Remembering Sidnauth Singh

Dear Editor,
Invariably, when one learns of the death of an exceptional public figure such as the late Sidnauth Singh (known generally as Sidnauth), there is that duality of mortality and profundity – valued in human terms.
Almost certainly, future histories of Guyanese who have contributed immensely to the struggle for independence will find it necessary to place Sidnauth on the pantheon of Renaissance and Culture.
(Creighton, Al, Prashad, Vijay, Carter, Martin, and Márquez, Gabriel García)
One of the attributes he most likely cultivated from his association with other modern educationalists and organic intellectuals was his ability to transcend obstacles one would expect to encounter in any post-colonial underdeveloped society.
For example, under this mentorship, Annandale Secondary School became the ramparts of the village community. Additionally, the village extended to exemplify, for want of a better term, a veritable peace centre.
Annandale itself, with its peripheral Lusignan/Buxton communities, provided literally hundreds of cadres with access to opportunities supportive of transformation and human upliftment. Holiday observations, the People’s Progressive Party delegates’ congress, and regional conferences, as well as fundraisers, featured prominently in terms of school designation and transfer options, as well as parent-teachers association activities.
These were all part of Sidnauth’s vocational and organisational vision as a progressive intellectual.
Listening to him articulate the aims and objectives of the Guyana Friendship Association itself was an educational experience; did he memorise these details?

Détente and Guyana
One aspect of his summaries was an understanding of the need to analyse critical, international agreements as these became strategic at the level of nuclear arms control or, more broadly, the process of détente between the then Cold War major powers.
Often his advice proffered to young progressives and others – identified to travel to the then USSR for medical specialist support treatment and care – was invaluable.
Though not considered a gifted orator, Sidnauth Singh preferred to align his ideas as part of good guidance. Examples of how influential this approach would have been could be cited in terms of the ideological trust of working-class “executives”, such as the late EMG Wilson, Richard Bactawar, Darsan Omrow, and Sher Ally.
These intermediate working-class stalwarts would also include the late Albert Boodoo, Komal Chand, Feroze Mohammed, Faisal Khan, Fazal Ally, Roger Luncheon, Odeen Ishmael, Navin Chanderpal, Premchand Dass, Dr Motilall, and David Westmaas, as well as Isack Bashir.
Others still with us would include Methulall Mangal (?), Neil Kumar, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, Harripersaud Nokta, Clement Rohee, Donald Ramotar, John Silas, and Eddi Rodney, to mention just these generational participants in the struggle for peaceful coexistence, free and fair elections, and a democratic society.
Similar to others in his peer group, Sidnauth Singh strove to advance human development; he always would advise “Accabre” students to persevere in becoming knowledgeable in the 1917 Russian Revolution – and the historical significance this event implied for all humanity.

Yours sincerely,
Lawrence Rodney