Guyana and Carifesta
-Why we admire our ministers
This is the briefest of reminiscences of the Caribbean Festival of the Arts - Carifesta. Another edition of this Caribbean Community cultural mega–event begins in Barbados next Thursday. For me, every Carifesta evokes recall of the visionary and integration-specific brilliance of the late Forbes Burnham.
This week marked thirty-two years since Burnham’s earthly departure and his creation Carifesta is 45 yearsold when it begins in “Little England” Barbados next week.
Like him or not, Forbes Burnham’s robust participation in the genesis of both Carifta and Caricom, then his relentless pursuit and ultimately his virtual singlehanded execution of the first festival in Georgetown in 1972 (August) secure his stature as a Caribbean thinker of excellence.
Mind you, one evening at the Kuru Kuru College on that highway Forbes Sampson revealed to a small group of us just what he thought of some then Caribbean leaders and their (selfish) approach to the region’s economic integration. I’ll never share his views back then publicly, delivered over some shots of his favourite whiskey or bourbon.
But even his exhortations as he conceptualised Carifesta in May 1966 testify to his statesman-like integrationist commitment.
At that May 1966 Conference, themed Independence and the Freedom of the Artist, he dreamt of a Caribbean Nation. Said he “Instead of a group of islands masquerading as independent States and believing that they can strive in this twentieth century world (we have to think as a community, a nation.)”
He called upon that first conference to emerge with concrete proposals as to what could be done “to help develop an identity of our own; to discover who we are and to appreciate the area and the people of the world that is Caribbean.”
……………………………… I was there
Every “Carifesta-time” I wax sentimental because, you see, I was a young teacher in May 1966 imbibing Burnham’s, cultural and identity dreams as he spoke at Queen’s College.
When nothing happened concerning the Caribbean Festival he had mooted in independence month 1966, he spoke again at another writers and artist’s conference during Republic month February 1970. Again, yours truly took a day from teaching to hear Burnham – at the Critchlow Labour College – lament: “Approximately four years ago we had dreams of this meeting developing institutionally into an annual affairs, a festival, but alas, like so many dreams we have had in the Caribbean, this one has not yet come true.”
So Burnham, in 1970 was impatient; disappointed with his West Indian Counterparts who were slothful in making his festival dream manifest. So, as they say, “the
Even if we did not actually vote at any elections – because we were under eighteen or are Jehovah Witnesses – we regard government ministers as our nation’s top most public servants. Yes, whatever our political party, when our choices become honourable ministers we see them as our own humble, hardworking professional and political rolemodels and managers. Whether President, VicePresident, Senior or Junior Minister, we, the followers, hold them in high esteem, hoping perhaps, to be like them some time in the future.
We admire their standards of both morality and daily living. We are proud that they are parliamentarians, can get firearms and long-term visas to other far places; that they enjoy appropriate allowances and VIP privileges; that they are guaranteed housing and great health care and continuous transportation to and from work.
Yes, we admire our ministers for their relative comfort all year round. For that makes them more productive servants of us who voted for them and/or their party. Still - hopefully – our party too. All that is why we cannot ever stop loving our ministers. May the Creator bless them continuously. And their families, and their possessions. Amen.
********************* Hail Hector! And Goodbye…
As Carifesta 2017 looms, I write this personalized