…against Priya?
Trade Unions were invented at a time when those who owned the factories, mines and businesses that had launched the “Industrial Revolution” were squeezing every iota of energy from workers, but were hogging all the profits, and leaving those workers mired in abject poverty. The song “Solidarity forever” – composed in 1915 USA – captured the sentiment perfectly.
While office workers didn’t see themselves as oppressed, it’s interesting that while they weren’t “ploughing many fields”, a Teachers Union was formed in Britain, the US – and in Guyana! Yep…they beat Critchlow to the punch – save that the Union only mobilised the administrators!! Ordinary Teachers were accepted much later, and by the time the USA tried to remove the PPP in the sixties, they found a willing set of ears to go along with them. It was in the 1963 strikes that “Solidarity Forever” became so popular here, and as your Eyewitness noted earlier, teachers literally threw their bodies on the line for the PNC’s cause.
This verse resounded with them: “In our hands is placed a power greater than their hoarded gold/Greater than the might of atoms, magnified a thousand-fold/ We can bring to birth a new world from the ashes of the old/For the union makes us strong”. Their power was in being able to mound the minds of the future generation and its leaders. And for this reason, your Eyewitness always had a soft spot for teachers – even though he was one of the inveterate “back benchers” who were creating distractions!
But he must confess that he’s mighty disappointed with our teachers and their behaviour during this COVID-19 crisis. First of all, how will the ones – who refused to vaccinate – explain to their charges that they must use REASON to deal with the contingencies of life – such as COVID-19? Which part of reason explains the “Mark of the Beast” explanation for vaccine hesitancy? So, these people take NO vaccines? And secondly – and as importantly – has been their rude and crude behaviour during their picketing exercises and over social media.
Why have they gotten so personal against Minister Priya Manickchand?? What does her appearance and alleged grammatical in exactitude have to do with anything?? Teachers warn students against “name calling” in the schoolyards, yet they’re now routinely referring to their subject Minister as “Sitira Gyal”. It’s a downright cryin’ shame.
But there is hope for the new generation, since, from what your Eyewitness is seeing, the majority of teachers showed up for work, to be with our young’uns at this critical time in their lives.
They really don’t need the stress of seeing “Miss” and “Sir” marching up and down in the sun crying, “Down with Sitira Gyaal”!!
…with “justice for the Berbice 3”
Your Eyewitness was also taken aback by the rank opportunism of the Opposition leader-wannabes, who aren’t satisfied with exploiting the vaccine hesitancy of some in their constituency – and leaving them exposed to a higher risk of death. Monday was one year since Isaiah and Joel Henry were brutally murdered aback Cotton Tree village in West Berbice – and the carrions flocked to their village to build a monument calling for “justice” for them.
Nothing wrong with that…but yesterday was also one year since another youngster, Harish Singh, was murdered near the same location. And your Eyewitness waited in vain for the opportunists to repeat their calls for the same justice for him. After all, didn’t the Police arrest persons for all three murders? So, if there isn’t “justice” for the Henrys, shouldn’t there also be no justice for Harish??
Did Harish not have the same eyes, and was he not subject to the same diseases, and healed by the same means?
When he was chopped, did he not also bleed?
…with Africa
The Africa-Caricom Summit was a huge disappointment for your Eyewitness. What exactly came out of it? Shouldn’t the Sherpas have at least one project they could’ve signed off on??
It’s just another talk shop with new buzzwords, like “blue economy”!
