As distinct from the (Socialist/Proletarian?) call: Power to the people. Simply put this week, friends and critics, I wish to add my voice, pen and computer to the national cry for the Guyana Power and Light Company to provide adequate generation, transmission and distribution of electric power for the nation in keeping with the contractual agreement it signed two years ago.

Naturally, my perspective and approach might differ from other concerned and disgusted consumers for a few reasons. But my plea is the basic same. Consider my perspective(s): at the end of the year 1992 - three months after the PPP/C assumed office - I pleaded with the new Cheddi Jagan administration, both mischievously and pointedly, to "show up" the beaten PNC regime of three decades by organising for Guyana to access an adequate, reliable, continuous supply of electricity, so normal and ordinary in other normal civilised societies.

My reason was simple and shared: Guyanese had experienced critically inadequate national electricity in all its descriptions for half of a generation. The young grew up to know terms like "Blackout", "power outage" "load shedding" and "Electricity Interruption" all their youth. Blackout became the norm. My friend's grandson grew to like Black "tea" and learnt the word "current" by two! My journalist pal toured Brazil to learn about mini-hydropower generation stations and we all became experts at the reasons for outages. I worked and grieved with R.H.O Corbin, one time Minister of Public Utilities.

But the PPP/C let me down. They did not ever correct the national situation in the one year I gave them to, 1993/1994. So when, finally, in their second term, the PPP/C government with a young vibrant President as Head of an "Un?lightened" State, decided to privatise the blighted Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC), I stood up and applauded. And on August 21, 1999 I compiled a Newspaper Supplement welcoming the new company. Most Guyanese did. "Let there be light", we demanded. Those welcoming the GPL included, besides hundreds of thousands of consumers, PM Samuel Hinds, Privatisation Unit Head Winston Brassington, Big Business Head George Jardim, Saeed Alli and Britain's representative here Edward Glover, with the local Trades Union Congress very much in the fray.

I quoted material to show what we, as a country would have lost if we did not go through with the privatisation. Like US$30 million in balance of payment support from the IDB, US$23 million from the same equity investment; more than $5.2 billion in loans to the old GEC; and it was explained that if the deal had fallen through, the GEC rates would have skyrocketed even more than the situation is now.

I had also introduced the fine track record and credentials of the U.K's Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) and Ireland's ESB International (ESBI). These companies were eminently successful in the area of provision and management of huge power facilities elsewhere in the world - from Barbados to Bangladesh - with the UK, USA and even Malaysia in between.

But they have failed to deliver here? Why? Simply put, it seems that the brilliant CDC/ESBI portion of the new GPL underestimated the absolute burden of a utility GEC really was; decided to use money generated only right here - notwithstanding their original agreement and obviously they certainly have not succeeded in accessing the millions needed to provide brand new plant. Reports indicate that, instead, hefty payrolls and conditions attend the foreign management staff as rates climb and power plummets. But all this has been dealt with by capable writers and consumers/representatives. We are all seized with the chronic seemingly insurmountable problem

It's not our fault. But what is to be done? For me, and for starters, I feel that the Government should call in the company and give it a very short deadline. If there is no marked improvement, the government - notwithstanding the grave risks internationally - should revoke GPL's licences. Question is - as with Guyana Airways and GT&T - who would invest in the power sector here? More locals? Can we do it?

No civilian casualties?

Here I go losing scores of other friends, fans and acquaintances. For I'm stating this here and now - frankly: I am impatient with the new concept and practice of modern warfare as it applies to America especially - that innocent civilians should not be harmed or killed during attacks. Why should this be?

Sure, I appreciate that certain moral/religious imperatives of Western societies - when they are not being covert - demand that they don't sink to the barbaric levels of their unscrupulous opponents. I understand that tit-for-tat dirty warfare leads to never-ending bitterness and everlasting hatreds.

But for me when extreme measures are needed, employ them. Smart bombs, modern military technology are OK but why put your own pilots at grave risks to go around, when you should go directly? In war, civilians must die. Since many decide they don't like the Americans anyway, let the bombs fall where they may. The enemies have no scruples, so when its unavoidable grandmothers, babies, students and embassies must die. That's war!!

Gandhi and race (1)

Beginning a response to Swami's defence of Gandhi requires the research I have not completed. I begin however with a book he has. Mohandas Gandhi, just below the apex Brahmin caste, was reportedly a third-caste level whose sympathies were with the twice-born, Dwijas.

The premier leader of the black untouchables of India - the Dalits - Dr Ambedkar pointed out that Gandhi - christened Mahatma by upper class/caste Brahmins - did little to elevate the lowliest status of the Black Dalits. Even as his own Hindus brutalised them - these "Scheduled Castes". The most Gandhi probably did was give them a new name - "Harijans" - Children of God. Ironically it was one from the Brahmin caste who killed the Mahatma.

One cannot discredit Gandhi's greatness but he too was human. With his own preoccupations and priorities. Next week we'll discuss Gandhi and South African Blacks. And who in Guyana supports the Rashtriya Swayamsevak (RSS) the imposter organisation which welcomed Gandhi's assassination.

Dialogue
1) ACDA preceded the education ministry awards by honouring top achiever students last Saturday. Ethnic-specific awards. I'll develop this next week.
2) Why do I cringe when I see today's teachers "demonstrating"?
3) Still, whoever thought up that hospital visit by students, to Barbadian cricketer Philo Wallace in hospital, deserves bouquets.
4) African Holocaust Day today deserves attention
5) What!? The Football Federation receives $US250,000 as an annual subvention from FIFA? Who uses that?
6) Best wishes Olive Guyana!

'Til next week!