…musings
Having now segued successfully from Christmas into Boxing Day – both being public holidays in our post- decolonized, 50-year-old Cooperative Republic – your (black cake-dazed) Eyewitness remains in a state of reverie. Why do we still have Boxing Day as a holiday, he wonders? Isn’t this the day that the English nobility – after feasting high off the hog – would distribute their left-overs in boxes to the poor of their estates? And the dregs of Scotland and Ireland – who were sent over to act as “overseers” on the sugar plantations – adopted the practice to literally “lord it over” the slaves and indentured labourers!
Now Burnham, who declared us a “Republic” in 1970 and “cut all ties with Imperialist Britain”, had insisted he was very woke. After all, he regularly cussed out the “white man”, and launched our decolonisation drive by doing away with “suit and tie” – not to mention grapes and “ice apples”! So, you’d think he’d have done away with this reminder of the yoke of the imperialists, wouldn’t you?
But then this was a man who dropped his Guyanese accent after less than a mere five (adult) years in England, and retained the Churchillian upper-crust twang – complete with pauses and all – to his dying day! No wonder he ordered the banned grapes and ice apples smuggled in for himself, and died not long after he enjoyed some (banned condensed milk”)!
If your (still dazed) Eyewitness had his druthers, he’d abolish Boxing Day at the drop of a hat, and replace it with “Guyanese Day” or some such local commemoration – at another spot on the calendar. He realises this will pose a problem for all those who’ll have to report to work the day after Christmas with splitting hangovers, but we’re independent now, aren’t we?
Now, your Eyewitness enjoys his Christmas revelries (and reveries) as must as the next man (or woman), but he wonders, since we’re a secular state, why this quintessential Christian holiday is celebrated so ostentatiously by the state? Even though the US is 90% Christian, displays commemorating Christmas on public property are prohibited, since this is considered as “promoting” one religion over others.
Finally, your Eyewitness wants to know: Why does the Government shut down from Christmas through New Year? And don’t tell him this isn’t the law! This is the fact…and everyone in Government seems to accept it. There was some tough talk by the Finance Minister – following some remarks by the President in Essequibo – about the NIS dealing more expeditiously with subscribers. Did they try even getting IN TOUCH with the NIS between Christmas and New Year?
It’s even more difficult than a reporter getting an interview with David Granger!
…anti-corruption campaign
The Auditor General (AG) Report for 2019 on Governmental Spending was handed over – as required by law – albeit a bit late – earlier this month to the Speaker of the House. And ever since – as it’s dissected by the media – there’s been a daily litany of looting of the coffers of the state by APNU/AFC operatives at every level of Government. Never has so much looting been committed by one administration in such a short time.
After detailing the continued financial transgressions from his 2018 report on the new St Roses School Building – where $90 million was paid over for foundations that still aren’t complete, yesterday’s “loot du jour” focused on the GDF. This is the institution that’s mandated to protect us from foreign aggressors, and to back up the Police with domestic challenges. The Report pointed out that they spent over $92M to service a mere 30 vehicles!!
The highlight, however was spending $181M to fuel up a single vehicle!
Guess they went to the moon and back!!
…codswallop
Your Eyewitness could’ve been knocked over with a feather by an editorial writer of the Stabber describing a Minister’s position as “codswallop”! Now, is there anyone in Guyana who’s familiar with this British slang?
What pretensions!
