CHAITRAM Singh won the 2012 Guyana Prize for Literature (awarded September 2013) in the category of Best First Book of Fiction with his first novel, ‘The Flour Convoy’. Singh’s other entry, ‘The February 23rd Coup’, was shortlisted in the Category of Best Book of Fiction. Below is a review by Frank Birbalsingh. 

Professor Emeritus Birbalsingh is an anthologist and the author of many scholarly publications including ‘From Pillar to Post: The Indo Caribbean Diaspora’, ‘Passion and Exile: Essays in Caribbean Literature’, ‘The Rise of West Indian Cricket: From Colony to Nation’, and two anthologies of Indo-Caribbean writing ‘Jahaji’ and ‘Jahaji Bhai’. Birbalsingh is an acknowledged book reviewer.

‘The February 23rd Coup’ is the second novel (after ‘The Flour Convoy’) by Chaitram Singh, a Guyanese graduate of West Point – the American Military Academy – and former officer in the Guyana Defence Force.
Singh is also author of a non-fiction work, ‘Politics in Plantation Society’, (1988) and teaches political science at Berry College, Georgia, in the USA.
Singh’s second novel focuses on the dictatorial régime of Forbes Burnham, which, by the late 1970s, had, in the words of one of the novel’s American characters, turned Guyana into “a refugee encampment for people desperately seeking to flee the punishing conditions of life created by the mismanagement and corruption of a self-perpetuating clique.” (p.246)
While many Guyanese characters express dissatisfaction with the Burnham régime by emigrating abroad, ‘The February 23rd Coup’ highlights an attempted military coup by members of the Guyana Defence Force on February 23rd 1980. A successful coup would be improbable, since it conflicts with historical accuracy; whereas failure of the coup conveys the truth, as expressed by another American official: “…suffering would continue, and every low-level official would exact, without impunity, bribes and other favours from people too destitute to pay, but too powerless to resist.” (p.246)
Singh’s novel acknowledges the role of the US as one of two superpowers in the second half of the 20th Century, when the Caribbean Sea was (and still is) regarded as a privately-owned American lake, and territories within or bordering this sea treated largely as the personal effects of Americans. So, it is not surprising that, despite the novel’s fictional coup being planned by Guyanese, every move is monitored, controlled and eventually derailed by the CIA, in cahoots with the US embassy in Guyana.
History repeats itself when the CIA Station Chief, Colonel Fred Hitchcock reminds the Guyanese President after his brief capture: “Surely you remember from your days in the opposition, back in the 60s, that we [Americans] have friends in the [Guyanese] trade union movement. It worked to your advantage back then.” (p.180)
Hitchcock also reminds another American, Stephen Erikson, Assistant Military Attaché at the US embassy in Guyana, that “American interests” were paramount, and in 1980 aimed “to prevent the spread of communism.” (p.156)
When the action of the novel opens in 1979, Guyana is firmly in the grip of a corrupt government run by the ‘Kabaka Party’ (alias the People’s National Congress led by Burnham), while the Opposition is the People’s Party (alias the People’s Progressive Party, led Dr. Cheddi Jagan). Both parties are socialist, as is a third party, the Workers’ Party (alias, the Working People’s Alliance of Walter Rodney), which is led by Dr. Nelson, a true Marxist, of whom the Americans are most afraid.
To the US, “the President was an opportunist whose only concern was to maintain himself in power,” (p.155) while the Opposition leader was toothless, because he supported the government ideologically; but Dr. Nelson was a real threat, according to Hitchcock. “…we couldn’t have a government under a diehard Marxist like Donald Nelson.” (p.204). Thus, no one worries later, when, like the historical Walter Rodney, Nelson’s car explodes under mysterious circumstances, and he is killed.
The coup itself is meticulously planned, in strict secrecy, by Colonel Ralph Spooner, Capt. Malcolm Felix, Capt. Anthony Cassius McGowan, and Colonel Franchette Taylor. A fifth officer – Capt. Andrew Rambarran – joins only after much persuasion.
The author revels in the professionalism of his West Point expertise in presenting this plan, carefully tailored down to the last detail. The date – Saturday 23rd February, 1980 – is carefully selected. It is the day of the official Republic Day parade, which will involve servicemen from all three services – the Army, National Service and police.
After the Parade, the weapons of all servicemen will be deposited in two armouries, except for a group which is controlled by one of the conspirators. Supporters of the coup will be strategically placed, and the whole operation set to begin at 23:00 hours.
This precise planning is executed to perfection, and the President arrested; but the coup fails, because of unexpected collaboration between the CIA Station Chief, Colonel Hitchcock, and one conspirator, Capt. McGowan, whose brother, Joe Henry, is head of the Public Service Union.
After the President’s arrest, Hitchcock virtually orders the President to treat Capt. McGowan’s collaboration in the coup attempt leniently, since his betrayal of his fellow plotters restored power to the President. On top of that, lenience would promote good relations with the Public Service Union.
It is almost an exact repeat of 1964, when similar “American interests” were first covertly imposed on Guyana. Not that ‘The February 23rd Coup’ is anti-American. On the contrary, each chapter opens with a date and place in the form of a diary, for example:
“February 23, 1980: Georgetown, Guyana”, accompanied by a style that includes American military idioms, forms of address and speech, and technical discussions of tactics and strategy which give the impression of a professional, (West Point) military briefing.
But this stiff formality is relieved by the warmth of a love story between Andrew Rambarran and Lena, the sister of Colonel Ralph Spooner, and moreso by another (more challenging) relationship between Steve Erikson and Anita, Rambarran’s sister.
Yet, the real appeal of the novel is in its concluding chapters when Rambarran is imprisoned in Suriname, and is rescued in a series of daring, and exciting, action-packed exploits, both on land and sea, in the style of American Western films, where beleaguered but good heroes win against overwhelming odds.
At the end of the novel, these exploits are seen in terms of virtue by Erikson and Rambarran who agree on their sanction by Hindu religious texts, the Ramayana and Mahabarata: “That’s what we stand for, isn’t it? Virtue?” (p.317)
But if American interests in preserving the régime of a corrupt Guyanese dictator are virtuous, where do they leave poor, little Guyana, or us poor, Guyanese wretches? (To respond to this author, either call him on (592) 226-0065 or send him an email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)

WHAT’S HAPPENING:
• * The Guyana Annual 2012-2013 magazine is now available at Guyenterprise Ltd, and at city bookstores. This issue of the magazine is dedicated to E. R. Braithwaite. The magazine also features articles on copyright, law of intellectual property, creative industries, and the future of books.
• * Coming soon: ‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’, by Petamber Persaud.