Comrade Corbin goes to China
Frankly Speaking
By A.A. Fenty
Stabroek News
August 8, 2004
The People's Republic of China - its government in Beijing - regards Hong Kong and Taiwan as integral portions of China. As being definitely Chinese. China speaks of the relatively prosperous Taiwan as being one of its "renegade provinces".
Now, my favourite Opposition Leader, my erstwhile boss Comrade Robert Herman Orlando Corbin - whose PNC Administration recognised and honoured a one China policy in its time - reportedly paid a "private" visit to Taipei recently. Reportedly too, this visit has infuriated the Chinese as articulated by their representatives behind the Botanical Gardens here.
I keep recalling some of RHO Corbin's thinking and approaches to his politics. I still follow his moves, as one day, in the near or distant future, he could end up being my President! And I defend now, his right to be pragmatic in a changing world. One in which the new PPP/C government, between 1992 and 1995, did not hurry to embrace its old ally, Cuba. But the Chinese now regard Comrade Corbin as politically errant - diplomatically naughty.
Comrade Corbin claims that he journeyed to Taiwan to observe economic development there - a virtual success model that transformed a rice and sugar agriculturally-dependent economy into a fast growing industrial powerhouse. I know that Comrade Corbin knows where the money is these days. His Comrade Ming surely schools him in the economies of places like Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
But in upbraiding Comrade Corbin, the Chinese reminds him that Taiwan has a strategy of using "economic ties" to entice China's friends away from any One China (only) policy. Corbin did point out that even Mainland China benefits from Taiwan's prosperity. My take on this? I defend Comrade Corbin's right to go visit anywhere. He would be President, remember. And even if Comrade Stanley can cement "fraternal economic ties" in, say, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore - or any other tiger - for the party first, all visits will be worth the Comrades' while, at this stage.
Ironically, it is the PPP/C who could now claim a little point, by default here. After LFS Burnham had hijacked the periodic elections and the people's will between 1968 and 1985 (H D Hoyte) he, Burnham, defied his American sponsors and recognised - embraced - both Communist China and Cuba. Many of us used the term Socialist freely as Burnham flirted with the East and featured in a now moribund Non-Aligned Movement. Young President Jagdeo's PPP/C, inheriting and maintaining the China Policy, can boast of current Chinese lifelines: "agreements" that benefit us (hydro-power, health schemes), construction of a state-of-the-art Convention Centre and vitally, assistance to Guysuco to construct an all-purpose sugar mill in Skeldon. Score a big point, for now, Civic.
Corbin and Bouter, Oh My!
But it is Comrade RHO's visit to Surinamese Military/Politico Desi Bouterse in Nickerie - before his Taiwanese trip, which still has me thinking.
Corbin, as he prepares for the presidency before or after 2006, using his opposition status meaningfully and as Party Leader, actually engaged Bouterse - a rebel with a funded cause who himself seems to be able to become President of Suriname - or Prime Minister - whenever he chooses on Guyana-Suriname territorial matters. How "presidential", Comrade C! Again, frankly speaking, although I have read of the dangers implicit in those conversations, I see no harm in Opposition Leaders conferring on matters confronting them - or the States they hope to govern.
The relatively new Prime Minister of little Antigua, Mr. Baldwin Spencer, who put an end to the virtual dynasty that was Bird, is moving to have his Caricom colleague-Heads recognise all Opposition Leaders to the point of having them as official participants at all summits. It's only that I have a real and personal difficulty with Desi Bouterse - obviously a potential tyrant with a past which includes the execution of more than a dozen of his opponents.
Does my potential president Comrade Corbin feel comfortable with that? For whilst there would hardly be any "deals" regarding our problems with Suriname, my PPP extremist friends remind me that "our borders with Suriname are porous", implying evil on behalf of the Bouterse-Corbin combination. Oh dear me. Keep close to these issues - as elections loom. And closer to this column.
On Georgetown - and landfills
My chagrin, remorse, frustration over what the Georgetown of my childhood has become these days, crystallised long before my current association with a Pilot Project on Waste Management. It's only now, however, that the implications, the intricacies of managing the city's garbage have invaded my understanding. I have many weeks to address those issues - education, resources, offences, penalties, landfills, incineration, littering et al. For today though, two sets of thoughts: 1. Will Durban Park and the seawalls area be developed in what is left of my lifetime?
Will Georgetown's Central Stabroek Square ever become like those in even the smaller Caribbean territories? Clean, orderly, aesthetics within chaos? Are we so blighted to have to live in a blighted town? And what can we do about Fort Groyne, street people and derelict vehicles? I know most of the answers. Do you? Guess what? Do you know that political considerations - where even private investors and resources are important - can impede the city's revival?
Take the question of landfills. In Georgetown the City Council established and still operates what it describes as the Mandela Controlled Dumpsite. To those hundreds of residents nearby, this potential health hazard has set a precedent which has all other communities shouting "Nimby!" - "not in my backyard!" So understandable but so erroneous.
Misunderstanding and mischief combine to make the siting of landfills even an emotional issue fraught with sensitive uncertainties and fears.
Of all the waste disposal options open to it Georgetown has to opt for a new proper landfill. It is to be "a well-engineered, well-controlled land disposal site, for solid non-hazardous waste in which delivered waste would be spread and compacted in layers a few feet thick. This is to be done daily. It is said that people, accustomed to mere dumpsites do not have such an image, however.
This is about to change. Sanitary landfills, maintained to international standards must rescue Georgetown. There is so much to lose! Read me next week.
Miscellaneous
1. Believe me. After I had written my lead piece - on Comrade Corbin's visits - I then came across, in Wednesday's papers - all the charges and responses on the "issue". Believe me?
2. Lovely use of language by Colin Croft. But no I won't believe that the young West Indians have made losing "a fine art".
3. Get the Guns, Commissioner!
`Til Next Week!