By Francis Quamina Farrier

MOST of my feature articles which are published here in the Pepperpot Magazine are planned and researched weeks in advance. A few are not. This is one which was written many years in advance – in my brain – and was recently completed for publication today. The headline is from the lyrics of an American war-time song about soldiers returning home from the war front. The people were glad to see them return safe and sound from the battlefields. Ah, such a song was written about that sentiment and gratitude by those who know that the sacrifices made by the soldiers were beneficial to the nation.

So, what has that song got to do with this article? Please read on, and you will find out. I have known Guyanese, Dr. Henry Muttoo, MBE, for over 45 years. In the early years, he was a budding theatre practitioner just out of the Charlestown Secondary School in Georgetown, where he had already been shining under the guidance of Headmaster Edgar Wilson; a Headmaster who was known to have offered his lunch, from time to time, to a student who he observed had none.

Henry grew up in a very humble home in Albouystown and to this day, Albouystown is still very dear to him. This brilliant and very creative son of the soil has impressed all who have had the pleasure of seeing his work in the theatre, first here in Guyana and later throughout the Caribbean. While studying in England, he also staged plays – especially by his hero, Derek Walcott – at the Kiskadee Club in London, to very appreciative audiences. It was my good fortune to have seen his production of “Remembrance” by Derek Walcott, at the Kiskadee Club. His choice of plays was always those of quality and not those with unadulterated violence and vulgarity – plays referred to as ‘crutch theatre’- none of that for Henry Muttoo. Yet his productions drew packed houses.

Sadly, Henry Muttoo was not welcomed by some power brokers in his homeland, when he returned after his studies in England. Like another of his theatre contemporaries, the dynamic dramatist, Ken Corsbie, he was quietly classified as “Persona Non-Grata” by some powerful people in his own country, because he was very out-spoken, and made it clear what were the obstacles towards the genuine progress of his beloved Guyana. He had returned to serve, but was denied employment for which he was highly qualified. He had no alternative but to migrate to other countries in the region and finally settled in the Cayman Islands. A reversal of a popular saying would be “One man’s poison, is another man’s meat.”

Dr. Henry Muttoo, MBE, has done Guyana proud over the decades. During his years in the Cayman Islands, he rubbed shoulders with another Guyanese creative hero of his – and thousands of others – Dave Martins, who spent some years in the Caymans. Dave Martins returned to Guyana some years ago and made history by receiving TWO ‘AAs’ – The National Award of The Golden Arrow of Achievement (AA), and the love of the beautiful and talented Annette Arjune (AA). They have been married for some years now. Meanwhile, Henry Muttoo has received the prestigious British Award of Member of the British Empire (MBE) and an honorary Doctorate from the University College of the Cayman Islands in 2015.

There are hundreds of highly qualified Guyanese in every field of human endeavour, in almost every country in the world, who have been giving service to the development of other countries. Some desire to return to their native Guyana. Will the traditional red carpet of welcome be rolled out for them, also a song of welcome, probably composed by our own Dave Martins? With Guyana’s oil and gas revenue to take this country “From Rags to Riches” – another uplifting song with an important question. Is Guyana preparing to take this country to the million-plus population with Guyanese re-migrants from the Diaspora? Will there be a pleasant reintegration? Are we about to organise a Commission with the task of educating those of us who are already here, and those returning? How will the two sets of Guyanese co-exist in peace and prosperity, with everyone getting their fair share of the oil and gas pie?

Like the humble boyhood home of Dr. Henry Muttoo, MBE, in Albouystown, many Guyanese left these shores for various reasons. While some would never return for permanent residence, some will return in a year or more. They will have to learn to live in a different Guyana than the one they left. Many like Henry Muttoo, who left and made a great success of his life, will want to give unselfishly to the rapid development of oil and gas Guyana. He left as a young man, and by dint of hard work, took a journey from Albouystown, that “demonised” ward of the city of Georgetown, to the magnificent Buckingham Palace in London, England, and had a prestigious Medal pinned on him by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll.

It must also be mentioned that the oldest son of the Queen, Prince Charles – a man who will be king – also walked the streets of Albouystown in February 2000. Buckingham Palace went to Albouystown, and Albouystown later went to Buckingham Palace. Guyanese who demoniSe Albouystown should consider that. A person, a community and a country, can go from “Rags to Riches”. What is necessary after all of that, is a mutual adjustment and mutual respect, each citizen, one for another.