largely unplanned. It is not top-down but bottom-up. It is happening not because of the government, but largely despite it… But it has vast and growing numbers of entrepreneurs who want to make money. And somehow they find a way to do it, overcoming the obstacles, bypassing the bureaucracy.”
In other words, the people of India refuse to allow their government to run the nation into the ground any longer. They are bypassing the government and bringing economic growth to the nation while their “government sleeps at night.”
Guyanese are just as ingenious. If the people of Guyana can find ways to survive in the mess the government has created, I bet they can find a way to make Guyana prosperous despite the government’s resistance to economic growth as well.
Remember Guyana - this is your country. It does not belong to Jagdeo or Corbin. They are merely your representatives – if you decide they are worthy of the role. The real power to make this country great lies in your hands alone. Don’t wait for the government to give you permission to succeed. Follow India’s role and bring economic growth the Guyana while your government sleeps.
Email: Stellasays[at]gmail.com
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Stella Says…International women leaders are setting higher standards
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 06 April 2006)
The world cannot help but take notice of the scores of women leaders who have recently come to the forefront of the international community. It is true that the gender of these leaders alone is news since women have been relegated solely to the position “housewife” for thousands of years – whether she wanted this position or not.
However, it is not only the fact that women are stepping out as world leaders that is catching the world’s interest. It is the finesse and quality of their leadership abilities that is wowing those who serve with these them and the constituency of their respective countries.
Last week in Israel, the nation’s newest centrist party, Kadima (which means forward), won the elections after putting the very popular female Foreign Minister, Tzipi Liyni, out in front of the public in the campaign ads for the party. Kadima took 32 of 120 seats, with the next closest party only taking 22 seats. Maybe this is the year for new parties with feminine leadership and new visions?
ABC’s news show, Nightline, talked about the factors that made this female leader so popular in Israel, a country where old “backstabbing” men dominate the political scene. One Israeli man said, “When she says something, she gives the public the feeling that she means it.” What a novel idea!
Liyni is a mother, a lawyer and a former member of the Israeli intelligence organisation, Mossad. According to Nightline, she has quickly climbed the political ladder, serving as Justice Minister and Minister of Immigration without making very many enemies, which many believe has positioned her as a candidate for Prime Minster one day.
Another Israeli said, “I think people are judging her by her qualities, not by her sexual identity because she is very different from all the other people we know in our politics.” Indeed, Liyni’s vision for Israel takes the country out of the ongoing conflict with Palestine so it can focus on building a thriving state.
The new party formed by the now comatose Ariel Sharon supports shrinking Israel’s presence on the land and walling the nation’s borders from enemies. Liyni says she was the architect of this concept that encourages a peaceful and democratic Israel as opposed to a warring and fragmented nation of two people groups.
Innovative leadership like this is refreshing, especially when one considers the state of the do-it-my-way-or-die approach taken by many male world leaders. The masculine strategy has too often led to death, poverty and repression for many generations. It is no wonder that so many women are being elected into powerful positions throughout the world to balance the masculine power struggle with a bit of feminine diplomacy.
Greece has a female foreign minister as well, Dora Bakoyannis, who was mayor of Athens when it hosted the highly successful 2004 Summer Olympics. According to a recent Reuters article concerning Bakoyannis, U.S. President George Bush said a couple weeks ago, “"It is a wise government that relies upon the judgment and advice of a woman as a foreign minister or secretary of state.”
In Liberia, the brave new female President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, recently addressed the nation’s legislators, which included several corrupt and murderous politicians. She looked the allegedly corrupt Speaker of the House straight in the eye and vowed to clean up the public offices.
This is what a Newsweek article from April 3 had to say about the new Liberian president. “Johnson-Sirleaf’s ascendance is the most dramatic development in a quiet revolution transforming Africa. Across the continent, women’s empowerment initiatives, disgust with male-dominated politics-as-usual and the inspiring examples of a few female leaders are propelling women to positions of clout in record numbers.”
The most pungent part of the article said, “But Africa’s transformation also reflects a growing recognition that the corruption, civil war and decay that have plagued the continent for generations have been largely the work of men. In the past few years, grass-roots women’s groups have been sounding a distinctively feminist message, arguing that the qualities displayed by women at he family level - fiscal integrity, maternal nurturing – may be what Africa needs to lift itself off its knees.
Give an African woman a loan, they argue, and she’ll spend it on her children’s school fees and food for the family. Give it to a man, and he’ll just as likely fritter it away.”
Guyana’s dire need for more feminine leadership is just as acute as Israel’s and Liberia’s. What has been done to this nation under a gender imbalanced leadership is in keeping with the shortcomings other nations have recognised and decidedly started to remedy.
The sooner Guyana begins to introduce more female leaders in strategic places, the sooner the country will start to heal from decades of maltreatment and ineptitude. Other countries in Africa have even successfully put women into position that men have failed miserably, such as law enforcement and security.
The previously mentioned Newsweek article also talked about how Nigeria’s female led National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has chased off the drug lords, even after they tried to gun her down. She refused to be bought and instead seized loads of phoney pharmaceutical drugs, raided warehouses and destroyed the illegal drugs in huge public bonfires.
Britain’s Department for International Development said that since 2004 Nigeria has seen a whopping 80 percent decline in the circulation of illegal drugs. This is the kind of law enforcement leader Guyana needs!
Moreover, the countries where women are in leadership positions, issues like domestic abuse, rape, paternal financial support, etc. are being addressed and new laws created to protect and advance the women of those nations.
The longer women cower in the shadows, the longer they will be subjugated to the dark forces that forced them into the shadows in the first place. Guyana needs her strong women to stand up and take their rightful place as leaders of the country. The sooner the better.
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 06 April 2006)
The world cannot help but take notice of the scores of women leaders who have recently come to the forefront of the international community. It is true that the gender of these leaders alone is news since women have been relegated solely to the position “housewife” for thousands of years – whether she wanted this position or not.
However, it is not only the fact that women are stepping out as world leaders that is catching the world’s interest. It is the finesse and quality of their leadership abilities that is wowing those who serve with these them and the constituency of their respective countries.
Last week in Israel, the nation’s newest centrist party, Kadima (which means forward), won the elections after putting the very popular female Foreign Minister, Tzipi Liyni, out in front of the public in the campaign ads for the party. Kadima took 32 of 120 seats, with the next closest party only taking 22 seats. Maybe this is the year for new parties with feminine leadership and new visions?
ABC’s news show, Nightline, talked about the factors that made this female leader so popular in Israel, a country where old “backstabbing” men dominate the political scene. One Israeli man said, “When she says something, she gives the public the feeling that she means it.” What a novel idea!
Liyni is a mother, a lawyer and a former member of the Israeli intelligence organisation, Mossad. According to Nightline, she has quickly climbed the political ladder, serving as Justice Minister and Minister of Immigration without making very many enemies, which many believe has positioned her as a candidate for Prime Minster one day.
Another Israeli said, “I think people are judging her by her qualities, not by her sexual identity because she is very different from all the other people we know in our politics.” Indeed, Liyni’s vision for Israel takes the country out of the ongoing conflict with Palestine so it can focus on building a thriving state.
The new party formed by the now comatose Ariel Sharon supports shrinking Israel’s presence on the land and walling the nation’s borders from enemies. Liyni says she was the architect of this concept that encourages a peaceful and democratic Israel as opposed to a warring and fragmented nation of two people groups.
Innovative leadership like this is refreshing, especially when one considers the state of the do-it-my-way-or-die approach taken by many male world leaders. The masculine strategy has too often led to death, poverty and repression for many generations. It is no wonder that so many women are being elected into powerful positions throughout the world to balance the masculine power struggle with a bit of feminine diplomacy.
Greece has a female foreign minister as well, Dora Bakoyannis, who was mayor of Athens when it hosted the highly successful 2004 Summer Olympics. According to a recent Reuters article concerning Bakoyannis, U.S. President George Bush said a couple weeks ago, “"It is a wise government that relies upon the judgment and advice of a woman as a foreign minister or secretary of state.”
In Liberia, the brave new female President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, recently addressed the nation’s legislators, which included several corrupt and murderous politicians. She looked the allegedly corrupt Speaker of the House straight in the eye and vowed to clean up the public offices.
This is what a Newsweek article from April 3 had to say about the new Liberian president. “Johnson-Sirleaf’s ascendance is the most dramatic development in a quiet revolution transforming Africa. Across the continent, women’s empowerment initiatives, disgust with male-dominated politics-as-usual and the inspiring examples of a few female leaders are propelling women to positions of clout in record numbers.”
The most pungent part of the article said, “But Africa’s transformation also reflects a growing recognition that the corruption, civil war and decay that have plagued the continent for generations have been largely the work of men. In the past few years, grass-roots women’s groups have been sounding a distinctively feminist message, arguing that the qualities displayed by women at he family level - fiscal integrity, maternal nurturing – may be what Africa needs to lift itself off its knees.
Give an African woman a loan, they argue, and she’ll spend it on her children’s school fees and food for the family. Give it to a man, and he’ll just as likely fritter it away.”
Guyana’s dire need for more feminine leadership is just as acute as Israel’s and Liberia’s. What has been done to this nation under a gender imbalanced leadership is in keeping with the shortcomings other nations have recognised and decidedly started to remedy.
The sooner Guyana begins to introduce more female leaders in strategic places, the sooner the country will start to heal from decades of maltreatment and ineptitude. Other countries in Africa have even successfully put women into position that men have failed miserably, such as law enforcement and security.
The previously mentioned Newsweek article also talked about how Nigeria’s female led National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has chased off the drug lords, even after they tried to gun her down. She refused to be bought and instead seized loads of phoney pharmaceutical drugs, raided warehouses and destroyed the illegal drugs in huge public bonfires.
Britain’s Department for International Development said that since 2004 Nigeria has seen a whopping 80 percent decline in the circulation of illegal drugs. This is the kind of law enforcement leader Guyana needs!
Moreover, the countries where women are in leadership positions, issues like domestic abuse, rape, paternal financial support, etc. are being addressed and new laws created to protect and advance the women of those nations.
The longer women cower in the shadows, the longer they will be subjugated to the dark forces that forced them into the shadows in the first place. Guyana needs her strong women to stand up and take their rightful place as leaders of the country. The sooner the better.
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Stella Says…Money cannot buy this kind of power
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 04 April 2006)
An individual’s power to confront life’s challenges comes from deep within. It is from this dark and unseen place that a man finds the will to live in the midst of hopelessness and where a woman finds the strength to fight for honour when faith has abandoned her.
The depth of this place is unknown for it has never been measured, though it is explored on a constant basis by those in need of even one more thin thread that can connect them to the realm of the possible.
When this power graces the feeble with its inspiring presence, it grants the terrified soul with a steady hand and the weak heart with enough courage to stare unflinchingly into the eyes of a vicious miscreant with defiance and resolve. This power connects every human, great and small, by an unbreakable bond – the human spirit.
Just like virtue, humans instinctively know where to look for this power – even from a very young age. This place feels spiritual at times and physical at other times. In fact, this oasis of strength feels so tangible at times that one might reach out in an attempt to grasp its wind with bare hands.
This beautiful power lingers only as long as it is needed, but leaves wisdom as a gift when it departs. Money and clout cannot summon this power because it exists solely for the most desperate of hearts. Lest this awesome power create yet one more haughty and supercilious fiend in a world ruled by such ogres, this power is distributed in short, controlled measures to the frail and destitute.
From whence this power comes, no one knows. Though it is given sparingly to the shallow and lavished upon the weak, most seek this power only in the direst of circumstances. It fashions strong hearts and brave souls from a jumbled heap of dejected individuals.
When it rises from the deep to impart its subject with unexpected might, the person feels this power well up inside like a balloon of hope inflating inside the subject’s chest. This power then begins to surge through the veins as it seeps into each muscle, bone and organ till every single molecule of the body is overcome with resolution and boldness.
Suddenly the faint of heart instantly morphs into a hero. The victim transforms into an illustrious warrior and the prey becomes the aggressor. This power causes hope to transcend reality and beckons each person endowed with it to shake off the chains of lassitude.
I am not a merchant of hope, but I know where to find this power because I have often been forced to seek the fathoms of the deep for just one more ounce of strength. I have frequented this oasis in my direst moments, just as you have visited during your own calamitous times.
History has been witness to momentous points in time when humans have harnessed this power in a collective effort to withstand an onslaught of wickedness. Anytime an oppressive force seeks to subjugate the masses and slaughter the innocent, this power rises up within the people to face off tyranny and hold back evil.
Perhaps these historic times bring out the best in human nature in an attempt to balance the worst. Because human history is peppered with these extraordinary events and because our lives are graced with such power, we are able to believe that tomorrow can be better than today.
It does not matter that we cannot know the origin of this power. It does not matter that we do understand how it works. All that really matters is that it materialises when we need just one thin thread to connect us to the realm of the possible and take us beyond the wretched reality in which sometimes must live.
All that matters is that the human spirit is not condemned to a perpetual broken spirit. Because of this power, the human race has the ability to accomplish greatness in the midst of obscurity. In fact, it is when humans are at a breaking point and society is on the brink of collapse that we find our greatest and most noble attribute – a wellspring of internal strength and power.
It is from this deep power that Guyana will one day soon find the strength to fight for her future.
Email: Stellasays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 04 April 2006)
An individual’s power to confront life’s challenges comes from deep within. It is from this dark and unseen place that a man finds the will to live in the midst of hopelessness and where a woman finds the strength to fight for honour when faith has abandoned her.
The depth of this place is unknown for it has never been measured, though it is explored on a constant basis by those in need of even one more thin thread that can connect them to the realm of the possible.
When this power graces the feeble with its inspiring presence, it grants the terrified soul with a steady hand and the weak heart with enough courage to stare unflinchingly into the eyes of a vicious miscreant with defiance and resolve. This power connects every human, great and small, by an unbreakable bond – the human spirit.
Just like virtue, humans instinctively know where to look for this power – even from a very young age. This place feels spiritual at times and physical at other times. In fact, this oasis of strength feels so tangible at times that one might reach out in an attempt to grasp its wind with bare hands.
This beautiful power lingers only as long as it is needed, but leaves wisdom as a gift when it departs. Money and clout cannot summon this power because it exists solely for the most desperate of hearts. Lest this awesome power create yet one more haughty and supercilious fiend in a world ruled by such ogres, this power is distributed in short, controlled measures to the frail and destitute.
From whence this power comes, no one knows. Though it is given sparingly to the shallow and lavished upon the weak, most seek this power only in the direst of circumstances. It fashions strong hearts and brave souls from a jumbled heap of dejected individuals.
When it rises from the deep to impart its subject with unexpected might, the person feels this power well up inside like a balloon of hope inflating inside the subject’s chest. This power then begins to surge through the veins as it seeps into each muscle, bone and organ till every single molecule of the body is overcome with resolution and boldness.
Suddenly the faint of heart instantly morphs into a hero. The victim transforms into an illustrious warrior and the prey becomes the aggressor. This power causes hope to transcend reality and beckons each person endowed with it to shake off the chains of lassitude.
I am not a merchant of hope, but I know where to find this power because I have often been forced to seek the fathoms of the deep for just one more ounce of strength. I have frequented this oasis in my direst moments, just as you have visited during your own calamitous times.
History has been witness to momentous points in time when humans have harnessed this power in a collective effort to withstand an onslaught of wickedness. Anytime an oppressive force seeks to subjugate the masses and slaughter the innocent, this power rises up within the people to face off tyranny and hold back evil.
Perhaps these historic times bring out the best in human nature in an attempt to balance the worst. Because human history is peppered with these extraordinary events and because our lives are graced with such power, we are able to believe that tomorrow can be better than today.
It does not matter that we cannot know the origin of this power. It does not matter that we do understand how it works. All that really matters is that it materialises when we need just one thin thread to connect us to the realm of the possible and take us beyond the wretched reality in which sometimes must live.
All that matters is that the human spirit is not condemned to a perpetual broken spirit. Because of this power, the human race has the ability to accomplish greatness in the midst of obscurity. In fact, it is when humans are at a breaking point and society is on the brink of collapse that we find our greatest and most noble attribute – a wellspring of internal strength and power.
It is from this deep power that Guyana will one day soon find the strength to fight for her future.
Email: Stellasays[at]gmail.com
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Stella says... Remind the government that you are the boss
by Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 02 April 2006)
The world has watched with great interest and amusement as two governments were put into their place in the last couple of weeks by a tidal wave of protesters that overwhelmed the hi-ways and by-ways of France and America .
In America , immigrants and non-immigrants alike protested the proposed tightening of U.S. borders by making illegal immigration a felony. This legislation has already passed the House of Representatives and is now being debated in the Senate.
However, in a surprise move, the Latin community flooded the streets of many states in protest of this legislation. Not much is heard from the Latin community in America on the political front, which is why it shocked the rest of the nation when this normally quiet constituency started making a noise – and a very loud noise at that.
Even the children joined in for this protest and staged class walkouts on college campuses, high schools and even the elementary grades. My youngest daughter's school was no exception being 43 per cent Hispanic. Further, since my daughter is Panamanian, this was of course of great interest to her.
The protests were mostly peaceful, though things did get out of hand in a couple of schools. In one school a child was stabbed and in my daughter's school the police were called in and some students were arrested for taking things too far.
However, the protests achieved their desired goal; all eyes are now on the usually unassuming Latin community. They finally have the attention of the nation – and good for them. It is about time the largest minority group in the U.S. stand up for themselves and take their place in society.
Across the Atlantic, France has a different type of problem. This started out as protests by the younger generation for new legislation allowing employers to terminate anyone under the age of 26 within the first two years for any reason at all.
The government says the legislation is supposed to help bolster the sagging employment rate. The young people of France are not buying it. In another surprising move, teachers, train drivers and civil servants joined these young protesters this week. These public servants are ready to strike over the new legislation that has absolutely no impact on public workers since this is targeted solely at the private sector.
Last weekend the French Government defiantly said it would not back down on this issue. That was before this issue threatened to shut down the entire nation. I bet they are thinking twice about possibly reconsidering their stance now.
So what does all of this have to do with Guyana ? Everything. For too long, Guyanese have numbly accepted incompetence and indifference from their government, and have done absolutely nothing about it. Perhaps these peaceful protests can inspire Guyanese to see that they do not have to meekly submit to whatever their government decides to do.
If other nations around the world were treated with even half of the indifference and lack of respect that the Guyanese are subjected to on a regular basis, they would toss out their governments with a good swift kick to the rear. Yet Guyana is trapped in this abusive situation because her people feel there is no way out – but there is.
This is what The Economist had to say about the protests in France , “The protest is becoming a howl of rejection against the ruling elite, part of a pattern of such outbursts over the past five years.
In the 11th year of Jacques Chirac's presidency, there is a mood of what the French call ras-le-bol, or disgruntlement. It might be summed up as: we fear change, France is in decline, our children face an uncertain future, and we have no faith in the political class's ability to deal with all this.”
Does the sentiment of the French seem familiar? Of course it does; this same sentiment resounds throughout Guyana on a daily basis. The difference is that the French are doing something about their dissatisfaction. Likewise, the Latin community in America is doing something about its dissatisfaction.
The beauty of democracy is that when a government fails a nation, the people can replace it with a more competent government. Yet the race issue (perpetuated by the political class) has forced Guyana to choose between democracy and racial devotion.
The government uses racial fear to rule its people and as a result the people have forfeited their democracy.
If this is not a case of the cart before the horse, I don't know what is. I have highlighted the peaceful protests to show how the people are the ones who should determine the direction of the country.
The people are the ones who rule, through representation, in a republic. The government is nothing more than officials elected to enact the will of the people. France and America reminded its government of this fact through these protests. When will Guyana remind its government that the people are the ones who rule the nation?
If Guyanese wait too long, they may lose their chance and democracy could be swept aside by autocracy once again. If you think things are bad now when the government has to answer to the people, what do you think it will be like when they don't have to pretend like they care anymore?
That is a thought everyone should chew on for a while before the general elections.
Email: Stellasays[at]gmail.com
(Originally published in Guyana's Kaieteur News on 02 April 2006)
The world has watched with great interest and amusement as two governments were put into their place in the last couple of weeks by a tidal wave of protesters that overwhelmed the hi-ways and by-ways of France and America .
In America , immigrants and non-immigrants alike protested the proposed tightening of U.S. borders by making illegal immigration a felony. This legislation has already passed the House of Representatives and is now being debated in the Senate.
However, in a surprise move, the Latin community flooded the streets of many states in protest of this legislation. Not much is heard from the Latin community in America on the political front, which is why it shocked the rest of the nation when this normally quiet constituency started making a noise – and a very loud noise at that.
Even the children joined in for this protest and staged class walkouts on college campuses, high schools and even the elementary grades. My youngest daughter's school was no exception being 43 per cent Hispanic. Further, since my daughter is Panamanian, this was of course of great interest to her.
The protests were mostly peaceful, though things did get out of hand in a couple of schools. In one school a child was stabbed and in my daughter's school the police were called in and some students were arrested for taking things too far.
However, the protests achieved their desired goal; all eyes are now on the usually unassuming Latin community. They finally have the attention of the nation – and good for them. It is about time the largest minority group in the U.S. stand up for themselves and take their place in society.
Across the Atlantic, France has a different type of problem. This started out as protests by the younger generation for new legislation allowing employers to terminate anyone under the age of 26 within the first two years for any reason at all.
The government says the legislation is supposed to help bolster the sagging employment rate. The young people of France are not buying it. In another surprising move, teachers, train drivers and civil servants joined these young protesters this week. These public servants are ready to strike over the new legislation that has absolutely no impact on public workers since this is targeted solely at the private sector.
Last weekend the French Government defiantly said it would not back down on this issue. That was before this issue threatened to shut down the entire nation. I bet they are thinking twice about possibly reconsidering their stance now.
So what does all of this have to do with Guyana ? Everything. For too long, Guyanese have numbly accepted incompetence and indifference from their government, and have done absolutely nothing about it. Perhaps these peaceful protests can inspire Guyanese to see that they do not have to meekly submit to whatever their government decides to do.
If other nations around the world were treated with even half of the indifference and lack of respect that the Guyanese are subjected to on a regular basis, they would toss out their governments with a good swift kick to the rear. Yet Guyana is trapped in this abusive situation because her people feel there is no way out – but there is.
This is what The Economist had to say about the protests in France , “The protest is becoming a howl of rejection against the ruling elite, part of a pattern of such outbursts over the past five years.
In the 11th year of Jacques Chirac's presidency, there is a mood of what the French call ras-le-bol, or disgruntlement. It might be summed up as: we fear change, France is in decline, our children face an uncertain future, and we have no faith in the political class's ability to deal with all this.”
Does the sentiment of the French seem familiar? Of course it does; this same sentiment resounds throughout Guyana on a daily basis. The difference is that the French are doing something about their dissatisfaction. Likewise, the Latin community in America is doing something about its dissatisfaction.
The beauty of democracy is that when a government fails a nation, the people can replace it with a more competent government. Yet the race issue (perpetuated by the political class) has forced Guyana to choose between democracy and racial devotion.
The government uses racial fear to rule its people and as a result the people have forfeited their democracy.
If this is not a case of the cart before the horse, I don't know what is. I have highlighted the peaceful protests to show how the people are the ones who should determine the direction of the country.
The people are the ones who rule, through representation, in a republic. The government is nothing more than officials elected to enact the will of the people. France and America reminded its government of this fact through these protests. When will Guyana remind its government that the people are the ones who rule the nation?
If Guyanese wait too long, they may lose their chance and democracy could be swept aside by autocracy once again. If you think things are bad now when the government has to answer to the people, what do you think it will be like when they don't have to pretend like they care anymore?
That is a thought everyone should chew on for a while before the general elections.
Email: Stellasays[at]gmail.com
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