(Originally published in the Kaieteur News on 01 Dec 2005)
If it were possible to count the number of times a Diaspora has spoken sweet words of love about their beloved country, I believe the words would fill the ocean that laps upon the seawalls of Guyana.
The verbal love letters of fair Guyana tell of its unparalleled beauty and abundant flora of vibrant colours. In this Canaan the mangoes grow sweet and the avocados are thrice the size of those in the States. The sun shines bright on the shoppers at Stabroek Market and the rain falls softly on the heads of the little children playing with a simple toy that just rolls on one wheel.
These were children raised without a Nintendo or an iPod. Instead, stories of ice cream on the sea walls and boat rides on the Essequibo fill the room at every gathering of Guyana’s children. It is funny how a life so simple could produce a people so loyal. Then again, perhaps that is the secret.
To hear a child of Guyana talk, theirs is a land like no other land on earth. With eyes fixed afar, perhaps in Georgetown or maybe in Bartica, the memories come flooding back and a smile creeps across a once guarded face.
And oh there is the food. There could never be an account of beautiful Guyana that is not accompanied by phulourie galore, roti aplenty and cook-up for all. Every Christmas brings friends and family in droves to compliment new draperies and to eat – even though they have just eaten at the last three houses previously visited.
There could never be any doubt of the love that Guyanese have for their country. In fact, most Guyanese who live abroad would trade their cushy lives in developed countries for the chance to live in their beautiful homeland again – if they knew it was safe and there was a friendly economic climate.
It seems that regardless of how much love there is for Guyana, no one seems to know how to fix her. She is like an exquisite painting that has been sliced down the middle. On one side there is a portion of beauty, and on the other side there is another portion of beauty, but if the two pieces could be mended the painting would be whole and the splendour beyond compare.
Guyana has had its share of counterfeit artists who have gone through the movements of a master painter, but they never had the necessary talent to mend the painting and bring the torn pieces back together. In fact, only the people themselves are capable of fixing this nation.
What a tragedy that a land with so much beauty could at the same time be so ugly with hate and distrust.
I truly believe with everything in me that the day that Guyanese can place a vote that is not based on race, that is the day that the country will start to mend. This unseemly wedge that drives Guyana’s people apart will forever cripple the nation’s ability to accomplish any form of significant progress.
I know there is justification for the deep-seated hate that runs through the veins of all Guyanese like the mud that runs through the Demerara River. Neither race has clean hands. But I also know that for as long as that hate controls the minds of the people of Guyana, they will also be sentenced to live in poverty and fear.
Racial conflict is an issue many other countries, large and small, have dealt with in the last few decades. The riots in France and the raw feelings of those left to face Hurricane Katrina make it clear that this issue continues to be a hot button. However, a society that acknowledges these exposed nerves and doctors them accordingly has the potential to grow together as a people.
Does Guyana have this potential? Ghandi once said, “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” This statement would explain why so many Guyanese are blind to their own hate while they accuse others of racism.
Who are the pioneers in Guyana today? They are the ones who have crossed the racial lines and jumped the racial barriers to live their lives as One People, instead of as an Indo-Guyanese or an Afro-Guyanese. These are the heroes of today. These are the men and women from whom we can all learn.
The number of mixed racial families reported in the recent census shows that evidently there are far more Guyanese getting along - regardless of race - than we are led to believe. There are so many racially mixed Guyanese now that this group could easily be a swing vote in the next election. However, this is not a good idea either since a twisted politician is sure to try and slice a line through this beautiful painting as well.
I now wish to publicly confess that I have an agenda. No, I have not joined a political party like my friend, Sweet and Sensitive Freddie. My agenda is far more complicated than just supporting another party. What do I want to do?
I want to do everything possible to convince the people of Guyana to vote with their conscience in the next election and not with their race.
If I could write a billet-doux for Guyana, it would contain all of the beautiful aspects I have already mentioned - the culture, the music, the flora and the food. But my love letter would also include my desperate desire to see this nation heal from its past and move on together as One People.
You can expect to hear more from me on this subject. I plan to make my case in as many ways possible to dispel any reasons a Guyanese can have for using race as a voting standard. In the end, my hope is that Guyana will vote for a government that will usher in a new era of progress and national unity. This is what a beautiful country like Guyana deserves.
Email: stellasays[at]gmail.com
Thursday, December 01, 2005
One People and One Nation with One Destiny - Stella Ramsaroop
(Originally published in the Guyana Gazette on 01 Dec 2005)
If there is one thing Guyanese love to do above all else, it is to analyse the political state of the country. No doubt there has been enough commentary written on the political culture of Guyana to fill the bookshelves of some of the largest of libraries in the world.
We pick apart the smallest action, or inaction, of the various politicians of the country. We dissect policies and procedures, comparing each to how things were done in the past and to similar thoughts in other parts of the world. And we meticulously watch every movement made by our leaders for a sign – any sign – of goodness and integrity.
However, all of this is done through very sceptical eyes because Guyanese do not trust their politicians – and for good reason. We carefully scrutinise even the most miniscule position taken by a party, because we know there must be some sinister motive driving their decision.
Why do Guyanese spend so much of their time analysing the political culture of their country? Because of an undying hope that perhaps they can help find the cure for Guyana’s many woes. To an outsider, this may seem like a futile effort, but to a Guyanese, this is a lifeline to possibility. Each commentator writes with the hope that he or she can pen the words that will end the long reign of despair and futility in their country.
It seems Guyanese have a long history of trusting the wrong leaders and the very few times when we are blessed with a leader who actually cares about the people, we cannot seem to bring ourselves to trust him or her. There can be very little doubt that we are indeed a dysfunctional people.
The constant economic decline, incessant crime sprees and entrenched corruption has caused Guyanese to scamper to other countries by the tens of thousands. Each son and daughter of Guyana who leaves their homeland behind for safer and more prosperous shores takes a part of Guyana with them. However, each one of them also leaves a big part of their heart in their beloved Guyana.
Many long for the day when they can return to their homeland. But that day has been very long in coming. In fact, the first generation to leave the country are now aging beyond the point of making such a drastic move again – even if the country did turn around in the next five years. So there is a whole generation of Guyanese who will never be able to return to their homeland.
This is the same remarkable generation that started this legacy of relentless critical analysis, which is a necessary function even if it does seem to be a bit abnormal. It is a protective measure against the wiles of scheming politicians with selfish ambition as their primary agenda. Therefore, we continue to write, dissect and analyse every little move of Guyana’s politicians with the hope of one day finding the cure for our homeland.
As a result, some hopeful Diaspora and a few brave souls who continue the good fight on Guyana’s soil have come together to follow the legacy of critical analysis and have given birth to The Guyana Gazette.
There is a passion that flows from the hearts of Guyana’s citizens and its Diaspora. There is a passionate love, a passionate loyalty and a passionate desire to see Guyana reach its full potential. It is this same passion that can act as a catalyst to usher in significant change and end the desperate times in the country once and for all.
There is a certain unseen, yet very distinguishable, signature imprinted on the soul of each and every Guyanese that does not seem to fade with time or distance. This is the mark of a great people – a strong and patient people with enduring faith and boundless hope.
Though the struggle may be long, and though their faith has been tested time and again by treachery and betrayal, the faith does not grow faint. Instead, these people grow even more determined to fashion their nation into a unified and progressive country.
For as long as the Guyanese hold firm to their faith, there will always be hope for Guyana and maybe, just maybe, one day the thousands of Diaspora flung far and wide will come back and stand together as One People and One Nation with One Destiny.
If there is one thing Guyanese love to do above all else, it is to analyse the political state of the country. No doubt there has been enough commentary written on the political culture of Guyana to fill the bookshelves of some of the largest of libraries in the world.
We pick apart the smallest action, or inaction, of the various politicians of the country. We dissect policies and procedures, comparing each to how things were done in the past and to similar thoughts in other parts of the world. And we meticulously watch every movement made by our leaders for a sign – any sign – of goodness and integrity.
However, all of this is done through very sceptical eyes because Guyanese do not trust their politicians – and for good reason. We carefully scrutinise even the most miniscule position taken by a party, because we know there must be some sinister motive driving their decision.
Why do Guyanese spend so much of their time analysing the political culture of their country? Because of an undying hope that perhaps they can help find the cure for Guyana’s many woes. To an outsider, this may seem like a futile effort, but to a Guyanese, this is a lifeline to possibility. Each commentator writes with the hope that he or she can pen the words that will end the long reign of despair and futility in their country.
It seems Guyanese have a long history of trusting the wrong leaders and the very few times when we are blessed with a leader who actually cares about the people, we cannot seem to bring ourselves to trust him or her. There can be very little doubt that we are indeed a dysfunctional people.
The constant economic decline, incessant crime sprees and entrenched corruption has caused Guyanese to scamper to other countries by the tens of thousands. Each son and daughter of Guyana who leaves their homeland behind for safer and more prosperous shores takes a part of Guyana with them. However, each one of them also leaves a big part of their heart in their beloved Guyana.
Many long for the day when they can return to their homeland. But that day has been very long in coming. In fact, the first generation to leave the country are now aging beyond the point of making such a drastic move again – even if the country did turn around in the next five years. So there is a whole generation of Guyanese who will never be able to return to their homeland.
This is the same remarkable generation that started this legacy of relentless critical analysis, which is a necessary function even if it does seem to be a bit abnormal. It is a protective measure against the wiles of scheming politicians with selfish ambition as their primary agenda. Therefore, we continue to write, dissect and analyse every little move of Guyana’s politicians with the hope of one day finding the cure for our homeland.
As a result, some hopeful Diaspora and a few brave souls who continue the good fight on Guyana’s soil have come together to follow the legacy of critical analysis and have given birth to The Guyana Gazette.
There is a passion that flows from the hearts of Guyana’s citizens and its Diaspora. There is a passionate love, a passionate loyalty and a passionate desire to see Guyana reach its full potential. It is this same passion that can act as a catalyst to usher in significant change and end the desperate times in the country once and for all.
There is a certain unseen, yet very distinguishable, signature imprinted on the soul of each and every Guyanese that does not seem to fade with time or distance. This is the mark of a great people – a strong and patient people with enduring faith and boundless hope.
Though the struggle may be long, and though their faith has been tested time and again by treachery and betrayal, the faith does not grow faint. Instead, these people grow even more determined to fashion their nation into a unified and progressive country.
For as long as the Guyanese hold firm to their faith, there will always be hope for Guyana and maybe, just maybe, one day the thousands of Diaspora flung far and wide will come back and stand together as One People and One Nation with One Destiny.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Stella Says…Sin City Can Be A Model For Protecting Guyana’s Women
(Originally published in the Kaieteur News on 29 Nov 2005)
In my last column, I showed a side of my heart that I do not often share publicly because my love for my children is a very personal matter. However, the situation called for a mother’s love to express the emotions that stirred in me over a recent rape victim.
Today, I am going to be very blunt regarding those who sexually abuse and assault women and children. I believe it is time we started calling these acts what they are – crimes. And it is time to start calling the perpetrators of these acts by their rightful titles – criminals.
Someone asked me the other day why so many people get upset when men invade a home and rape a woman, but no one says a word when a little girl is raped repeatedly by her dad, brother, uncle or family friend. Good question. Both acts are equally atrocious.
Therefore, today I am calling every single father who has ever touched his daughter in such a way exactly what he is – a vile and disgusting criminal. The same holds true for the brothers, uncles and family friends. I hope there is a nice cosy jail cell with each of your names on it.
I have so much hope for a better society because I know for certain that the good and caring people of Guyana far outweigh those monstrous predators. I also know that loving and nurturing fathers far outnumber the ones who use their own precious daughters for self-gratification.
Peeping Tom explored some forms of punishment for sexual assault in his column last Friday. I agree with him on the notion that we should be locking these perpetrators up for a long, long time. In fact, did you know that in Nevada, the home of Las Vegas (a.k.a. Sin City), a person over the age of 21 can be sent to jail for life without possibility of parole if convicted of sexual assault against a child under the age of 14? That includes the child’s father.
Sin City even goes so far as to convict of a misdemeanour anyone “who knows or should know that a violent or sexual offence has been committed against a child, and does not report that offence to a law enforcement agency within 24 hours.”
It seems Sin City has a model that Guyana can use. How can a city known for its perversion have higher standards than an entire country of people who are known for their devout religious beliefs?
I want to applaud the new legislation recently passed by the National Assembly that pushes the age of consent from a young 13 to reasonable age of 16. I would have liked to see this age set at 17, but I will take 16 over 13 any day of the week. This legislation was far too long in coming though and the result has been catastrophic on the women of this nation.
However, I am a firm believer that most of these monsters would curb their tendency to sexually violate others if they knew they would go to jail for it. If every one of those repulsive fathers knew that he would get put away for the rest of his life if he ever touched his little girl in a shameful way, like the daddies in Sin City do, then I am willing to bet those men would find legal ways of satisfying their appetites.
I am also willing to bet those mothers, sisters, brothers and other family members who know what is going on (or should know), would stand up for that little girl if they knew they could go to jail just for keeping their mouths shut. Legislation like this puts more power on the side of the victim and takes away that power from the predator.
Upping the age of consent to 16 is a great start, but there is still so far to go. We cannot stop at this point and take another five years to enact additional legislation on sex crimes. Guyana needs tough new laws, like the ones Nevada has enacted, to rid itself of these criminals – and we need these laws now.
Legislation like this would mean the little girls of Guyana would be a lot safer than they are now. I join with Help & Shelter and Red Thread who on Friday called for women’s issues to be on the forefront of the national agenda for the upcoming elections. If women’s issues are not a part of a party’s platform, that party is not worthy of any woman’s vote.
It is time to wipe the smirk off of the face of each father that violates his own daughter. It is time to silence the chuckles of the perverted deviants who invade our homes to pillage the virtue and vitality of a woman.
It is time to turn the table and let them be the ones who live with the constant shame of these barbarous acts. Let them dream of freedom, knowing it will never come – just like the women they violated dream to be free of the horrible memories of torture inflicted on them.
Members of Parliament please change these laws on sex crimes as quickly as possible and stop this constant assault on the women of the nation. It is your responsibility to create laws to protect the people. The lack of protection afforded to Guyana’s women is a direct result of the National Assembly’s indifference for their safety and well-being.
As a society, we need to do everything within our power to help the victims of rape and incest. We need to support them, provide them with the peace of mind that comes with knowing their assailant(s) is locked up and help them rebuild their lives.
Oft times these victims feel devalued. The current legal and social system in Guyana reaffirms that feeling by disregarding their plight and treating them like they have done something wrong. It is our responsibility as a society to show them just how valuable they still are to us. We can help these women overcome the trauma of these assaults and show each how they can still have a beautiful and productive life.
These women and children are forced to deal with feelings of anger, confusion, fear, loss and so much more. The one thing their family, friends and neighbours should not do is force them to feel ashamed for something they never wanted in the first place.
It is the disgusting perpetrators who should be made to feel ashamed, not the victims. These women did not ask to be victimised. They did not want to be sexually assaulted. Their only “crime” was being born a woman.
It is time for Guyana to start treating its ladies like it is an honour to be born a woman – not a crime.
Email: stellasays[at]gmail.com
In my last column, I showed a side of my heart that I do not often share publicly because my love for my children is a very personal matter. However, the situation called for a mother’s love to express the emotions that stirred in me over a recent rape victim.
Today, I am going to be very blunt regarding those who sexually abuse and assault women and children. I believe it is time we started calling these acts what they are – crimes. And it is time to start calling the perpetrators of these acts by their rightful titles – criminals.
Someone asked me the other day why so many people get upset when men invade a home and rape a woman, but no one says a word when a little girl is raped repeatedly by her dad, brother, uncle or family friend. Good question. Both acts are equally atrocious.
Therefore, today I am calling every single father who has ever touched his daughter in such a way exactly what he is – a vile and disgusting criminal. The same holds true for the brothers, uncles and family friends. I hope there is a nice cosy jail cell with each of your names on it.
I have so much hope for a better society because I know for certain that the good and caring people of Guyana far outweigh those monstrous predators. I also know that loving and nurturing fathers far outnumber the ones who use their own precious daughters for self-gratification.
Peeping Tom explored some forms of punishment for sexual assault in his column last Friday. I agree with him on the notion that we should be locking these perpetrators up for a long, long time. In fact, did you know that in Nevada, the home of Las Vegas (a.k.a. Sin City), a person over the age of 21 can be sent to jail for life without possibility of parole if convicted of sexual assault against a child under the age of 14? That includes the child’s father.
Sin City even goes so far as to convict of a misdemeanour anyone “who knows or should know that a violent or sexual offence has been committed against a child, and does not report that offence to a law enforcement agency within 24 hours.”
It seems Sin City has a model that Guyana can use. How can a city known for its perversion have higher standards than an entire country of people who are known for their devout religious beliefs?
I want to applaud the new legislation recently passed by the National Assembly that pushes the age of consent from a young 13 to reasonable age of 16. I would have liked to see this age set at 17, but I will take 16 over 13 any day of the week. This legislation was far too long in coming though and the result has been catastrophic on the women of this nation.
However, I am a firm believer that most of these monsters would curb their tendency to sexually violate others if they knew they would go to jail for it. If every one of those repulsive fathers knew that he would get put away for the rest of his life if he ever touched his little girl in a shameful way, like the daddies in Sin City do, then I am willing to bet those men would find legal ways of satisfying their appetites.
I am also willing to bet those mothers, sisters, brothers and other family members who know what is going on (or should know), would stand up for that little girl if they knew they could go to jail just for keeping their mouths shut. Legislation like this puts more power on the side of the victim and takes away that power from the predator.
Upping the age of consent to 16 is a great start, but there is still so far to go. We cannot stop at this point and take another five years to enact additional legislation on sex crimes. Guyana needs tough new laws, like the ones Nevada has enacted, to rid itself of these criminals – and we need these laws now.
Legislation like this would mean the little girls of Guyana would be a lot safer than they are now. I join with Help & Shelter and Red Thread who on Friday called for women’s issues to be on the forefront of the national agenda for the upcoming elections. If women’s issues are not a part of a party’s platform, that party is not worthy of any woman’s vote.
It is time to wipe the smirk off of the face of each father that violates his own daughter. It is time to silence the chuckles of the perverted deviants who invade our homes to pillage the virtue and vitality of a woman.
It is time to turn the table and let them be the ones who live with the constant shame of these barbarous acts. Let them dream of freedom, knowing it will never come – just like the women they violated dream to be free of the horrible memories of torture inflicted on them.
Members of Parliament please change these laws on sex crimes as quickly as possible and stop this constant assault on the women of the nation. It is your responsibility to create laws to protect the people. The lack of protection afforded to Guyana’s women is a direct result of the National Assembly’s indifference for their safety and well-being.
As a society, we need to do everything within our power to help the victims of rape and incest. We need to support them, provide them with the peace of mind that comes with knowing their assailant(s) is locked up and help them rebuild their lives.
Oft times these victims feel devalued. The current legal and social system in Guyana reaffirms that feeling by disregarding their plight and treating them like they have done something wrong. It is our responsibility as a society to show them just how valuable they still are to us. We can help these women overcome the trauma of these assaults and show each how they can still have a beautiful and productive life.
These women and children are forced to deal with feelings of anger, confusion, fear, loss and so much more. The one thing their family, friends and neighbours should not do is force them to feel ashamed for something they never wanted in the first place.
It is the disgusting perpetrators who should be made to feel ashamed, not the victims. These women did not ask to be victimised. They did not want to be sexually assaulted. Their only “crime” was being born a woman.
It is time for Guyana to start treating its ladies like it is an honour to be born a woman – not a crime.
Email: stellasays[at]gmail.com
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Stella Says…My Heart is Broken
(Originally published in the Kaieteur News on 24 Nov 2005 and again on 27 Nov 2005)
There are but a few times each year when a nation is called upon to stand together as one against the darkest forces of evil that can pervade a community. This week Guyana has been so challenged.
This week an 18 year-old girl was brutally raped by three men whom she knew and trusted. This week innocence was crushed. This week a beautiful life has been trampled.
I have an 18 year-old daughter. She is the most beautiful young woman I have ever laid eyes on. She has her daddy’s cocoa colour, my late mother’s mouth and my features. She is the oldest of my children and when she was born I would stare at her in her crib for hours. I still steal these moments every chance I get.
She is very intelligent and has the capacity to be anything she wants to be in life. She is ten times the leader that I will ever be and she doesn’t even know it yet. She is self-confident, but not arrogant – though she can be a snob at times and I am quick to chastise her for such transgressions. I told her from the time she could talk that a woman can be beautiful on the outside, but if she is ugly on the inside – then she is just plain ugly.
My daughter has the type of personality that lights up a room just by entering it. When she darkens a doorway, the occupants of the entire room will pause to look at her beauty and to wait for her smile that can chase away the darkest storm clouds.
Her big brown eyes are the first thing a person notices, they are so striking. But when you get to know her, you soon realise that her vivacious personality dwarfs those eyes like a giant oak tree dwarfs a blade of grass. And those eyes burn with an irresistible love for life.
I know I sound like a gloating mother, and to some extent I suppose that would be true, but if you ever met my daughter you would know that every single word I have told you about her is true.
She is away at college now and sometimes I miss her so much that my heart physically hurts. We talk on the phone all the time, but that just isn’t the same as seeing her face to face. I know she has to prepare for the incredible future that lies before her. I also know that a good portion of my job is done now and it is time for her pave her own road in life, but it’s not easy to be so far from her.
I worry about whether she is eating right. I worry that she will forget to study. I worry that she might make the wrong decisions, even though I know she will and that is part of the learning process too. I worry about so much, but most of all I worry about her safety.
A mother’s worst fear is that a vile criminal will steal her daughters smile, crush her beautiful personality and destroy her promising future. This week in Guyana, there is a mother whose worst fear was realised. I can feel this mother’s pain almost like it is my own and I sit here in tears as I type this column.
This mother cannot protect her daughter from what has already happened. She cannot give this girl peace and joy. She cannot tell her daughter that everything will be all right, because everything will not be all right. This girl has been crushed. She will forever live with the memories of the sights, smells and pain that was inflicted on her by three of the most loathsome type of animals to ever walk the earth.
My heart breaks for this mother and her broken daughter. I’m sure every mother who gave this event two minutes of consideration feels the same way, and the father’s too for that matter.
The question is this though, how many Guyanese gave this event more than a passing glance or a shaking head? After all, this is just one more girl on a long list of sexually and physically assaulted women in Guyana. What is one more broken woman?
Guyana, I can not let this opportunity pass me by to beg you to see this girl as more than another news story or statistic. I implore you to see this girl as I see her, my own daughter. She is your daughter. She is your sister. She is your wife. She is your mother.
What is one more broken girl in a country full of broken women? Guyana let this girl be the one who wakes the nation up. Let this violation of innocence be the occasion that causes an outcry for justice. Please don’t let one more girl feel the hopelessness of watching her assailants walk away without retribution for what they stole from her.
Guyana is not like these vile animals who prey on the weak. These putrid villains have no heart. They have no soul. They can steal the sunshine out of an 18 year-olds smile without even a twinge of guilt. But you have a soul Guyana! You have a heart!
I am today, with my face and shirt wet with bitter tears, begging you to do something about this wicked act Guyana. This evil has to be stopped. We can no longer treat these acts as if they are simply a part of our every day lives. We must demand that the police and the courts do EVERYTHING possible to bring this girl the justice she deserves.
In fact, I am calling on each of you to demand justice for every woman who has a sexual or physical assault case pending. Women of Guyana, stand up and demand justice. Men of Guyana, protect your daughters by demanding the incarceration of these animals.
There are but a few notable times when a nation must put its apathy aside and unify as one to demand that righteousness prevail. If it means a peaceful march in front of the courts, then so be it. If it means a demonstration for the President, so be it.
Whatever it takes Guyana, don’t let the fire that burns in your daughter’s eyes be smothered out. Let your voices be heard across the globe, “Don’t you dare touch my daughter!”
Writer’s Note: I just found out that a march and rally is being organised by the Men Of Purpose (MOP) on Friday in observation of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. All men, women and children are all welcomed to participate in the march. It will start at 14:00 hours at the junction of Main and Quamina in Georgetown. I encourage everyone to attend this march.
This is your chance to make a difference, Guyana. Take a stand against this wickedness and tell these vile criminals to stay away from your daughters.
There are but a few times each year when a nation is called upon to stand together as one against the darkest forces of evil that can pervade a community. This week Guyana has been so challenged.
This week an 18 year-old girl was brutally raped by three men whom she knew and trusted. This week innocence was crushed. This week a beautiful life has been trampled.
I have an 18 year-old daughter. She is the most beautiful young woman I have ever laid eyes on. She has her daddy’s cocoa colour, my late mother’s mouth and my features. She is the oldest of my children and when she was born I would stare at her in her crib for hours. I still steal these moments every chance I get.
She is very intelligent and has the capacity to be anything she wants to be in life. She is ten times the leader that I will ever be and she doesn’t even know it yet. She is self-confident, but not arrogant – though she can be a snob at times and I am quick to chastise her for such transgressions. I told her from the time she could talk that a woman can be beautiful on the outside, but if she is ugly on the inside – then she is just plain ugly.
My daughter has the type of personality that lights up a room just by entering it. When she darkens a doorway, the occupants of the entire room will pause to look at her beauty and to wait for her smile that can chase away the darkest storm clouds.
Her big brown eyes are the first thing a person notices, they are so striking. But when you get to know her, you soon realise that her vivacious personality dwarfs those eyes like a giant oak tree dwarfs a blade of grass. And those eyes burn with an irresistible love for life.
I know I sound like a gloating mother, and to some extent I suppose that would be true, but if you ever met my daughter you would know that every single word I have told you about her is true.
She is away at college now and sometimes I miss her so much that my heart physically hurts. We talk on the phone all the time, but that just isn’t the same as seeing her face to face. I know she has to prepare for the incredible future that lies before her. I also know that a good portion of my job is done now and it is time for her pave her own road in life, but it’s not easy to be so far from her.
I worry about whether she is eating right. I worry that she will forget to study. I worry that she might make the wrong decisions, even though I know she will and that is part of the learning process too. I worry about so much, but most of all I worry about her safety.
A mother’s worst fear is that a vile criminal will steal her daughters smile, crush her beautiful personality and destroy her promising future. This week in Guyana, there is a mother whose worst fear was realised. I can feel this mother’s pain almost like it is my own and I sit here in tears as I type this column.
This mother cannot protect her daughter from what has already happened. She cannot give this girl peace and joy. She cannot tell her daughter that everything will be all right, because everything will not be all right. This girl has been crushed. She will forever live with the memories of the sights, smells and pain that was inflicted on her by three of the most loathsome type of animals to ever walk the earth.
My heart breaks for this mother and her broken daughter. I’m sure every mother who gave this event two minutes of consideration feels the same way, and the father’s too for that matter.
The question is this though, how many Guyanese gave this event more than a passing glance or a shaking head? After all, this is just one more girl on a long list of sexually and physically assaulted women in Guyana. What is one more broken woman?
Guyana, I can not let this opportunity pass me by to beg you to see this girl as more than another news story or statistic. I implore you to see this girl as I see her, my own daughter. She is your daughter. She is your sister. She is your wife. She is your mother.
What is one more broken girl in a country full of broken women? Guyana let this girl be the one who wakes the nation up. Let this violation of innocence be the occasion that causes an outcry for justice. Please don’t let one more girl feel the hopelessness of watching her assailants walk away without retribution for what they stole from her.
Guyana is not like these vile animals who prey on the weak. These putrid villains have no heart. They have no soul. They can steal the sunshine out of an 18 year-olds smile without even a twinge of guilt. But you have a soul Guyana! You have a heart!
I am today, with my face and shirt wet with bitter tears, begging you to do something about this wicked act Guyana. This evil has to be stopped. We can no longer treat these acts as if they are simply a part of our every day lives. We must demand that the police and the courts do EVERYTHING possible to bring this girl the justice she deserves.
In fact, I am calling on each of you to demand justice for every woman who has a sexual or physical assault case pending. Women of Guyana, stand up and demand justice. Men of Guyana, protect your daughters by demanding the incarceration of these animals.
There are but a few notable times when a nation must put its apathy aside and unify as one to demand that righteousness prevail. If it means a peaceful march in front of the courts, then so be it. If it means a demonstration for the President, so be it.
Whatever it takes Guyana, don’t let the fire that burns in your daughter’s eyes be smothered out. Let your voices be heard across the globe, “Don’t you dare touch my daughter!”
Writer’s Note: I just found out that a march and rally is being organised by the Men Of Purpose (MOP) on Friday in observation of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. All men, women and children are all welcomed to participate in the march. It will start at 14:00 hours at the junction of Main and Quamina in Georgetown. I encourage everyone to attend this march.
This is your chance to make a difference, Guyana. Take a stand against this wickedness and tell these vile criminals to stay away from your daughters.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Stella Says…Let’s Explore the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
(Originally published in the Kaieteur News on 22 Nov 2005)
I have found myself exploring numerous statements and events of the last few weeks with the intention of finding the good ideas and tossing the not-so-good ones. There is always so much going on in Guyana, so sometimes I think it is necessary to cover more than just a single topic in one column.
For example, there is an ongoing debate about the marginalisation of the Afro-Guyanese. I have watched this discussion with much interest and although I have very much to say, I am only going to touch on this subject ever so slightly just to state the obvious.
Why not treat the marginalisation issue with more love?
In my opinion, if a race in any society feels it is being marginalised, then that feeling should be taken seriously - even if the rest of the society does not seem to think this claim has merit. Have we grown so cold-hearted that we can so easily dismiss the feelings of others when they cry out for help?
To ignore this claim of marginalisation is the same as having a child who tells his parents they give all the other children more attention than they do him and the parents respond by waving it off as being silly. Whether the claim is true or not, the child feels he is being marginalised and good parents would go out of their way to make sure that child feels as connected to the family as the other children.
Disregarding these feelings could lead to very harsh consequences as the child grows farther away from the family and resentment sets in because his feelings of marginalisation have been proven to be true since the parents have done nothing to help him feel more accepted and cared about.
It is not as if there needs to be empirical proof that marginalisation is actually occurring for us to care about each other. Why should we need proof that a portion of Guyana’s countrymen are feeling alienated from the rest of the nation before we extend a caring hand of inclusion?
If this is the perception of any part of Guyanese society, we should be working to bridge the gap rather than debating its merit. Again, it is not the proof that needs to be considered, it is the perception. Why not just help other Guyanese to feel like they matter too?
This brings me to my next topic, which touches on how we should care for the people of Berbice and why we should not fully employ Peter Ramsaroop’s version of running a government like a company.
In his business column last Friday in Stabroek News, Peter drew a strong correlation between running a country and running a company. I know Peter personally, so I know how successful he has been as a businessman. He runs a tight shift. However, although there may be certain aspects of running a company that can successfully cross over into running a country, I am just not too sure it can be applied across the board.
Peter mentioned the example of how the Berbice Bridge project should have been put off and the road to Brazil started instead. I am sure this makes sense to a businessman who is hoping for an economic boost in Guyana. However, I am not too sure there would be even one person in Berbice who would agree with Peter on this idea.
There are times when a government must choose to pursue a project that is not going to bring a profit. Sometimes the choice must be to help the people and the result will be a loss of money. It is at these times when we must remember that although the government has a responsibility to stabilise and grow the economy, they also have a responsibility to build a solid infrastructure that connects all parts of the country.
From an economic standpoint, I am sure the Berbice Bridge is a revenue vacuum that will suck up lots of money – a sharp contrast to what a road to Brazil would produce when done. However, good leadership is about more than making a profit; it is also about taking care of the people. This time, the people need a bridge – here’s hoping they actually get one.
While we are on the topic of caring about the people, we can move on to our next subject. I want to reiterate a question that was asked not to long ago – Why not bring in outside help to combat the crime?
At the beginning of October, businessman Deo Sighn made a very good point, why has Guyana not brought in outside help to combat the crime? This is exactly a question I asked a friend after reading about how UN peacekeepers have brought stability to previously crime-riddled countries.
There is an ominous foreboding that plagues each election year with intense fear. Further, there seems to be crime spurts that pop up out of nowhere and then disappear just as fast. The crime spurt phenomenon alone is enough to peek the interest of even a casual observer, much less those who actually keep track of these types of activities.
For example, during the most recent crime spree the criminals exhibited behaviour that was not typical of their usual modus operandi. They were brazen and forward, even to the point of conducting their unseemly activities in broad daylight and on high profile targets.
However, just as quickly as these crime spree show up, they disappear and somehow the criminals go back to conducting their business as they always have – under the cover of night and on those who have little recourse for protection. Very curious indeed.
Of course there is also the ever-looming threat of election-time violence. It weighs heavy on my mind and heart, as I’m sure it does for many others as well. Which brings us back to the question at hand - why hasn’t Guyana brought in outside help to keep peace during volatile times like the elections?
The very presence of UN troops in other countries has curbed violence and saved lives. Perhaps it would be wise to ask for some outside help to keep violence at bay before it ever gets started – especially since the elections are coming soon. It is obvious that Guyana’s government cannot handle these types of situations and if it can save lives and keep peace, why not give it a try? It could be well worth the effort.
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
I have found myself exploring numerous statements and events of the last few weeks with the intention of finding the good ideas and tossing the not-so-good ones. There is always so much going on in Guyana, so sometimes I think it is necessary to cover more than just a single topic in one column.
For example, there is an ongoing debate about the marginalisation of the Afro-Guyanese. I have watched this discussion with much interest and although I have very much to say, I am only going to touch on this subject ever so slightly just to state the obvious.
Why not treat the marginalisation issue with more love?
In my opinion, if a race in any society feels it is being marginalised, then that feeling should be taken seriously - even if the rest of the society does not seem to think this claim has merit. Have we grown so cold-hearted that we can so easily dismiss the feelings of others when they cry out for help?
To ignore this claim of marginalisation is the same as having a child who tells his parents they give all the other children more attention than they do him and the parents respond by waving it off as being silly. Whether the claim is true or not, the child feels he is being marginalised and good parents would go out of their way to make sure that child feels as connected to the family as the other children.
Disregarding these feelings could lead to very harsh consequences as the child grows farther away from the family and resentment sets in because his feelings of marginalisation have been proven to be true since the parents have done nothing to help him feel more accepted and cared about.
It is not as if there needs to be empirical proof that marginalisation is actually occurring for us to care about each other. Why should we need proof that a portion of Guyana’s countrymen are feeling alienated from the rest of the nation before we extend a caring hand of inclusion?
If this is the perception of any part of Guyanese society, we should be working to bridge the gap rather than debating its merit. Again, it is not the proof that needs to be considered, it is the perception. Why not just help other Guyanese to feel like they matter too?
This brings me to my next topic, which touches on how we should care for the people of Berbice and why we should not fully employ Peter Ramsaroop’s version of running a government like a company.
In his business column last Friday in Stabroek News, Peter drew a strong correlation between running a country and running a company. I know Peter personally, so I know how successful he has been as a businessman. He runs a tight shift. However, although there may be certain aspects of running a company that can successfully cross over into running a country, I am just not too sure it can be applied across the board.
Peter mentioned the example of how the Berbice Bridge project should have been put off and the road to Brazil started instead. I am sure this makes sense to a businessman who is hoping for an economic boost in Guyana. However, I am not too sure there would be even one person in Berbice who would agree with Peter on this idea.
There are times when a government must choose to pursue a project that is not going to bring a profit. Sometimes the choice must be to help the people and the result will be a loss of money. It is at these times when we must remember that although the government has a responsibility to stabilise and grow the economy, they also have a responsibility to build a solid infrastructure that connects all parts of the country.
From an economic standpoint, I am sure the Berbice Bridge is a revenue vacuum that will suck up lots of money – a sharp contrast to what a road to Brazil would produce when done. However, good leadership is about more than making a profit; it is also about taking care of the people. This time, the people need a bridge – here’s hoping they actually get one.
While we are on the topic of caring about the people, we can move on to our next subject. I want to reiterate a question that was asked not to long ago – Why not bring in outside help to combat the crime?
At the beginning of October, businessman Deo Sighn made a very good point, why has Guyana not brought in outside help to combat the crime? This is exactly a question I asked a friend after reading about how UN peacekeepers have brought stability to previously crime-riddled countries.
There is an ominous foreboding that plagues each election year with intense fear. Further, there seems to be crime spurts that pop up out of nowhere and then disappear just as fast. The crime spurt phenomenon alone is enough to peek the interest of even a casual observer, much less those who actually keep track of these types of activities.
For example, during the most recent crime spree the criminals exhibited behaviour that was not typical of their usual modus operandi. They were brazen and forward, even to the point of conducting their unseemly activities in broad daylight and on high profile targets.
However, just as quickly as these crime spree show up, they disappear and somehow the criminals go back to conducting their business as they always have – under the cover of night and on those who have little recourse for protection. Very curious indeed.
Of course there is also the ever-looming threat of election-time violence. It weighs heavy on my mind and heart, as I’m sure it does for many others as well. Which brings us back to the question at hand - why hasn’t Guyana brought in outside help to keep peace during volatile times like the elections?
The very presence of UN troops in other countries has curbed violence and saved lives. Perhaps it would be wise to ask for some outside help to keep violence at bay before it ever gets started – especially since the elections are coming soon. It is obvious that Guyana’s government cannot handle these types of situations and if it can save lives and keep peace, why not give it a try? It could be well worth the effort.
Email: StellaSays[at]gmail.com
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Stella says.... Let's turn Guyana 's brain drain into brain gain
(Originally published in the Kaieteur News on 20 Nov 2005)
An article from the November 3 issue of the Economist entitled, “Fruit that falls far from the tree,” stated that 89 percent of Guyana 's graduate population live and work in the 30 relatively rich countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).In case you were wondering, Guyana is not one of these countries.
If 89 percent of this country's most educated citizens are living in all of these other countries, this means Guyana is left with a meagre 11 percent on which to build its own country.
Even if all of this 11 percent were to give their all for the cause, Guyana would still be enormously deficient in brain power.
What is a third world country to do these days when most of its intellectuals decide to expend their brain power in countries that can justly reward their education and drive with money and high living standards?
According to this Economist article, we should turn “brain drain” into “brain gain.”
The article maintained that as more people in the poorer countries seek to follow in the steps of the Diaspora, they acquire an education with the hopes of also acquiring a ticket out of a poverty-stricken country.
Some of these now educated hopefuls are disallowed entry into the country of their choice and left with no other choice than to remain in their home country.
After working so hard with the hope of migrating to another country, the graduates are often disappointed at this bad news.
However, this is very good news for the poor countries because they then have the pleasure of retaining a portion of their educated population, even if it is just a small amount.
“The prospect of securing a visa to America or Australia should tempt more people in poor countries to invest in education,” the article said and called this process “brain gain.”
These economists believe “if the temptation is strong enough, and the chances of landing a visa are low enough, the poor county could even come out ahead: it might gain more qualified (if disappointed) doctors and engineers than it loses.”
The article attempted to prove that little by little the number of leftover educated citizens grows and thus results in a brain gain.
This might be true for a country like India that only lost 4.3 percent of its citizens with an education past secondary school.
But how does this formula work for Guyana ?
Regarding Guyana 's astounding 89 percent figure of educated émigrés, the article stated, “This is not a stimulative leeching of talent; it is a haemorrhage.”
Which begs the question of whether the leftover effect from those rejected entry into other countries can produce enough extra intellectual capital to create a booming brain gain? Not likely.
A slow trickle of intellectual capacity, similar to that of India , could have the “brain gain” effect, but educated Guyanese pour out of the country in throngs, leaving the nation with barely a shell of brain power with which to function.
Further, this study assumes that a solid portion of the population can afford to pay the tuition costs that accompany a higher education. Again we are forced to ask how practical this line of thinking is for Guyana . How much of this nation's population can afford to seek a degree from a University?
At first glance, it would seem that the reality of Guyana frustrates the theories of even the most brilliant economists because its intellectual drain far exceeds the tepid 4.3 percent of India - and of those who are left here to fend off poverty, very few can actually afford the costs associated with acquiring an education.
However, this article aside, there is another way to create a substantial brain gain for Guyana – simply put, it needs to bring the Diaspora back home.
A simple invitation will not suffice.
These smart Guyanese are looking for policy and procedural changes to guarantee the cooperation of the government.
According to the OECD's Website, this organisation, “Brings together countries sharing the principles of the market economy, pluralist democracy and respect for human rights.”
Maybe this is where Guyana is missing the boat. If all of the intellects are heading for these OECD countries, perhaps Guyana should consider creating a similar environment with these traits.
Guyana can plead for the return of their Diaspora, but first it needs to be able to offer them a solid assurance of a friendly investment climate that will at least provide a real opportunity for success.
This needs to happen soon too, the baby-boom generation is poised to retire very soon and the experts are already predicting a vacuum effect that will leave the US with millions of unfilled job positions.
American companies will no doubt seek to fill this considerable void as quickly as possible and the government will want to halt the vacuum effect that will naturally suck the income tax dollars as well.
Therefore, we can expect this host country to craft even more lenient rules than already exist to maintain an educated workforce.
As such, there is no time to lose if Guyana wants to woo its Diaspora back home.
If it can be done, this nation could be the one reaping the benefits of their brainpower and income tax dollars.
Perhaps there is a way to finagle this brain gain theory into something workable for Guyana by reversing the causes that make the intellectuals run for the border as soon as they graduate and by creating policies that will entice its countrymen and women to spend their intellectual capital in their own homeland.
Email: stellasays[at]gmail.com
An article from the November 3 issue of the Economist entitled, “Fruit that falls far from the tree,” stated that 89 percent of Guyana 's graduate population live and work in the 30 relatively rich countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).In case you were wondering, Guyana is not one of these countries.
If 89 percent of this country's most educated citizens are living in all of these other countries, this means Guyana is left with a meagre 11 percent on which to build its own country.
Even if all of this 11 percent were to give their all for the cause, Guyana would still be enormously deficient in brain power.
What is a third world country to do these days when most of its intellectuals decide to expend their brain power in countries that can justly reward their education and drive with money and high living standards?
According to this Economist article, we should turn “brain drain” into “brain gain.”
The article maintained that as more people in the poorer countries seek to follow in the steps of the Diaspora, they acquire an education with the hopes of also acquiring a ticket out of a poverty-stricken country.
Some of these now educated hopefuls are disallowed entry into the country of their choice and left with no other choice than to remain in their home country.
After working so hard with the hope of migrating to another country, the graduates are often disappointed at this bad news.
However, this is very good news for the poor countries because they then have the pleasure of retaining a portion of their educated population, even if it is just a small amount.
“The prospect of securing a visa to America or Australia should tempt more people in poor countries to invest in education,” the article said and called this process “brain gain.”
These economists believe “if the temptation is strong enough, and the chances of landing a visa are low enough, the poor county could even come out ahead: it might gain more qualified (if disappointed) doctors and engineers than it loses.”
The article attempted to prove that little by little the number of leftover educated citizens grows and thus results in a brain gain.
This might be true for a country like India that only lost 4.3 percent of its citizens with an education past secondary school.
But how does this formula work for Guyana ?
Regarding Guyana 's astounding 89 percent figure of educated émigrés, the article stated, “This is not a stimulative leeching of talent; it is a haemorrhage.”
Which begs the question of whether the leftover effect from those rejected entry into other countries can produce enough extra intellectual capital to create a booming brain gain? Not likely.
A slow trickle of intellectual capacity, similar to that of India , could have the “brain gain” effect, but educated Guyanese pour out of the country in throngs, leaving the nation with barely a shell of brain power with which to function.
Further, this study assumes that a solid portion of the population can afford to pay the tuition costs that accompany a higher education. Again we are forced to ask how practical this line of thinking is for Guyana . How much of this nation's population can afford to seek a degree from a University?
At first glance, it would seem that the reality of Guyana frustrates the theories of even the most brilliant economists because its intellectual drain far exceeds the tepid 4.3 percent of India - and of those who are left here to fend off poverty, very few can actually afford the costs associated with acquiring an education.
However, this article aside, there is another way to create a substantial brain gain for Guyana – simply put, it needs to bring the Diaspora back home.
A simple invitation will not suffice.
These smart Guyanese are looking for policy and procedural changes to guarantee the cooperation of the government.
According to the OECD's Website, this organisation, “Brings together countries sharing the principles of the market economy, pluralist democracy and respect for human rights.”
Maybe this is where Guyana is missing the boat. If all of the intellects are heading for these OECD countries, perhaps Guyana should consider creating a similar environment with these traits.
Guyana can plead for the return of their Diaspora, but first it needs to be able to offer them a solid assurance of a friendly investment climate that will at least provide a real opportunity for success.
This needs to happen soon too, the baby-boom generation is poised to retire very soon and the experts are already predicting a vacuum effect that will leave the US with millions of unfilled job positions.
American companies will no doubt seek to fill this considerable void as quickly as possible and the government will want to halt the vacuum effect that will naturally suck the income tax dollars as well.
Therefore, we can expect this host country to craft even more lenient rules than already exist to maintain an educated workforce.
As such, there is no time to lose if Guyana wants to woo its Diaspora back home.
If it can be done, this nation could be the one reaping the benefits of their brainpower and income tax dollars.
Perhaps there is a way to finagle this brain gain theory into something workable for Guyana by reversing the causes that make the intellectuals run for the border as soon as they graduate and by creating policies that will entice its countrymen and women to spend their intellectual capital in their own homeland.
Email: stellasays[at]gmail.com
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