The Peeper (KN Nov 20, 2017), must be applauded for the expose of ‘America’s nasty war’. This piece is refreshing and spot on when it comes to an analysis of the current covert and overt operations of Anglo-American imperialism in our region and worldwide.
It is good to see that Guyanese are waking up to the lies and deception of the Empire. As the Peeper notes, Guyanese must be aware of many of the so-called NGOs popping up everywhere. They are in fact Trojan horses of imperialism in our midst, parading as apolitical entities, when they are in fact part and parcel of the Empire’s plan to usurp what little is left of our sovereignty. Many of these NGOs work hand in hand with US entities that have been associated with destabilizing and overthrowing progressive and revolutionary oriented regimes in our region and throughout the Global South. These entities include but are not limited to USAID, National Republican Institute and the National Endowment for Democracy (referred to by former US Attorney General, Ramsey Clark as the National Endowment for the Destruction of Democracy). Another one to look out for is the LEAD Project, which purports to be about ‘voter education’, but which is really about influencing our young people to vote in a way that supports the Empire’s agenda.
We in OVP have been exposing these insidious machinations of the Empire for a very long time. It has been a lonely journey because of the mental incarceration of so many of our intellectuals, academics and political analysts, who continue to operate within a Eurocentric and racist epistemological framework.
They reinforce the false narrative that everything good comes out of Europe and North America, and all that is bad emanates from us. This misleads our people right into the trap the Empire has set for us. Those who are awake to these issues are often afraid to voice them, since the repercussions of speaking out can be severe in terms of travel restrictions, livelihood etc.
I would also like to take this opportunity to support attorney-at law and environmental activist, Melinda Janki’s call for the government of Guyana to revoke ExxonMobil’s Environmental permit. She quite rightly argues that their contingency plan or lack of plan and compensation in the event of an environmental disaster, such as an oil spill, is completely inadequate, and could end up costing Guyana millions, if not billions of dollars. It was noted in the same article reporting Ms. Janki’s principled position (KN, Nov 17, 2017), that “for reasons not stated, some environmentalists are unwilling to go on record criticizing the stance being taken by the Government of Guyana when it comes to the protection of the environment.”
Whether they state their reason or not – we know why. Guyana is where it is today precisely because we have become a nation of cowards. Too many of us are willing to go along with the nonsense we see all around us because we are afraid of the consequences of speaking out. Such individuals live in the shadows to protect their personal interests.
Too many Guyanese like to talk big when socializing at the corner shop, but when it comes time to take a public stand they are nowhere to be seen. A colleague of mine recently summed it up when he said “Guyanese love to talk about the evils taking place in our society – at the corner shop they speak like eagles, but when it comes time to act they show themselves to be chicken hawks”.
To take back our country from foreign predators and embark on a path of true independence, self-reliance and economic justice for all Guyanese requires courage and sacrifice. You cannot have an omelet without breaking eggs!
Gerald A. Perreira
Organization for the Victory of the People (OVP)