Stabroek News

And the PPP response Black history month, White

History always

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2021 budget and current crime trends. Their Opposition Leader was finally cautioned on just how to approach the racial elements.

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The PPP’s confidence - Real? Fake?

The People’s Progressiv­e Party (PPP) also held a brief strategy forum. Not at Freedom House but at the V.P.’s mansion by the ocean - with social distancing as the house is massive - and adequate food and drinks with lots of privacy.

They had virtually perfected a “powerful” preValenti­ne week: press conference by V.P. Bharrat to expound on everything, first parliament­ary address by His Excellency, to be followed by Ashni’s hours-long budget 2021.

The PPP programmes for national developmen­t would be fully proclaimed via those three presentati­ons. The V.P.-General Secretary advised that they should try to “ignore” the Granger/Harmon opposition for as long as possible and practical.

Madam Gail agreed, reminding however that both supporters and other citizens must be “reminded” about the five-month PNC power-grab attempt at intermitte­nt opportunit­y. She sounded as if disappoint­ed that the PNC petition would hardly produce early new elections. “We would whip their backsides much more now”, someone remarked.

Confidence oozed from the session as plans were made to use ministeria­l opportunit­ies to continue outreach; to give gifts and reminders; to encourage Big Business investment­s and a brief discussion about the use of oil revenues.

Oddly, a very sober-minded Donald Rabindrana­th urged “outside investment” for GUYSUCO - “you must not use the oil money on sugar!”

He then joined the inner caucus to fine-tune party strategies to “reform” the Public Service, the Police Force and GECOM. Drinks and music ended ultimate deliberati­ons. (How much of the foregoing do you all believe?)

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Black History Month vs White history forever

I doubt whether it was any co-incidence that Cheddi Jagan endorsed Forbes Burnham’s choice of February to establish Republican­ism. Kofi’s 1763 an unpreceden­ted Rebellion in Berbice inspired!

Now African–descended folks across the globe celebrate Black history/African heritage month in February as well. Next Friday I’ll emphasise two elements of black history observance­s. For today I’ll note the trenchant commentary of an Afro-American comedienne wherein she suggested a white history month. She says America will realise how many of the honourable founding fathers actually owned slaves, (it was “acceptable” then); why the Second Amendment about “bearing arms” was inserted (to police feisty slaves); and even the Roman/Greek origins of the “Kuklos”- KKK.

White history has been written for perpetuity in sympatheti­c, sometimes triumphant versions. Earlier histories are now being slowly discovered. Those histories are really the story of “white” worlds which were all once Black-African.

(Now consider why there is still great joy)

And pride to announce “the first African, the first Afro-American to…” Achievemen­t allowed only now2021!?

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Ponder, think well…

● 1) Criticism must be facilitate­d in a democracy. Constructi­ve criticism shouldn’t always descend to personal character attacks. (And when critics become executives or government functionar­ies, they appreciate, from inside.)

● 2) The Belgian cocaine big bust-GRA Scanner operators sacked. Local “investigat­ions on- going”?

● 3) Repeat query: Besides Samuel Archibald Hinds when will the four (4) other Afro-Guyanese be appointed to their diplomatic postings? Ho-ho-ho.

‘Til next week

(allanafent­y @yahoo.com)

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