By Lester Siddhartha Orie (Author of 17 books)
May 26 is Guyana’s Independence Day when the country usually honors outstanding personalities recognizing them for their significant contributions to various facets of life. The country should and does honor its distinguished sons and daughters and or heroes who contributed significantly in various fields of endeavors towards national development. Guyana has produced many illustrious Guinness book of prize sons and daughters over the years and continues to do so as is obvious in picking out names of citizens who had or have bedazzled that country, the region, and the world in a variety of endeavors that is nothing less than spectacular. All of them are deserving of honors. There were Cheddi Jagan, Forbes Burnham, Shridat Ramphal, Desmond Hoyte, Janet Jagan, Fenton Ramsahoye, among others who passed away. And there is Bharrat Jagdeo and Anil Nandlall, among others, who have served in various capacities as paid public servants and who also saved democracy in 2020. And there are others who contributed in several fields. Dr Vishnu Bisram also belongs in that category of a Guyanese hero who has distinguished himself in voluntary service to his nation and its large diaspora with his advocacy and activism for democratic governance in his country in Guyana and the diaspora (America and Trinidad) and to organize Guyanese communities in New York. He also played a critical invaluable role in saving democracy in 2020. And he has consistently championed democratic reforms to empower the lower strata of society. He is well known internationally for his writings which go back to the 1970s and which have no limit. He is most deserving of national honors for the sacrifices made to his nation and his people. I use this article to nominate him for Guyana’s highest honors. I think the government of Trinidad and Tobago should also honor him for his contributions in polling and other voluntary activities.
Although a Trinidadian, I am very familiar with the Guyanese people’s struggle for free and fair elections and restoration of democratic governance having lived with and among them for several years in New York and Guyana and engaging them in Trinidad from the 1980s onwards. I know of the work of Dr Bisram. Since the late 1970s, Dr Bisram has had an imposing presence in New York among Guyanese, Indian Trinidadians, Indian Surinamese, and other Indo Caribbeans with his writings in community media, his organizing and involvement in cultural programs, his contributions to political struggle for restoration of democracy in his homeland, and his planning of countless protest activities in that heroic battle for democracy in his native Guyana. In addition to seeing him in action in New York and Guyana, I encountered Vishnu Bisram multiple times in Trinidad conducting surveys all over the island and watching or listening to him on radio and TV commenting on political issues. I saw him fearlessly in action at protests and rallies and in conducting opinion polls in Guyana and read his countless outpourings in the media.
I can’t think of anyone who has done more for Guyana and her people from abroad than Dr Bisram from the 1970s till now. Some others like Arjune Karshan, Charles Mohan, Baytoram Ramharack, Vassan Ramracha, Ravi Dev and a few others also belonged to that group of activists who pioneered the struggle in USA for restoration of democracy in Guyana. Unlike several others, Dr Bisram stayed the course of involvement in political struggle that benefited Dr Jagan and his PPP in capturing political power. He was and remains unique among political activists who also immersed himself in Indo Caribbean cultural activities, planning and organizing many in addition to academic seminars and conferences. And he has been a leading writer from the diaspora.
Aside from his political and community activism and contributions in the media, Dr Bisram also distinguished himself in academic studies with an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and completing a second major in Political Science before pursuing graduate studies in social sciences and educational administration. His multiple MAs in several disciplines and multi PhDs in several subjects put him in an academic class of his own. I don’t think any Guyanese has as many accredited degrees as him. In spite of his distinguished achievements in academia, he has remained a regular down to earth Joe who has been grounded with the poor and middle class while still socializing with the elite among Guyanese of all races and among Indo Caribbean people whether in Guyana, Trinidad, Canada, and USA.
In addition to his political and community activism, cultural assertiveness, journalism and academics, Dr Bisram is also known for his kindness and humanitarianism. I will describe him as the embodiment of the enlightened spiritualist, perhaps of a Buddha, who is forever available to help others. He never turned down a request from so many. He has been available to the beckoning of one and all for some sort of assistance or other and or who has an urgent errand to run on a matter of life and death. He was and remains available to assist when one was or is in difficulty especially when one cannot find someone willing to assist with problems be they medical, educational, governmental, or other. Dr Bisram has always been willing to assist people, putting a best effort to make things happen for them. He never said no even when the request to him was or would be costly; he always had empathy for people especially the poor and downtrodden when others blanked them. He dipped into his wallet many times to help people in distress in Guyana and abroad. Dr Bisram is the magician we all need to know and have as a friend who with a wave of his hand does the unthinkable and unbelievable in getting things done without seeking rewards. That kind of character is rare or does not exist at all since the passing of Dr Jagan in 1997.
Dr Bisram has another rarity that is lacking among other Guyanese. He has been among a handful of Indo Caribbean people who had worked very closely with nationals from India and with other Indians from around the globe or diaspora since his arrival in USA in 1977. In addition to advocating for Guyana, he has championed India’s interests, and he participated in almost every annual India Day parade in USA since it began in 1981, an event I also experienced when I was in NY.
For his commitment and hard work to improve the lives of others, he was recognized by organizations outside of Guyana. Individuals and organizations have seen him as having a Midas touch and ability to turn iron into gold and so honored him. That is why Dr Bisram was recently awarded the Naipaul Prize for Excellence in Trinidad and Tobago as even that country and many of her citizens see him as more than a Guyanese and more as a regional and global citizen and an honorary Trini. Dr Bisram was also recently recognized internationally especially for his humanitarianism. The government of India and NGOs in India, Fiji, Trinidad, and America recognized and honored him for contributions in various fields of endeavors.
It is amazing that Guyana government has not utilized the talents of this special individual in a more fruitful manner before too late shall be the cry, before Trinidad and India, for example, see gold where Guyana sees scrap metal. It is also regrettable that Guyana government has not honored him for his work that resulted in the restoration of democracy and that also immensely benefited the country and the diaspora. The Guyana government should make amends and recognize him with the nation’s highest honor.
Lester S Orie
Author of 17 books