To those who’re worried about the Chinese and what they’re up to in our neck of the woods, please remember that yesterday was the 168th anniversary of the arrival of Chinese to our shores! Yep…Chinese aren’t any “johnny-come-lately” in our fair(?) mudland. But history has an ironic twist that can bite nations in their behinds sometimes. Back when the British dragged the Chinese to labour on their plantations, they’d just fought an Opium War with China that roiled that country.
“Opium War” you ask, dear reader? Yup!! Britain had conquered India and forced its poor peasants to switch from their crops like rice and wheat to produce poppies – from which the narcotic Opium is extracted. Many displaced Indian farmers had to emigrate to Guyana etc!! The Brits then shipped tons and tons of Opium into China, and created a market of millions! They used the Chinese currency obtained to purchase Chinese finery like silk etc, to ship to Europe and make another killing – in more ways than one!!
When the Chinese Emperor protested about his subjects being drugged up, the British declared war!! The Americans and French later joined in on a Second Opium War, because they wanted piece of the action. They forced the Chinese to create “Treaty Ports” like Hong Kong, Xiamen and Canton, that THEY controlled to ship drugs and goods out!! Most of our indentured Chinese came from these Treaty Ports. And nowadays, the US and Britain complain about drugs being shipped through Guyana to their people!! Ahhh…payback’s a bitch, no??
Anyhow, back to the arrival of our Chinese brothers and sisters. While their numbers were fairly small, they punched waaaay above their weight in their contributions to the country. Think of a field of endeavour – ANY field – and the Chinese been there, done that! Farming, settlements. Groceries, rum shops, big business, manufacturing, bakeries public service, politics. And no one can accuse THEM of being racist!! They intermarried with everyone. Okay…they HAD to, because the British shipped in even less women that with the Indians! But still!
After independence, reacting to Burnham’s policies, as did the Portuguese, many Chinese Guyanese moved on to Toronto. And if you want to taste the best Chinese food in the world – just mosey up there!! The restaurants now in Guyana aren’t the real deal…they’re from different parts of China with different cuisines. None of them can make a lowmein to tickle your Eyewitness’s gourmet tastebuds. Any Hakka Chinese, here now? Thought not!!
Anyhow, we hope that even in this age of COVID (which came out STRAIGHT OUTTA CHINA!!) there was a ceremony at the Memorial at Windsor Forest, where the first Chinese were sent.
And was President Arthur Chung’s home village!!
…of the Commonwealth SG
Your Eyewitness hails the Commonwealth Secretary General – our very own Caribbean-origin Baroness Scotland!! Her 52-member organisation condemned the blatant 2020 rigging attempt by the PNC. The Commonwealth Observer Mission Head was the venerable ex-PM of Barbados, Owen Arthur. Asked about the PNC’s stonewalling, he announced that the results of the recount were “incontrovertible”, and said bluntly, “I find it almost impossible for them [APNU+AFC] to feel that that can be done. It would be tantamount to a coup.”
He was echoing Barbados’ PM Mia Mottley, then Caricom Chair, who said, “Many of us have observed with great sadness what has been transpiring in Guyana. Regrettably, we’ve seen a level of gamesmanship that has left much to be desired, and has definitely not portrayed our Caribbean region in the best light. This is definitely NOT our finest hour, and we MUST NOT shy away from that reality.”
If it were not for the integrity of such persons, Guyana would’ve now been declared a “pariah state”!
Thank you, Baroness!
…of PNC’s SoPs?
Responding to Norton’s demand that he should step down from his Opposition Leader’s post, Harmon replied he was elected by 218,000 PNC votes as compared to Norton’s 967.
So, he’ll now show the PNCs SoPs as proof?
