President Granger uniquely positioned to bend the arc towards justice and build on predecessors’ legacies

AS I wrap up attention to Emancipation Month not only commemorating Africans’ struggles and achievements in toppling slavery, but also contributions in building the foundation for modern human development, it brings to the fore the likely role of President David Granger in continuing this formidable legacy.

By society’s standard, Granger is identified as a black man. He has to his advantage the position of Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the bulwark of whose membership and support base is of the African community. He is also the Head of State and Head of Government, following in the footsteps of predecessors Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte, and to a lesser extent Sam Hinds.

The advantage Granger brings to the portfolios is that whereas icons such as Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow and Burnham did not have the benefit of seeing African local leadership operating at the level at which they served, offices held, and interests pursued, he has. Granger came to office at a time when morale in the African community was at its lowest ebb, having been subjected to daily doses that leaders of the black community admire or love, i.e. Burnham and to a lesser extent Hoyte, have done nothing good for society and are anti-human development.

While observation of the PNCR notes its failure to properly contextualise and articulate its presence, reason for its existence, including successes and challenges as a major institution of influence, in and out of government, the trade union, which yours truly is part of its leadership, is not shy in making known its contributions to society, including having to confront those who seek to deny or deprive Critchlow his contributions to society.

Critchlow, though a trade unionist and later a politician as one of the earliest members of the People’s Progressive Party, was by identity a black man. When I represent his legacy and stand against those who seek to skew it, I’m ever conscious of the fact that when truth is suppressed, it perpetuates mental enslavement and feeds the monster of depriving Africans their rightful place in human development.

Guyanese have emerged from a society in which labour was treated as chattel/property, dehumanised, discriminated against, and disrespected. In the 20th century, Critchlow took on the fight through the trade union movement to right these human indignities, fearlessly advancing labour’s interests in and out of the workplace. In his wisdom, he also recognised that the holistic advancement of labour requires a political component. Thus in 1926, when Cheddi Jagan was a mere boy and Burnham a toddler, he along with other Caribbean Labour Leaders laid the foundation to struggle for universal adult suffrage (one man, one vote) and internal self-government, among others.

The majority of the population have experienced Indians holding premier national leadership most, if not all, of their lives. Young black boys and girls have had to suffer Guyana’s brand of Willie Lynch’s ‘Making of a slave’ messaging and conditioning that nothing good was ever done by the PNC, a party their relatives most likely identify with. The only instance they saw a black man as President, was Desmond Hoyte, who held office for seven years, when they were either toddlers or teenagers.

Hinds held the presidency briefly, having been disposed of in a most contemptuous manner which was designed to transmit a clear message to Africans what others think are our place in society.  While Hinds was accepting this dehumanization, the psychological impact on the African community was damning. Let me state here clearly: if for some reason, Granger cannot serve and Moses Nagamootoo, who as prime minister by the Guyana Constitution should ascend to the presidency, is bypassed, I shall come out publicly against such contempt for the person and for the Constitution.

Mistreatment of blacks must not be used as any justification to treat each other or another race in like manner.  And where Africans advance human development, as history has shown, is when even as we must be proud of race we demonstrate equal indignation treating others lesser than or accepting others treating us in like manner. Saying this does not ignore within my race, those who engaged or are engaging in acts to retard such progress.

Burnham, a complex man though he was, must be credited with putting the institutional infrastructure in place that would cause us to see and appreciate beauty and strength in diversity — race, creed, class, ability and otherwise — by making these equal by law. President Hoyte’s positive response to the Indian community’s concern that a government lead by a black man would not respect them and advance their interests, earned him the nickname “Desmond Persaud.” Incidentally, Critchlow faced a similar situation with Indian sugar workers whose interests he advanced, earning the nickname “Black Crosby” after a compassionate white immigration agent.

As Leader of the Opposition, Hoyte listened to the cries of the African community as to their sustained marginalisation and his concern for the contempt for the rule of law saw him leading a valiant fight for constitutional reform in the former and adherence to the laws in the latter.  In his pursuits, 21st century society witnessed a struggle of tens of thousands on the streets, drenched in sweat and tears, and not without the loss of blood and life in pursuit of the goal. One of the achievements that came out of this struggle was constitutional reform that saw the political objective amended from “consultative democracy” to “inclusionary democracy” (Article 13).

This is the legacy in Africans’ continuous struggle for human development that Granger inherited; and since he is uniquely poised to safeguard them, he must seize the moment. Treating each other as human beings will hold steadfast to the principle to do unto others as you would like be done unto you. The importance of putting policies, programmes and laws in place to strengthen and deepen the predecessors’ legacy would also factor in that should the people’s power no longer be at your disposal, systems would have already been put in place to secure dignity and advance the mobility of all.

After the struggles of Critchlow were directed to treat labour/workers/citizens– past, present and potential– with respect, the enshrining of principle into laws during the Burnham era, the achievement by Hoyte of “inclusionary democracy” to protect and defend the aforesaid, in the continuous journey for human development Granger would be expected to build on the formidable legacy.

This young generation, irrespective of race, must grow into maturity and be prepared to pilot the ship of state, comforted that past struggles and achievements are protected, defended and the baton passed to them to further safeguard and build on. Everyone must feel assured that they are valued members of society, their roles as citizens and in the nation’s body politic respected, the laws will hold true for all not some, and in spite of being told black leaders are worthless or the race inferior, there’s living testimony, in this phase of their lives, to prove otherwise.

The aforesaid represents the rock-solid foundation Granger has the opportunity to firmly place his feet and build on. The manner in which he governs will determine whether given the privilege to stand on the shoulders of braves, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr. he can bend the arc of the moral universe towards justice for all.

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