The ongoing political crisis in Guyana is a clear case of Granger being allowed to trample on the sacred and fundamental rights of the people. Such irreverence must be denounced in loud and clear voices. Unfortunately, it is just being mumbled, more a spluttering for fear of offending the powers that be. Why do people like Granger are allowed to prevail?
Rama of Ayodhya did not live in his comfort zone. He could have ignored his father’s command, crowned himself king and ruled the kingdom. But Rama was prepared to accept the challenges of living in exile for 14 years, renouncing the luxury of palace life. More than that, he took the fight to Ravana and his henchmen. He did not let their transgression go unpunished. When Ravana kidnapped his wife Seeta, Rama formed alliances, raised an army, built a bridge across the ocean and took the fight to Ravana.
Rama had numerous setbacks but he was steadfast in his mission. He did not quit after searching for a few days for Seeta and not finding any trace of her. He persevered until he came upon Jatayu who told him of his encounter with Ravana.
Each difficulty was confronted and overcame until Rama finally defeated Ravana and reclaimed Seeta. It is time for us to reclaim our rights as citizens in this Caribbean regions. Rama had made up his mind that upholding dharma was more important than the pump and pageantry of being a king. He was prepared to fight for the bigger cause to rid the world of Ravana and restore dharma.
Why are we so timid and weak.? My only explanation is our lack of unity. Instead of forming alliances like Rama did with the Sugreevas and the Hanumans we are distracted by petty conflicts. When Vibhishana defected to Ramas’ camp, Rama crowned him King of Lanka instead of desiring the throne for himself.
The failure of GECOM to declare a winner in Guyana after the casting of votes more than 40 days ago is an indictment on the people. It is clear that the polity has failed over the years to put laws and institutions in place to strengthen and secure democracy. Today David Granger has kidnapped democracy, holding her in captivity and there is no Rama at the gate to rescue her. Moses Nagamottoo continues to gambol about with no Rama in sight to check his maneuvers.
In Trinidad and Tobago, we see a Prime Minister using race to justify his actions, that is, his government’s failure to send a plane to bring home citizens stranded in Barbados. Rowley has invoked a decision of Prime Minister of Guyana, Moses Nagamootoo, an East Indian, not to open the borders to bring Guyanese living abroad to justify his government’s non-action. Here in lies the difference. Citizens of T&T stranded in Barbados are residents who have left the country for a cruise and not citizens residing in other countries as is the case of Guyanese who want to return to Guyana. The two cases have no parallel.
The Rowleys and the Grangers are like the coronavirus that strive in an acidic environment. This environment, brought about by a culture of individualism, is not dissimilar to that of Ravan’s. Ravan was on a personal mission, not bothering about the consequence of his action on his people. This culture of individualism continues to keep us in bondage, making us blind to the value of collective effort and respect for each other.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s success as a leader is largely because of his spirit of cooperation that he imbibed from his year of service with the RSS, the largest voluntary organization in the world. The major objective of the RSS is not political power but service to the people of India. Little wonder that Modi is ready to apologize to the people when a plan of action does not get the result intended and the people are always ready to pardon him because they know he had their welfare at heart.
This culture of individualism is having its toll on our people. Despite having money and education we are witnessing that any Granger, Rowley and Little Stuart can make a mockery of us. This experience is similar to that of the Sikhs who were refused entry into Canada aboard the Komagata Mara in 1914 and were forced to return their ship to Calcutta. It was this shocking experience that resolved the Sikh to join the Indian freedom movement to drive the British out of India. Prior to that, the Sikh were ardent supporters of the British Raj.
