After the funeral's flyer - Rose Hall
Frankly Speaking...
By A.A Fenty
Stabroek News
September 27, 2002
As promised last Friday and with a certain amount of trepidation, I'll share my views on, what to my mind are, two notorious landmarks in the genesis of the current murderous unprecedented crime-wave, now seemingly entrenched in a new sub-culture, spawned by the enabling environment created by professional, dedicated destabilisers.
(Pardon that lengthy Tommy-Payne-like sentence but it accommodates the intent of my introduction.)
First, let me record that, like Joyce Jonas, I spare a thought for every human being who "evolved" from loving innocent baby - the parents' joy - to career criminal. And yes, every man's death diminishes me - if I am truly part of humanity; even without being Christian, Muslim, or even religious.
But after the "society", "the system" or "circumstances" have helped to fashion a professional/criminal murderer, who now turns around and exploits the legal system, I can have no sympathy or "understanding". Especially when I feel that the recidivist criminal is quite aware of and committed to his ways and is aided and abetted by evil persons of standing with their own agendas.
Second, I have to be frank in my personal belief that this new criminal Guyana was fashioned, in the main, by political forces who will live to rue their objective when their own are affected. I shall return to that a few paragraphs later.
Now, against that limited background, here are my risky views on my lead caption. "Shaka lives", the flyer leaflet proclaimed, obviously attempting to evoke the emotions associated with the demise and legacy of people like Walter Rodney, even Mandela.
That leaflet, incendiary in purpose and brazenly signaling murderous intentions publicly, was distributed during the funeral demonstration of the Buxtonian Shaka Blair. His death, by the police, had gravely incensed the anti-government, anti-"Black Clothes Police" supporters. Blair was shot on the same day the police were burying the very first policeman executed - Leon Fraser.
It is my view that the author of the 'Shaka lives' leaflet was launching the campaign to murder policemen. Since that day it has been open season on our law-enforcement officers - whether they could be deemed rogue, rotten or corrupt, or not. I divert to remind: when our beleaguered police are targeted and made humble, the entire society is vulnerable and subject to anarchy. The emboldened and empowered criminals then attack and hold all hostage - including the authors of the campaign - soon their friends and relations.
One little portion of the evil "freedom fighters" flyer is instructive. It reads: "These psychos dressed in black are nothing but a gang of murderers, thieves and drug-dealers led by the racist Steve Merai - son of PPP Rose Hall Mayor John Merai."
Well Mr Merai is no longer Mayor of Rose Hall. But why was Rose Hall, a poor defenceless little coastal "town", singled out so early on in the para-military criminal campaign. Did the wise men on the Defence Board and at the Ministry of Home Affairs contemplate this type of thing during their many caucuses? Was the criminal siege of Rose Hall that Saturday/ Sunday launched with much grander objectives? The President was not that far away I'm informed. Think on these things. Don't fail to consider the worst scenarios on the grounds that they'll open new wounds. Consider the past to protect and secure the future!
Meanwhile, the author(s) of the flyer must be diabolically pleased with their work. A dozen law enforcement persons executed, crime-inspired fear stalks the domain of law-abiding citizens, homes and communities. Again, however, I caution the authors and planners. The monsters you've created - your own lice - will enventually turn on you and yours, before imploding! I mean - look what you've done already.
Your offspring now attack your own. The venom poured out on Indo-Guyanese victims-whether paralysed crippled old men, feeble old ladies, defenceless housewives, sugar workers, or their infants - is now being transferred to "others". Old Reverend Barker is attacked in her church, my strong Afro-friend is hijacked and stuffed in his car trunk and even your own political colleagues don't feel that safe going for a drink or contacting the escapees anymore. As your own leaflet trumpeted, "enough is enough". Isn't it? For the sake of the country?
Why are you surprised?
Are/were they for real? I mean the promoters and teleactivists who voiced dismay, concern, disbelief, ignorance and wonderment at the behaviour of the unruly elements at last Saturday's Reggae "Concert" at Thirst Park in Georgetown.
I appreciate that it was a usual minority segment among thousands who created fights, sprayed the noxious substances, fired or "licked" shots from licensed or unlicensed handguns. Oh, but how effective they were! Injured patrons, scared entertainers and intimidated venue officials.
And the "strengthening of the 'gangsta' image of poor old Guyana abroad.
What's the surprise about?!
The enabling sub-culture is extant! Since February 23 the scene was set, the evil spawned, the terror unleashed. Thirst Park's "enthusiasm" was merely a symptomatic expression of the new "culchuh" - copy-cat Jamaican ignorance-Guyanese style.
Consider...
1) Even as he attributes blame for the crises and the criminality "universally", the Buxton Sage Elder Eusi Kwayana should specify the "cowards" who arm Buxtonians. How readily do the young Buxtonians accept their new role? Foisted by those whom Kwayana knows but is reluctant to name?
And when he writes that "so far, the Indian Guyanese, whether they have guns or not, have shown better behaviour ... better religion ... better civilization ..." is he not wondering just how long can a people withstand this daily provocation?
I suspect that one objective of the original criminal-assisted destabilization was inter-community/racial conflict.
Humble Indo-Guyanese, themselves victims of the marginalisation of poverty, are being brutally robbed of the little they've acquired. How long can a collective response be withheld?
2) "God doesn't issue visas here madam" the Bahamian-born Consular Chief at the US Embassy in Kingston reminded the hapless applicant who had declared that "God" knew that she would return to Guyana after a holiday.
I wonder how a few deportees returned by her country to Guyana recently, are now happily "remigrated" to New York"!
3) Last Saturday's SN letter by Mr Sirju has broken all local letter-writing records - for words and length.
4) I don't like what I heard earlier this week - about the Boeing planes' fuel pumps.
5) Naga's back! Look out you Civics, Moses is back to stay. Like Corbin and Murray, he is now an Attorney-at-Law. Like Corbin and the resurgent Aubrey - the PNC young turk/intellectual/extremist/businessman - Moses can pull in the popular party votes...
'Til next week!'