I condole the passing of Dr. Balwant Singh (of Camp Street, not the hospital owner). I first met Dr. Singh in the mid-1980s when I would spend time in Guyana during school closures (as a student and educator) while New York based. A small group of us pioneered a movement in NY for restoration of democratic governance in Guyana; we travelled regularly to Guyana to join the struggle there and in the process meet individuals, like Balwant, supporting our activism.
There were countless interactions with Balwant, occasionally at his home but most of the time at fast food restaurants or a bar, at the sea wall, going for afternoon drives, and at times at the home of friends including that of Dr. Vishnu Bandhu and CN Sharma. It was a joy conversing with Balwant, who was very intellectual but who could also ground with the masses, the bottom half of society. He was most sociable with me, but in general those who knew him better than me said he was not very sociable and largely kept to himself at home after closure of his clinic early afternoons. Whenever I phoned him, he was willing to talk and to go out when invited. At times, upon learning I was in Guyana, he would call to go for an outing for a chit chat or a light drink.
Though a medical doctor, Balwant was very analytical of social and political issues. He was very knowledgeable of socio-economic and political issues. He also knew a lot of history of contemporary (going back to the 1950s) socio-politico and cultural events including the conflict between Burnham and Jagan, their social engagements, and tiffs between Janet and Cheddi. He seemed to know the business or personal life of many people, not surprising since he was a medical doctor who thousands visited and related their life happenings or about others. He earned the respect of clients or patients who included political, military and police personnel from the highest positions, those supportive of PPP and PNC. He was held in high regards by leading politicians. And as such, he had memory files on many of them, dark secrets of their activities and lifestyle, their rendezvous which he revealed to me.
It was an educational experience interacting and engaging Balwant (Black Balwant as he was called by many) over three decades. He was scarce over the last few years in spite of repeated efforts to engage him; was told he was not keeping well. Friends of his in NY, Trinidad, and even in Guyana would often query about him and visits to his clinic found it closed.
Dr. Balwant Singh studied medicine at a premier medical college in Bangalore where he spent several uninterrupted years away from Guyana. He was among the earliest Indian Guyanese from newly independent Guyana to study medicine in India. Few Guyanese gained admission to medical school in Bangalore which had strict entrance requirements and foreigners were rarely allotted a seat. In many encounters, he related his experience as a student in Bangalore, especially the scarcity of obtaining money from Guyana to purchase basic needs. The sight of a post man always excited him especially at the beginning of the month as he hoped there was a letter for him with funds. Like all of us who were foreign students in different parts of the world, unless you were among a privileged few, student life was difficult as foreign exchange was not readily available to pay tuition or for other expenses while at an institution overseas. Balwant said he received support from Indian friends and temples in the area where he lived at a hostel; bhojan at religious events were always accessible. He recounted many funny experiences going to mandirs or engaging worshippers and the community where he lived.
Trinidadian writer Lester Orrie in remarks in tribute to Balwant, penned: “Because of Dr Balwant Singh’s sense of transcendence coupled with his simplicity, he gave gave India a good name as a place to acquire a higher education than what was available in Guyana in his time. As a visitor to Guyana in the nineties to join and observe the movement against the dictatorship, this brilliant and charismatic son of the soil made Guyana home away from home for me via his generosity, via his sense of camaraderie.
Balwant’s demise is a sad loss to all of us who knew him if only shortly, and I offer my sympathy to all those who mourn his passing”.
Dr Balwant was very qualified as a doctor and went into private practice during a difficult era. He must be commended for providing medical service in an era (1980s) when there were few doctors around and medicine was very scarce at the height of the dictatorship; I occasionally took medicine to him, providing it gratis for patients. He was supportive of nurses and doctors who came from India to practice in Guyana. He was a grounded doctor, meaning down to earth and people oriented. He did not turn away anyone. He treated patients, many of who were extremely poor from the surrounding area as well as from far off rural areas. At a time of shortages of medicine, when difficult to practice the trade, he made himself available to people who otherwise would have been lost through the cracks. He treated many victims of kick down door banditry and those knifed in choke and rob. He related how he performed hundreds of abortions to rid unwanted pregnancies arising out of national service in the interior. He said the patients attributed the pregnancies to rape; to save families from shame of unwed daughters giving birth to mixed race children, he performed abortions. He also identified another Georgetown based doctor who he said performed thousands of abortions of females who were forced into national service. He also revealed he treated dozens of political activists who were beaten by thugs and by police at the dungeon at Eve Leary. He talked about how political activists or those suspected of being anti-government would be put in a dungeon which would be flooded with water with floating defecations and urine. He also talked about how some prisoners revealed to him that their heads were immersed in toilet bowl with defecations. Political prisoners or dissidents were shackled to other prisoners and routinely beaten with rubber hoses, as Ravi Dev related when he was taken into custody for championing democracy.
Though himself not a political activist and although he was not targeted by the dictatorship, he was very supportive of and provided encouragement to those who opposed the regime. He attended GUARD rallies. He supported Jagan and the PPP. He spoke of his fondness of reading commentaries from Freddie Kissoon (though not post 2020), Ravi Dev, Baytoram Ramharack, myself, and others. Baytoram, Ravi, and Vassan Ramracha recounted experiences engaging him.
Balwant revolted against corruption pre-2015 and supported AFC. He had faith in Nagamootoo and Ramjattan to transform the country. But he became disappointed and turned against them and the coalition when it mis-governed and engaged in racist practices. He returned to supporting Jagdeo (PPP) in 2020.
Balwant also spoke proudly of his cultural upbringing and ethnic background, attending Indian religious events and weddings, a few with me. He was also seen at several celebrations observing India independence and Republic Days.
Balwant was a marksman, a great shot at animals at a far distance that I witnessed at outings.
Dr. Balwant Singh will be remembered for making a significant contribution in the field of medicine in private practice and for his intellect.