Dear Editor,
History has a puckish way of repeating itself, sometimes in part or in the whole.
As we survey events in Guyana, the crusade in some quarters for justice and a fair share of our patrimony, and the realisation of that chameleon word and concept ‘Democracy,’ is being shattered. By the Pomposity of Political Power.
Our Parliament has become toothless, the Environmental Protection Agency being massaged, mangled and managed by the mighty and almost impotent. There is a veil of secrecy in every significant area of our economic and social being. The Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources has met since its initial meeting thirty months ago. The Chancellor (ag) has publicly expressed concern about the non-existence of the judicial service commission and the shortage of Judges.
Everywhere civil and criminal cases are dragging on for years. They say, “Justice delayed is Justice denied,” but who cares? Everywhere, the family, community and state and as we see Israel, parts of Europe, people can take so much and no more.
Recent events suggest we are dangerously perched on the precipice of a Police state.
I am forced to remind our citizens that in a few hours we come upon the proverbial Ides of March. (15th).
At school, my favorite literature was William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. That lay apart from Shakespeare, Julius Caesar was based on bits of human history, as such there are lessons for our leaders and those being led, some by their proverbial noses.
I draw upon the analysis found in the Natural Geographic. In each of the following examples we can find a nexus with today’s Guyana.
“Few Romans would have chosen young Julius Caesar as the man most likely to succeed on a grand scale and dominate their world. But when he led his troops across the Rubicon river in defiance of the Roman Senate, he distinguished himself for the ages and set Rome on a path of transformation, from Republic to Empire.
Caesar made political prime time at around age 40 by forging the first triumvirate with Pompey the Great, noted General Statesman, and Marcus Licinius Crassus, one of Rome richest men. In 59 BC Caesar was elected Consul”
Caesar after several exploits soon developed an ambition for complete domination. One technique was to appear magnanimous to those who opposed him, all the while securing an iron grip on Rome and the Romans. His ambition led him to declare himself dictator for life.
Fast track to Italy, Germany, in the first half of the 20th century and Guyana, in the first quarter of the 21st century.
The history books tell us that the Mighty Caesar ignored the warnings of a soothsayer not to venture out on the Ides of March. Caesar ignored this warning, the rest is history where mighty men paid no attention to the feelings and intuitive wisdom of ordinary folks.
In Guyana, we get the impression that the concerns expressed privately and in the independent media are either being ignored or trivialized.
One of our leaders described concerns expressed as nit-pricking. As we mark the Ides of March 2023, I ask our leaders on both sides of the political divide to listen to the voices of the people who are not soothsayers but genuinely concerned citizens.
Guyana can ill-afford any form of dictatorship at this time of our development. Every citizen must thru their representatives with their voices prevail upon their leaders to put aside their differences, to freeze past hurts and work together, earnestly like true patriots, in and out of Parliament. Let us all cling to and believe in this Latin proverb “Vox populi, Vox Dei” which means the voice of the people is the voice of God.
We will let the conglomerates know that we are smart enough to avoid the destructive conditions of divide and rule, which at the end of the day only benefits the Descendants of the Ole Massa.
Let’s avoid the perils of the Ides of March and construct a solid net of Guyanese holding heads, hands and hearts together. Let this oneness be for real and not the slogan of simplicity.
Yours truly,
Hamilton Green
Elder
