IN my piece yesterday (Sunday), I quoted what a Guyanese woman had to say about the country she lives in and for which she recently got citizenship –Germany.
I am referring to Ms. Ashma John, daughter of the owner of two famous places in Guyana – Splashmins Resort and the Ashmin’s building. The latter now has a new owner as it was sold some time ago.
I never spoke to Ms. John. I only saw her for years while she chatted with my daughter. They went to the same high school.
I am an admirer of the mind, courage and conscience of Ms. John. What she wrote was a manifestation of a decent mind, a mind that speaks to truth.
In case you missed my Sunday piece, I will repeat the quote. The background of what she said was her love for her country, Guyana, even though she has accepted German citizenship.
Here is Ms. John: “Over the past year, as democratic as Germany pledges itself to be, we have seen excessive police brutality involving protestors, censorship, raids and outright harassment. We have heard of discussions surrounding Nazi-style deportation policies.”
For years, we have had not dozens but maybe hundreds of Guyanese who live abroad and have taken up citizenship or have citizen-like status in other countries and comment consistently on Guyana. Quite a large number of these diaspora people have migrated over a long period of time. They have grown older in their adopted countries and have produced children who are now grown kids who have families of their own.
Dozens and dozens of these diaspora folks or dual citizens have been critical of governance and the political economy of Guyana and its ruling party, the PPP. But this large group of dual citizens has not produced an Ashma John, meaning they do not inform us what takes place in their second country while they consistently bombard us with their vexations with Guyana’s economics, politics, and sociology. These bombardments are usually characterised by vehement indignation of governmental policies.
Despite threats to democracy and the rule of law and journalistic degeneracy in their new homes, they do not offer us even a word much less a paragraph of the danger signals where they live. Before I go on, it is to be noted that they pay taxes in their second homes and have to abide by the laws and foreign policy adventures of their adopted lands. Let’s look at some of these people.
From Canada, Alissa Trotz, Janet Bulkan and Alma O’Connel wrote in 2022 to demand that Guyana must cease oil production right away. Canada in 2022 was the fourth largest oil producer in the world. From the USA, Nigel Westmaas, Maya Trotz, Colin Abyssinian Carto, Gary Gildarie, Christina Samaroo wrote in the same year, as the three Canadians listed above, demanding Guyana get out of oil.
The USA, in 2018, became the world’s largest oil producer and maintained its numero uno position until 2022. At the time when these Guyanese Americans were requesting the end to oil production, the country they spent a majority of their lives in was the world’s leading producer of oil.
From the UK, Isabelle DeCaires, Terry Roopnaraine, Pauline Melville wrote in the same year of 2022 that Guyana put a moratorium on oil production. But the UK was and is still one of the world’s largest oil-pumping countries. Who in the world hasn’t heard about North Sea oil from the UK? But that is not all. Let’s look at politics in the US, UK and Canada.
All three countries have supported the Israeli action in Gaza. All three countries have publically refused to use the word, “genocide” to describe what is taking place in Gaza. All three countries have stopped contributing to the UNWRA- the relief agency for Palestinians after Israel accused UNWRA of having Hamas militants on its staff and all three countries did not wait for an official enquiry before they cut off funds.
The US is a federal system but each of the 50 states is run by a governor who has powers that the federal government cannot interfere with.
The Governor of New York, Cathy Hochul, speaking at a Jewish function said Israel has justification for destroying Gaza. That statement was made in February 2024 after the world had seen the unspeakably horrific consequences of many acts of genocide in recent memory.
These Guyanese have long gone, and are growing older in the countries for which they have taken out citizenship but they want to shape the future direction of Guyana thus they condemn the current Guyanese government for the exercise of power they disagree with, even though they pay taxes in another country and, in that other country, they stay silent over the loss of democracy.
We need to contact Ashma John and say to her: “Thank you; always remain a conscientious woman.”
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.