Presidential visits - and the President’s wall
-Female ‘single’ parents and their ‘Chile Faaduhs’
Our head of state seems to prefer visits to country-wide communities over any type of full-fledged press conference.
And it’s quite worthy of the president when he goes to see for himself during his Meet-the-People “outreaches”. (From the Forbes Burnham playbook?)
This brief commentary however has little to do with His Excellency’s overseas visits. Two little point upfront: (i) he’s ramping up quite a few per month recently so he should qualify for frequent –flyer status and (ii) we must appreciate that although the president has to submerge his status as a private citizen, he must still be entitled to personal activities- even vacations to Antigua, Florida or the Rupununi.
That said I wish to share a report pointed out to me from a very recent edition of the Sunday Guyana Times, a newspaper I buy only occasionally. I’m going to assume that the relevant story and quotes are accurate and factual. Which makes the issue therefore troubling.
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Guyanese abroad- role, commitment
Even before he won the presidency Mr Granger would refer to and treat Guyanese in the USA (especially) as another “region” of Guyana. To me, he accepted the fact and reality of migration, as well as the potential that that diaspora represents.
However to this day I am uncertain as to whether any full-fledged Department of the Diaspora - or Diaspora affairs has been established with serious intent. (I recall reading of such agencies in India, Israel, even Jamaica.)
If we, in fact, boast such a government department please pardon my ignorance. Or it’s a well-kept secret.
Instead the Times is reporting the lament -and grave disappointment - of one Salaudeen Nausrudeen. Reportedly, Mr Nausrudeen was the “Project Director” of a Guyana Investment Conference which took place in New York in June 2016. An audience of Diaspora Guyanese and others participated and signaled their enthusiastic intention to invest to do serious business in the homeland, Guyana. But a full year later nothing (much) has fructified! According to Mr Nausrudeen, described as “a business development and marketing expert with more than twenty years of professional experience,” that is because this government has done nothing to honour commitments made to the business persons in the USA one year ago. He claims that a “business-friendly climate” has not been created here as yet; that “no clear strategies, policies or incentives for investment,” no better communication channels or integration among relevant authorities locally have been established one year after some 250 eager business persons listened to the Guyanese leader.
If all the foregoing is accurate all I can offer is “shame”. What must committed Guyanese abroad think? That amongst the Ministry of the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Business, the Go-Invest experts there resides no sustained competencies enough to harness the potential and actual contributions available from our countrymen resident overseas?
It is not for me, a relative layman in these matters, to cast blame. But when I read of the President’s entreaties in the United Kingdom a few days ago, as a patriot hoping for results from Minister Greenidge’s Economic Diplomacy, I don’t want to be a victim of baseless hope. High Commissioner Hamley Case, our man in Britain, is also a business-oriented gent. Can he inspire productive action back in Georgetown? After the photoops? Time will tell. *
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If the American President Donald Trump thinks that he alone can build walls, he had better check out the huge concrete fence taking shape around our President’s work place in New Garden Street in Georgetown. (Or is it Shiv Chanderpaul Drive?)
Ryhaan wonders about transparency and what will go on within those massive walls. Are people and activities to be kept in? Or kept out? Is the wall for aesthetics or security? Whatever, hail the Presidential wall! Another first!
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*Single parent – and “Chile Faaduh”
From my own youth growing up without the visible, physical presence of mother or father, I pledged that my children would always see, hear and feel my being with them and their mother.
I succeeded well with that promise to myself. (I also was never fond of “outside children”, though the fault could never be those children’s own.)
So I’m always going on about the social phenomenon amongst us regarding the thousands of female “singe parents” and the accompanying individuals described quaintly as “child-fathers.” What has happened to the institution of marriage, worldwide? Replaced by “living-home” and “significant others”?
Pardon today’s cop-out herein. But even though I feel I know most of the answers, the reasons, I’ll speak to the experts at the Responsible Parenthood Association before exploring more fully why Guyana “boasts” so many “single parents.” So you do the research too, until. By the way, if it takes two to produce a child, can there really be such a thing as a (one) “single parent”? Discuss. *
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Ponder Upon…
.1) My favourite `paper – this Stabroek News – probably following up on a query in my own offering last Friday – explored the origin of the 476 pounds of pure gold found on a ship in Curacao manned by Guyanese, in 2012.
Imagine what that money could have been done for a poor community in Guyana. Keep at it young journalists!
.2) The army trains its officers (unlike the Police Force.) Most of those military seniors are qualified in disciplines beyond just military. Name 15 positions the brigadier has placed qualified retired officers in.
.3) What happens if 5000 Guyanese Venezuelans return to settle in the North West? Maduro or Granger?
.4) So the President splurged on some trip to The Bahamas? Well he couldn’t utilize the pilot and plane former Prezzie Ramotar used. That fellow is in deep trouble now. The pilot, I mean.
.5) Just imagine! A Mohammed Ali who was charged with possession of 113 pounds of cocaine in May 2015 at Windsor Forest has walked free. The Police Prosecutor couldn’t prove the element of possession! Wow!