Los brasileños se muestran impacientes con Lethen

Tomado de:
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/features/06/19/what-leadership-the-leaders-we-have/


What leadership? The leaders we have
By Allan Fenty June 19, 2009 in Daily , Features Por Allan Fenty 19 de junio de 2009 en diarios, Características


¿Guyana as a Colony?


Definitely one of my shorter offerings today. Triggered by remarks by Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine on the occasion of the twenty-ninth assassination anniversary of the famed Walter Rodney last week-end.


I had omitted any mention of this event in my piece last Friday, so in an oblique manner I wish to provoke your thoughts on this question of leadership (and leaders), very briefly, today.


Dr. Roopnaraine described the quality of leadership Dr. Walter Rodney, like-minded colleagues and the University community provided for the working-class struggle against the PNC/Burnham dictatorship. Especially between, say, 1977 and 1980. Apparently – or is it obviously? – Rodney inspired even the comfortable middle-class and certain activist–intellectuals to teach, to organize and to mobilize the suffering mass of Guyanese, labouring under the then regime’s “heavy manners”. From orientation sessions in bottom-house cells, to classrooms, to work places to the mass rallies, Rodney and his comrades provided electrifying, popular, but all-round intellectual leadership that even the popular mass-based People’s Progressive Party Parliamentary Opposition did not then offer.


Obviously, it was all too threateningly much for Mr. Burnham who blunted the mass movement by, allegedly, eliminating the then world-respected “grass-roots” intellectual leader Rodney. Is there a moral here? That effective charismatic political leaders can attract all types, or some type, of assassination? Wonder what are the thoughts of Elvin Mc David and aspirant Mr. Van West Charles on this issue?


On leadership, made simple…


Three columns ago I had encouraged those of you still with any interest in these matters to consider the emerging aspirants for the country’s presidency. I had advanced a few questions for you always to ask them — and yourselves – if certain individuals offer themselves up for national leadership at the highest levels. Those queries are applicable to all or any levels of leadership actually.


Just a tiny portion of any society will be interested in leadership. Perhaps, by definition, “the rank-and-file” prefer to be led. Why? Well not many of us are endowed, or blessed, with the qualities and virtues of true leadership. These would include: Age and maturity, sometimes; experience personal and collective; confidence and assertiveness born of abilities inherited or acquired; understandings and rapport with respect to would-be followers’ qualifications and so many other management skills associated with human resources. No wonder that so many of us are not confident enough to even head or lead the PTA, the Choir or the Rounders team. Yet there are the ambitious, the shysters, and the fakes who would hold themselves out as “leaders”. And you can guess why!


True leaders guide and direct from the front – after consultation and research after being assured of support and after imparting inspiration themselves. I did not consult any of the available texts on leadership to pen the above.


For all I want you to do my friends, is to really consider those in today’s Guyana who perform – or just pose – as our leaders.
Guyana’s leaders these days


Just observe them! Our Captains of Industry, our spiritual leaders and “guides” – “Pastor this and Pastor that”. (God told them not to remain poor but the congregations remain needy.) Examine the past, the present, and the abilities of our Municipal and Local Government/Community leaders. Who are they? Are they exemplary to the community? Especially to the young? Oh my! Our Trade Union Leaders are another “Bunch”. Check their life-styles as they represent “working-class interests” (Naturally they must travel to the Caribbean, Geneva or Brussels to solidify international solidarity! Can I dare hold that against them?)


Leaders in sport are quickly exposed these days. Benefits accrue, but not always to the actual active sportsmen and women. Our leaders in education – professional and administrators as they ought to be – are under daily scrutiny too. I sympathise with them as their sustenance is centralized when not private in source or origin. Which brings us to Government and political leaders.


But surprise! I’m not going to use much space on that species today. People vote for political parties. Government and Opposition are formed. Ministers and Parliamentarian emerge. What is the Pedigree, the moral rectitude, the desirable status as role-models? Who are these leaders? I leave it to you. And I close with two disparate observations.


Dr. Roopnaraine just mentioned that perhaps some “leaders” Don’t wish to make their followers (members) too aware, to savvy or too empowered. Enlightened self-confident followers can threaten weak, fake, selfish “leadership”. Can’t they? Secondly, perhaps alarmingly, I say that though I perceive a national leadership challenge, I think that some of our leaders today lead and manage criminal enterprises. Just look at their daily success! The wiser the government…despite the leadership crisis, the people survive!


The Guyana colony


Perish the thought! Guyana should have remained a colony of Britain! Denying our God-given resources, sovereignty and first-class citizenship? But what has political independence brought us after forty-three (43) years?


Just speculate, just imagine, creatively or realistically. Before the current global crisis, if Britain administered our external and internal affairs and managed our economic resources and relations, would we have been better off? Water pressure would have been better in South Ruimveldt and Sandvoort? Would not the British have done the roads, the bridges and ensured better salaries and conditions?


Okay, I know it’s not being colonial–minded; it’s not re-colonisation when we ask for credits for our conserving our carbons, or when we publicise the IMF commendations, or when we depend on UK assistance for security or American grants for an improved justice system. Those rich folks received our riches and organized the world for these developments today. Right? No to any Guyana colony!


Ponder…

I repeat four from the past four Fridays:
*1) Look for the Grand Political Coalition of 2011.
*2) The Brazilians are impatient with Lethem’s under-development. But no to the Lethem Brazilian Colony! Right?
*3) What does GRA Boss Mr. Sattaur think of the Fidelity plea bargain?
*4) What’s to become of that huge spanking new CLICO building on Camp Street? Watch for the buyer!
*5) Can Minister Robert Persaud refute the B-o-G figures on declining food production?
*6) Coming next week: Locking up their own!
‘Til Next Week!
(comments? allanafenty@yahoo.com)
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Nota del editor del blog: Al referenciarse a la República Cooperativa de Guyana se deben de tener en cuenta los 159.500Km2, de territorios ubicados al oeste del río Esequibo conocidos con el nombre de Guayana Esequiba o Zona en Reclamación sujetos al Acuerdo de Ginebra dl 17 de febrero de 1966.


Territorios estos sobre los cuales el gobierno Venezolano en representación de la Nación venezolana se reservo sus derechos sobre los territorios de la Guayana Esequiba en su nota del 26 de mayo de 1966 al reconocerse al nuevo Estado de Guyana .
“...por lo tanto, Venezuela reconoce como territorio del nuevo Estado, el que se sitúa al este de la margen derecha del río Esequibo y reitera ante la comunidad internacional, que se reserva expresamente sus derechos de soberanía territorial sobre la zona que se encuentra en la margen izquierda del precitado río; en consecuencia, el territorio de la Guayana Esequiba sobre el cual Venezuela se reserva expresamente sus derechos soberanos, limita al Este con el nuevo Estado de Guyana, a través de la línea del río Esequibo, tomando éste desde su nacimiento hasta su desembocadura en el Océano Atlántico...”