OUR human world is a dangerous place if you rely on “corner wisdom” as the guide to decision-making, whether on relationships, economic options, or as a source to define national affairs. “The corner” is a symbolic term intended to define anywhere, whether salon, barber shop, beer garden or anywhere humans gather and exchange views. I can present a classic example of important propaganda, directed from a source somewhat current, because I hadn’t heard it or read it before. This happened about seven years ago on America Street; the subject was the effects of the narcotic trade on humanity and the image of Guyana.
I was relating something I had witnessed on landing at the J.F. Kennedy Airport one night some years before that, and there were sniffer dogs and armed military personnel in desert camouflage.
STANDARD PROCEDURE
I later learnt that this was the procedure when a plane was landing from Guyana. Though not exclusive to Guyana, we had become so justifiably classified. The banter began when “Brian,” a money changer and not a drug dealer, informed me, to my surprise, that America was built on drugs.
I couldn’t believe that anyone could accept that! Tell me that the exploitation of Afro-American labour, through slavery and segregation, played an immense part! And that cannot be disputed!
So I asked him about the auto industry and the film industry among several other industries. I threw in Henry Ford, Washington Carver and Bill Gates, and we debated for a while, recognising that most of what I was saying was new and not receptive.
I had several other encounters with other acquaintances about this propaganda on drugs. I concluded that it was a propaganda masterpiece that appeared to soothe our national embarrassment at the state to which we had descended: From the Magnificent Providence and Garden City to the ‘Drug Courier/Drug Addict State.’
GLOBAL WARMING
The next ridiculous piece of foolishness was when, some years ago, we were always flooded, due to the absolute incompetence and dishonesty of that administration.
The propaganda being peddled back then was: “It happening because of Global Warming.”
I wrote several letters to the press on that subject, for though global warming is a fact, the easy flooding of Georgetown was not a ‘GW’ issue. The current administration has effectively put paid to that bit of “gossip.”
Question is: How do we get people to explore before they believe? For various reasons, that is not an easy task.
A case in point is the trial of Christ, as reported in the New Testament, whereby it was the hecklers [paid by the Pharisees, as argued in some quarters] who shouted the loudest for the release of the murderer Barabbas, and for the crucifixion of Jesus.
Propagandists and gossipers do always sound convincing; at times they shout and make the most noise.
Rumour has it in certain quarters here, that according to Ebony magazine, the late President Forbes Burnham was the fifth richest black man in the world.
Ovid Holder, a friend of mine, was a distributor of that particular magazine. “It was a ridiculous thing to believe,” he told me years later, “but they came month after month and bought edition after edition; intelligent people and all.”
I was there at the then Le Meridien Pegasus in early 1993 when Eddy Grant laid to rest another political slander/propaganda against Burnham. That bit of propaganda had to do with Burnham demanding a 55% share in the recording studio Grant had proposed building here, which is why the latter turned to Barbados instead.
The fact of the matter is that it was Burnham who advised Eddy to go to Barbados, because he could not guarantee him a steady supply of electricity at the time.

ECONOMIC DOWNTURN
I read Tyrone Ferguson’s incredible book, ‘To survive sensibly or seek heroic death’, and it propelled me to want to address another bit of malicious rumour surrounding the 1970s collapse of our economy, which my father, who was not into politics, had years before helped put to rest.
That particular bit of rumour had it that it was because Burnham had stolen money from Guyana’s coffers and banked it in Switzerland that hardship had befallen us.
“Big Braff,” as my father was called, explained to me that part of the problem had to do with Guyana’s heavy investment in the production of cheap electricity at a time when the political climate was not exactly in its favour.
As he painstakingly explained, it was Cold War politics, that included the Venezuelan claim, and our adverse geopolitical position that caused the collapse of that hyper-economic project; that and the loss of tremendous capital, as the late Ferguson’s book narrated, followed by the rise of oil prices in the late 1970s beyond expectations. I was convinced, but had never heard about all this before.
A DREAM DEFERRED
After my father’s demise, I began, around 2004, to gather information to do a graphic novel on that period; spoke to my friend, Ronald Austin; went to see Kit Nascimento; had a discussion with the late Hasyln Parris; was directed to other contacts that I didn’t make; bought literature on Cold War conflicts and politics; then shelved it all to work on ‘Pot Boilers’. When you’re raising a family, dreams have to be deferred.
Another elaborate propaganda I had dismissed was that the 1961-64 disturbances were started by the CIA. Propaganda and gossip can take on a life of their own, becoming myths, defaming characters and people.
The surprising thing, from sources that I’ve checked, is that reading is not a subject anymore in the formative school years; today, the obsession with passing 10 and 15 subjects leave little time for alternative reading and class discussion.
Gadget obsession and social media, if not managed in the post-school years by alternative energetic passions, can have “substance void” effects.
The antidote to gossip and propaganda will always be the attentive, enquiring mind.