Being Guyanese, your Eyewitness likes his “sport” – which ain’t nothing about games, save “playin’ de fool”!! – as much as the next fellow. Mebbe more? So, when he heard from the Minister of Culture about the theme and activities planned for our Mashramani, you can’t blame him for his nose flaring in excitement!! The theme’s gonna be “Expressing our Culture and Creativity as One Guyana” – and we all know how creative we Guyanese can be when it comes to expressing our culture!!
For instance, there’s been all sorts of criticisms about our road culture, with one former Rep of the ole Mother country saying we wasted their two centuries of carrying the “white man’s burden” in trying to civilize us. But does he realize that – just like we malingered when we were supposed to be working as “slaves”, as an act of rebellion – it’s the same with us resisting conformity to THEIR RULES when we’re driving on the road!! Why should we follow them?? Aren’t we creative? We certainly are!! And that’s why we make up our own rules now that all of us have motorcycles and cars!!
For instance, in these roundabouts we’re getting on the new highways, rather than following those squiggly lines on the ground, we Guyanese simply close our eyes and hurl our vehicles into the curve, expecting our momentum to carry us towards where we’re headed!! Which could very well be the hereafter, no??
Anyhow, back to Mashramani, or “Mash”, for short, to show our creativity!! – which is what we celebrate on Feb 23, rather than “Republic Day” – when we took off our trainer boots and let go of the Queen of England!! And that’s also part of our CREATIVITY, innit??!! Other countries celebrate becoming a republic and joining the comity of nations by holding military parades (India) or firing fireworks and lustily singing patriotic songs (the US) etc – but we do Mash!! You can tell a lot about a country by looking at how they celebrate their freedom!!
Our Minister announced that from February 14 to 24, our Mash would be launched with “exciting events, including the Calypso, Soca, Dancehall, Chutney Monarchs, Splashramani, Masharama, Republic Flag Raising, the Costume and Float Parade, and the Panorama Steel Band Competition”!! Now, can you understand your Eyewitness’s flared nostrils – and racing pulse?? Now that we’ve overthrown – well, passed a law to legally remove! – the English Monarch, we’re gonna have FOUR locals!! Compensation??
Your Eyewitness is most excited about the Dancehall Monarch, where he expects things to get real “Stink and Dutty”!! Cause that’s another of our creative expressions, wherein we subvert the Brits’ pushing “stiff upper lip” ballroom whirls as “culture”!!
Ha!!
…to rumble??
This demand that the Government renegotiate the Exxon contract for better terms, on its surface, shouldn’t be controversial, should it?? Who doesn’t want more money?? Even Musk – our first TRILLIONAIRE – keeps on pushing for more profits!! But neither the two major parties – representing 95% of our electorate – wanna renegotiate! What’s up?? Didn’t we put them there to do what’s best for us?? Could it be that keeping the status quo on the contract is “good for us”??
Your Eyewitness is reminded of a historical incident wherein Henry II was trenchantly criticised by his friend Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. All Henry wanted was for priests to be under the civil – not church – law. Even after he compromised, Becket refused to act under the law. Henry muttered, “Will no one get rid of this meddlesome priest?”, and was overheard by some courtiers – who proceeded to kill Becket!!
The lesson?? If you insist on putting yourself outside the law, it ain’t inappropriate if you’re dealt with outside the law.
…for new QC??
So, QC western wing is to be demolished and rebuilt. Ah…what a toll the passage of time takes!! Twas a time when it was the largest auditorium in the country…but now we got the Cultural Centre!!
