By Leonard Craig

Fifty-Four – The peaks and troughs of February

LIKE every other February over the last half a century, the month marks the celebration of the founding of our republic. This February was our 54th. I wonder what a review and comparison of Februarys over the last five decades would look like? I do not have immediate access to the data so I will not venture.

Nevertheless, February was packed with glorious highlights sufficient to induce other months to blush with jealousy on one hand and disgust on the other, at some of the lowlights.

In February we celebrated Mashramani – party after hard work. The reviews were mixed and indicate that perhaps a new generation of planners is needed. The signals point to the need for larger private-sector participation. Perhaps there may also be a need for specific certificate or diploma courses in all aspects of our ‘Mash’ culture, including art and designing, event planning, history, music and more.

In February Guyana assumed the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), this is historic and should be celebrated. Congratulations to Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

In February, Guyana held the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community where The Dominican Republic and Martinique applied to become full members of CARICOM. When accepted, this will add about 12 million people to our community, almost doubling the size of our access to the regional marketplace. Guyanese businesses should start gearing to take advantage.

In February, the president of Brazil Inacio ‘Lula’ da Silva visited Guyana and extended an invitation for us to attend the upcoming G20 climate meeting. This is a recognition of Guyana’s leadership on some major climate initiatives; no doubt, recognition must be given to Vice-President Jagdeo for his efforts that have put Guyana on the forefront of global climate-change discourse.
In the month of February, the internationally recognised Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo was successfully held. In February, leaders of Trinidad and Tobago waxed lyrical about deepening trading partnerships with Guyana in the oil and gas sector. The same Trinidad that spent decades heightening and upholding artificial trade barriers that kept many Guyanese products out of the twin islands. Our leaders should be prudent in pursuing deals with Trinidad.

In February, the Masquerade bands came out. What passes for masquerading in the streets of Georgetown is appalling and should evoke the ire of anyone interested in culture generally and even more perturbed if there is a specific interest in African culture.

The scenes of three ‘lil cherren’ with tattered, raggedy clothes doing a ‘lil jig’ in the middle of rush-hour traffic, begging for a dollar and a man off to the side beating on a drum with a range of unmelodic, confusing ‘tu-dums’ that passes for rhythmic afro sounds, is a far cry from the authentic Guyanese culture. More of a traffic nuisance than anything else. If we care about this aspect of our culture, all Guyanese must work towards restoring its cultural beauty.

Here are some of my suggestions. All mas bands should be registered and the various masquerade seasons clearly defined by some form of statute. Only registered groups having all (uncompromisingly) the elements of a typical band should be given permission to perform in public. Some of the elements that bring nostalgia of an authentic mas band include the long dally, big bamzie Sally, the raging bull, man on stilts, the flautist and a good rhythm section.

While I am not an expert on the deeper elements of the history of the culture, I know enough to know that the collection of little children flouncing with hat in hand trying to collect a dollar while causing major traffic holdups in some of the busiest streets in Georgetown, should not continue. I would therefore want to use this space to call on those in charge to take steps and provide necessary funding to restore our culture. One example that comes to mind: restore a masquerade band competition for ‘Mash’ celebrations.

In February this year, there was a leap day. Some people associate leap years with bad omens. In comes Hamilton Green. He invoked the ghosts of rigging of elections as a means of removing and establishing governments. The hapless Leader of the Opposition argued that Green was taken out of context because the word “if” was left out of the interpretation. Whether or not ‘if’ shifted the contextual essence of Green’s postulations, his words were unfortunate, inflammatory and loaded with intent and advice. If the Opposition Leader cannot underline those words even merely as “not the best choice of words,” it speaks volumes about his convictions for free and fair elections. Both Green and Norton should be roundly condemned.

In this month of February, the AFC further realised that Aubrey Norton and the PNC are incapable of providing any form of sensible political leadership. As a result, there is a frantic move to jester us into believing that the AFC has the wherewithal to extricate itself of the vestiges of PNC command. Ramjattan declared that Norton cannot speak for his party; he said only the AFC will decide whether it goes into the 2025 elections in partnership with the PNC. My own prediction is that the AFC will NOT go alone, it is too stacked with lazy, made-for-camera politicians who are incapable of doing the hard groundwork required to run an election machinery. In fact, some of its leading political leaders will step away from the party to avoid the embarrassing electoral prospects the AFC will face. Latching on to the PNC’s proverbial coat tail will be its downfall.