Buxton: It has to be said
Frankly Speaking...
By A.A Fenty
Stabroek News
April 4, 2003
Yes, some of us with a concerned, responsible social conscience have to be bold and frank. Personally, though it might be risky for one who does not use pseudonyms and though I’ve been beaten to it by a few candid letters in the Stabroek News last week and a strong pointed editorial in this week’s Sunday Stabroek, I was motivated to add my brief supportive comments when I saw and heard Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on television, as he grappled with the latest episode in the sordid saga that is now named Guyana Power and Light (GPL).
I refer to the criminal state of affairs that characterize the coastal Demerara village of Buxton. Daily, it seems.
O.K., I know that, seemingly, it has all been written and commented on before: Just what should be done to cleanse that once proud and admired community with an admirable heritage. Not least from the Stabroek’s numerous editorials on the subject. For months this paper has been examining and analyzing such relevant issues as the role of the army in Buxton/ Friendship; the failure of normal policing there; the effectiveness - or lack of it - of joint forces exercises and often, suggestions as to just what should be done. Some-times so much so, I wonder why certain editors and journalists don’t offer their service, their expertise to the police hierarchy.
Then politically, I witness the leaders of the major opposition continuing to distance themselves from the criminal elements and enterprise now securely embedded in the village they would normally claim to be theirs, in and out of election season. One leader even claimed that if and when a larger destabilisation blow-up against the government is imminent his party won’t even be able to control the “spontaneous” uprising. So where does that leave us where this Buxtonian autono-mous community is concerned?
Let me share with you some other associated questions first. Who has to aggressively address the “root causes”, the socio-economic depression of Buxton? Who would be more given to thinking that they could somehow benefit from the organised or accommodated criminal resistance against the police in Buxton? Government-oriented parties, or a specific Opposition group? Why is not there criminal safe-havens and resistance in other similarly-depressed communities? Why do we not hear more from Regional Chair-man Alan Munroe and the proud management of the Buxton/Friendship village district with respect to what has been done to this fine community within their perview?
Even as I omit to mention my own sense of the influence and role of the former or current military and para-military personnel resident in and around that community, I suggest that if you ponder the fore-going questions just posed, you would get a bigger picture, a wider grasp of the dimension of the Buxton Dilemma.
Now let me write a few of the things that just have to be “said”: The government (law-enforcement agencies) have failed dismally to root out the criminals from Bux-ton. Why? Because they were either (i) too indecisive, indifferent or timid; (ii) not benefiting fully from the co-operation of their joint forces; (iii) other political and social groups - and both the Bux-tonian sympathisers and those fearful villagers held hostage - have not come forward to assist the official efforts to clean their community. For a variety of reasons. Do you know that there are a few misguided Afro-Guya-nese who actually condone (the principle of) what’s going on in Buxton? They say things like: “Buxton Bhai...”, “Dem Man is we Equaliser. Respect due”.
Unbelievable but true. The latter. Until they realise that that sort of beast soon gets out of control. Then devours its very own! Just imagine. Regular police patrols don’t, can’t (?) venture into South Buxton. Robberies, assaults occur at criminals’ will. The law-abiding are subject to terror, rape, abductions. Why should I not believe that there is absolutely, some level of “law-enforcement” connivance?
Poor government. The tale is told that early on, when the criminals seized - or were given - a part of the village, there was a specific dangerous protest assault, one of the Army’s senior men who were rushed to the area encountered his wife’s brother, gun in hand. Poor government.
Which brings me back to Prime Minister Sam Hinds on TV earlier this week. It was the first time I had heard a high government functionary aggressively addressing the question. During remarks concerning the fact that Buxtonians apparently don’t pay utility bills, Hinds declared bluntly that the government (forces) will have to go into the village to excise the “thirty or forty” criminals. Great intention, so very needed and necessary. I’m still wondering, as I write this, what caused the PM, to blurt out that desirable wish. Well, it had to be said. Now let’s see it done. By whom? How will the assault force be constituted? What faith in the current force is there? Over to PM Sam and his colleagues. Who will assist?
I wanted to touch on the reasons and/or justification for the War on Saddam’s Regime in Iraq. Doesn’t seem that there will be time or space today. Some say that underlying the invasion is America’s Desire for Domi-nance. Through control of Iraq’s oilfields which yield the best, most economical oil available in those parts. An Iraq allowed to thrive and export can alter world trade. Many accuse Mr Bush of wanting to control that exercise, for obvious reasons.
They even point out that Donald Rumsfeld’s associates are or were in oil. That America has already identified which American companies will get the huge lucrative contracts to rebuild Iraq. (The Americans would argue that since they are risking billions and lives to liberate Iraqi, they, naturally should get priority to reconstruct.) So what do you think? Doesn’t Saddam harbour and support bin Laden-type terrorists too? Next week, I’ll use Ian McDonald’s case to discuss the World Dominance Theory, as well.
But who is the Valerie in my sub-caption above? Well, Valerie is not her real name. She is one of hundreds now about to apply for a US non-immigrant visa, or to renew one. So she has had to refuse her party’s, her union’s, her women’s group’s invitation to picket the American Embassy in Kingston, against the war. She is scared of the video-cameras. And of what the Kingston Consular Officer will think! Not Val!
1) Wow! So much cocaine captured this past fortnight. Next Friday I’ll tell you how the overseas Anti-Drugs Unit “encouraged” a local with his operations for years!
1b) What’s that? You can go in or pass through Buxton safely anytime? Careful, the personnel change. And their minds too.
2) What do you think of the PNC’s MP’s assault on Parliament last Friday? I say the lines will remain irrevocably drawn.
2b) And why can’t my Anti-American friends understand my being too old or stubborn to accept the new-time warfare with its selective, precision-guided munitions and targets. Saddam fights from mosques and hospitals. The coalition doesn’t want to behave similarly, like terrorists, so they fight with one hand tied behind their backs. In war some innocents will die!
3) I understand that a Kaieteur News letter writer has suggested that President Jagdeo and his delegation, including City Mayor Green, should be quarantined because of the Hong Kong/ China SARS epidemic. Now, that’s a thought!
4) Lara is back! I trust he has matured.
5) The awesome Austra-lians have to be tired. Is Bourda Ready? Any Bets?
‘Til next week!
