UK-based Guyanese Peter Ramrayka releases new book – ‘Recycling a Son of the British Raj’
The cover of Peter Ramrayka’s book (front and back)
The cover of Peter Ramrayka’s book (front and back)

THIS book is a fascinating read as it demonstrated quite clearly what could be achieved with innate intelligence, resilience and the desire to make a difference to people’s lives. The author started in the first chapter by researching his family roots, one of the thousands buried deep in the land mass of British ruled India. He highlighted how within a relatively short space of time his Indian born grandparents were not only able to break out of the bondage of indentured labouring, in what was then British Guiana, at the beginning of the 20th century, but also to maintain their strong cultural and supportive way of life.
As the author moved on emigration from British Guiana to the UK, swapping one cultural environment for another, his absorption and adoption of a different set of values are evident as he explained in subsequent chapters his arrival in the 1960s Britain grappling with wide-spread racism as it sought to cope with the immigration consequence of its Imperial past and his shielding from overt discrimination by joining the medical branch of the Royal Air Force (RAF).
As one would expect much information is given about the author’s nine formative years in the RAF the challenges he experienced and, as a young man, his dalliances – all written with a touch of delicacy!
A significant part of the book, Chapter 7, is taken up with the author moving to another cultural environment – this time professional – the British National Health Service (NHS). Uniquely for a man of colour in the 1970s the author entered the NHS as a manager (not as a nurse, doctor or ancillary worker) and he outlined how in spite of overt discriminatory practices he was able to rise to the top of his profession. Having done so and, with his desire to give back to society some of what he had achieved, especially to those in the third world, the author recorded the mutually enjoyable time he had in Botswana, Pakistan and, as the head of a flying teaching eye hospital, in many parts of the developing world.
In chapters 10 and 11 of the book the author gave glimpses of his voluntary work which ran concurrently with his heavy professional roles and responsibilities. His appointment to a judicial role as a Magistrate in central London brought much satisfaction to him as was his initiative in 1993 to bring together over 18 UK based Guyanese diaspora organisations from across the racial, political and cultural divide to support Guyana’s Health services, and to be an example to his compatriots in Guyana. The theme of paying back to the wider community is highlighted when the author described his many voluntary assignments with the Anglican Diocese in Tanzania to support institutional strengthening in health, agriculture and HIV Aids.
To round off his professional and voluntary work the author gave in Chapter 17 a brief account of his political life with the Liberal Democrats party which at the time was in government in the UK with the Conservatives. Left wing and right political parties working together for five years! It was interesting to read how he became involved at local, regional and national levels and the impact he had in the development of the party’s manifesto for the 2015 British general elections.
Memoirs are not complete without recording compliments and the author with modesty and supporting photographs mentioned those which were paid to him by the National Health Service, his professional organisation the Institute of Healthcare Management and invitations to meet with the Prince of Wales, Princess Diana and to the Queen’s Garden Party.
‘Recycling of a Son of the British Raj’ is particularly unusual as the author was aware that his life straddled many countries and cultural environments in particular his professional life. To make the book understandable to different audiences he devised a process whereby a dialogue with a Bacoo, called Basdeo, was used when appropriate explanations appeared to have been needed.
The book is well worth a read and is good contemporary record of a journey from one culture to another, examples of overcoming racial and cultural barriers, the confidence an individual gets from being proud of his cultural background and the satisfaction from a life of public service. (The book is published by Hansib and is available at: www.guycon21plus.co.uk)

 

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