Dear editor,
I WISH to commend Claudius Prince on his article titled: “Ways to achieve the entrepreneurial spirit” published on Sunday, 4th December, 2016 in the Kaieteur News. I have always had great respect for Claudius Prince dating back to his days as a senior official in the Guyana National Service (GNS).

At that point, I served as a “trainee inspector”, I was taught to work with cattle, clean fish without using instruments, cotton-production, how to plant watermelons, beans, vegetables etc. Further, I worked in the poultry farm and while I found this disgusting (coming from a family that liked to be clean-skinned), it taught me to work hard and to respect all the backgrounds of people.

Claudius Prince was always very professional. In his letter, he does not attack nor target people of any ethnic background, but he simply showed the process that Indo-Guyanese went through, which is responsible for their successes in business. I would recommend his article for reading, since it is very instructive and incisive.
However, I do not think that there was a conspiracy to undermine Afro-Guyanese in business. I believe that our former colonial masters knew that they would eventually depart from our shores and they were preparing the liberated Africans to take up leadership in the civil service, administrative regions and town councils.
At that time, the civil service looked very appealing, since they were well paid and most importantly, well dressed.

While this modification took place, many Indo-Guyanese (and Afro-Guyanese) remained in the rice-fields and large-scale planting of ground provisions was done in part by the Africans. At this point, Indo-Guyanese had become very envious due to the fact that the Africans became lawyers, doctors, nurses, customs officers, mid-wives and engineers.
I do not think that the aim was to marginalise them from business, but to prepare them for administration subsequent to the complete departure of the British Crown. As a young man growing up, Indo-Guyanese were not encouraged to work in such particular professional fields. Our colonial masters at this time had recognised the importance of keeping a strong labour force in the production of food.

Persons like former minister, Mrs. Yvonne Harewood-Benn, Mr. Boston, Mr. Peters, Mr. Ross, Mrs. Ross, Mrs. Timbell and my kindergarten teacher, Miss Tom (an influential figure who helped with the development of my personality and character), were masters of education. I will forever be grateful to all of them as they guided my accent, style of dress, style of speech and intellect. Without a doubt, together they touched the lives of thousands of people. These professors were professional, endearing and passionate. Those were all fruits that the colonial masters saw.

I do not believe that any group is superior to another whether in farming, business or public service. I wish to agree with the view of Claudius Prince that due to the fact that Indo-Guyanese were left on the lands, they were taught how to face hard times. Growing up, I observed the way my stepfather, mother and my neighbours supported each other, which I would refer to as unofficial cooperativism. I also recall as a young lad throwing paddy into the field after the plowing. However, it was not this easy, heavy rain and floods had devastated months of planting and preparing for me and my family in Corriverton. Following this, my mother had bought yard fowls to get food and we began planting crops to supplement the loss of income.

My stepfather also became a labourer, working on trucks. I believe it was situations such as these that Claudius Prince was referring to in his letter. These times made us tough and strong, giving us the ability to handle devastation and hardships.
I remember during that period, most Africans in the community did not go to work as labourers. However, some did go to work on the lorry or trackers or even as cane-cutters in the field. I reminiscence on a wonderful and most loving gentleman, he was a peasant farmer who was an entrepreneur himself, but was geared towards having his children go into the public sector instead of going into his business.

Because of this clean and dressed idea, I had never thought about farming or business, but instead, I wanted to be like those in the civil service with a tie wrapped around my neck.
From this, I developed an appetite to become a security officer and specialist which I ended up achieving. Although this happened, I had a penchant for the rice field. Up to this day, I plant crops and fruit trees in my yard for myself and family to utilise. I never had an ambition to become a businessman. My advent to the business world was accidental. Again, Claudius Prince was brilliant in his deliberation, many businesspeople like myself faced jealousy and ridicule. Mr. Prince is hitting an important point, referring to the difficulties that we went through.

My stepfather at some point had bought an old truck, GL408, and he would use it to transport paddy and general produce for people. When he made a profit, he bought a better truck then after a new truck until he ended up owning a fleet of trucks. I wish to support Mr. Prince on a brilliant essay. The Guyana National Service (GNS) had produced many business minds. My electrical engineer is also a product of the GNS which helped to create skill and discipline.

I will encourage the Government of the day to establish the National Service in small fronts in the city and out of the city where persons can travel, discover, learn and engage each other, even in the remote parts of the interior. Once again, thank you Claudius Prince for reminding us.

Regards,
Roshan Khan