viewpoint

National Basketball Association
The New York Knicks has a record of two wins and two losses following their fourth game of the 2010-2011 NBA season. I must confess neither management nor players are fascinating. I remain unimpressed. I am as emotionally detached from The New York Knicks today as I was when I was made aware that Patrick Ewing was no longer in their plans. Today their program seems to reflect their pursuit of other teams’ undesirable high-priced ball players. Again the team seems to be going nowhere fast, albeit it’s only the fourth game of the season. Certainty that’s nothing new there. What would Yogi say about the current version of The New York Knicks? Perhaps something in the nature of this – it gets late, early. The New York Knicks could not possibly produce another miserable season, this season. The question is simply this – could the New York Knicks as presently constituted make the playoffs? What statements will they make if they get there?

Major League Baseball
The New York Yankees are out of it. The New York Mets never really possessed a prayer. Who cares about Major League Baseball season 2010? Wake me up when the off season starts. It could be very interesting if not downright entertaining. What would Cashman and the current ownership do about Derek and his contract? Would they treat Derek in similar cold fashion as they did Bernie now that George is dead and gone? What is the immediate future for the careers of Posada, Mariano, and Andy?
Would the New York Mets finally build their team around David Wright and rid themselves of Reyes, Beltran, Perez, and all those high priced statistics acquiring ballplayers? What have they won? Except of course the Wilpons allowed Omar to hand out gratuities to them for performances elsewhere while dismissing a proven winner in Willie Randolph in the wee hours of the early morning? The Wilpons and their version of the New York Mets are the comedians of MLB. They are a far cry from the bruising, hard partying, hard hitting, flame throwing and champions of 1986. The 1986 edition of the New York Mets is a team many of us will forever cherish although to be really honest I really think the core of that ball club underachieved. They were the best team in baseball 1985-1988 but their record does not reveal that indeed it does not. They only won one championship in that period and to crown it all they were chocking and struggling during the playoffs of 1986. They did not resemble the steam rollers they were in the regular season.

350 million US Dollars
The New York Yankees and the New York Mets invest nearly 350 million US dollars yearly on their franchises. Such a number of dollars would do wonders for Guyana’s economy and social economic development. Not even politicians as out of control and corrupt as those of the current versions of the PPP/C and the Burnham-Hoyte PNC/R regime of the immediate past would not be allowed to continue to not reproduce positive results such as a measure of investment in the development of the nation in all phases. One would expect Guyana to be lit up daily like the spruce they put up every Christmas in New York City from hydroelectric power supply and roads constructed along the banks of the four primary rivers from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean to the main centers in the Rupununi district and beyond into Brazil.


National Football League
It seems the best bets are the New York Giants and the New York Jets. Even if it’s early. Even if it’s a mirage. It’s most welcomed in New York City. Yes, those ball clubs perform in New Jersey. Who care where they play? They represent New York City.

CRICKET
West Indies test cricket and cricket in the West Indies is very ugly these days. That’s the simple and absolute truth. When your best batsman is in the mold of Shivnarine Chandrapaul; how could that be worth your time for enquiry and heaven forbid it your entertainment dollar? How about the selection of Darren Sammy and Brendan Nash as Captain and as vice-Captain of the West Indies test cricket team, respectively? There is an absolute requirement to check the officials of West Indies’ Cricket Board for illegal drug usage. What on earth are they consuming? What’s more? What is the West Indies cricket Board selling to patrons? Why neocolonialism in the English-speaking Caribbean? Haven’t they either heard of Kwame N’Krumah or read his writings? That seems like a prerequisite for holding office in the Caribbean these days. Perhaps, those clowns are suffering from amnesia. They may have for gotten the days of slavery and indenture ships in the Caribbean basin.
The West Indies’ selectors chose only one Guyanese Chandrapaul in a fifteen man touring team to Sri Lanka winter 2010. What does that say about Guyanese cricketers? It seems gone are the days when five Guyanese; Kanhai, Butcher, Gibbs, Lloyd, and Fredericks were regularly selected. In the early 1970s Kallicharran would be amongst the five. Butcher retired in 1989. In fact as many as six Kanhai, Butcher, Gibbs, Lloyd, Camacho and Fredericks toured Australia in the winter of 1968. Do you think Guyana should separate itself from West Indies’ Test Cricket and participate in the international arena as a nation fielding its own team? Is there any binding charter which would not permit such a scenario? Well let’s hope the selectors will fashion the West Indies’ test cricket team with youngsters, in the near future. I would love to witness Jonathon Foo, Davendra Bishoo, and Brandon Bess from Berbice and Adrian Barath playing test cricket, regularly. The West Indies test cricket teams lose regularly with Gayle, Sarwan, Chandrapaul, Benn and Bravo and four quick bowlers. Why not play the youngsters and a number of spinners?
I cannot imagine any test team worrying themselves about Nash and Sammy. It is obvious, neither Nash nor Sammy really merits a place in the test team. The talent of Nash and Sammy simply does not require me to be interested in their performances. Where are this era’s Fredericks, Kallicharran, Kanhai, Butcher, Lloyd, Gibbs, and Croft?
The West Indies’ selectors rationale bypassing Gayle and selecting Sammy bear little or no semblance the choice of Sobers over Hunte. The case could have been made for either player. They deserved. Sobers and Hunte were great cricketers. Sammy has experienced only a cup of coffee. He appeared in only eight test matches covering six years. Historians of West Indies test cricket are likely to find that perhaps only at the beginning of the West Indies in the international arena has captains with fewer appearances were chosen. However, I do recall the idiots wanting to choose Cousin David Holford, and /or Joey Carew over Clive Lloyd as the Captain of the West Indies test cricket team. I still believe neither Holford nor Carew should have played test cricket. They were both horrible, at best. The initial selection of Holford was simply an appeasement of Gary Sobers. It’s an absolute blessing common sense prevailed and the rest is history.


OUT OF CONTROL
Almost every time I write an article which is critical of the PPP/C, the Jagans, Jagdeo and whomever is connected with the PPP/C, a few indo-Guyanese especially from Skeldon, and a few enclaves on the East Coast of Demerara throw up a lot of venom, rather needlessly. Perhaps, a few clowns, fanatics, idiots will do so again. I must rather admit at times I found it rather amusing. Then, when I reminisce respecting the efforts of school teachers such as Harold Christopher Scarder, Jacob Stanford Ralph James Alfred Trotman, Donald Ashley Bevel Trotman, Carlton Paton Melbourne, Joseph Parkinson, Tappin Johnson Elliott, Prince Johnson Patterson, Cecil Orpheus Philbertus Patterson, Muriel Sancho (Muriel Ross), Winslade Simon, Henry Chin, Bourne (Blairmont), Hubert Alfred Thompson, Moore (Skeldon) and others I am overcome with the sense of responsibility to reveal truth and exercise control of emotions.
Here we go again
I noticed East Indians did not arrive in Trinidad until May 30, 1845 onboard The Fatel Rozack. It seems to me; 1845 was a pivotal year in the economics of the British West Indies. By that I am most certainly reflecting on the exploits of British Capital investment in the plantation economy in the Caribbean basin. I am absolute. Sure indentureships were resumed in the colony of British Guiana in 1845. Also, East Indian laborers were shipped to plantations in Jamaica in 1845. However, as you should be aware by now two ships “Whitby” and “Hesperus” sailed up the Demerara River on May 5, 1838. East Indian indentured laborers disembarked at Vreed-en-Hoop on the West Bank of the river. They were sent primarily to the plantations of John Gladstone in Demerara.
By 1894 East Indians started to voice their opinions and clamoring for political enfranchisement. Rev. Bronkhurst and Joseph Ruhomon were the leading advocates. By December 31, 1899, several others joined the call for all phases of socioeconomic empowerment. The Luckhoo brothers joined their cousin Joseph Ruhomon, Drepaul of Achlyne; the Wharton brothers, Thomas Flood, Gul Mohammed Khan, Bechu and a number of interpreters came to the forefront of advocacy of grievances on behalf of the masses of East Indians in the colony of British Guiana.
The establishment of the British Guiana East Indian Association with its organ the Indian Opinion brought the cry of reformation in an articulate manner regularly in print. Seeram emerged out of this era. However, it was Ayube Edun who gave East Indians females a real female champion, Eleanor Sewdin, both the young and older females could imitate. Apparently Eleanor Sewdin was birthed on the Corentyne coast. There was quite a commotion following her being elected chairperson of the Rose Hall Village district. In fact, there was a court case launched by Batson to unseat her claiming she resided at Plantation Port Mourant by operated a place of business at Rose Hall Village. The problem was proof of residency on the surface. But make no mistake the underlying cause was sexism more so than racism. Let me make it absolutely clear that in a number of the disturbances and riots East Indian females played initial and leading roles. They were not sitting around waiting for the birthing of Cheddi Jagan in 1918. They were not praying to some statute for the Jewess Janet Rosenberg to arrive in the colony of British Guiana via Chicago via Czechoslovakia in the 1940s. I am very sure Vishnu and his son Krishna would not wish Janet Jagan upon slave-masters and those who conned East Indians into leaving India for locations around the globe in the nineteenth century. Why then would those black gods set her upon the African Guyanese populace is beyond my imagination? Guyanese must guard against such a recurrence. Foreigners must never ever again be allowed to occupy high offices in the land. On the other hand, why stop with Janet Rosenberg? Why not encourage either Bill Gates or Michael Bloomberg to be President of Guyana for two terms and/ or as long as they are inclined. I am positive. They would at least bring with them economic development. What did Janet Jagan do - besides being a disruptive force in the political arena – and thereby exacerbating the imagined differences between the two major groups of nonwhites in Guyana?
In recent times you and I have witnessed the rise of Kamla in Trinidad and Tobago. Now therefore tell me where is the East Indian female of Guyana capable of rising in Guyanese politics as Kamla did in Trinidad and Tobago? Who can be so identified? Stop your sobbing and answer the question Guyanese females – where are you? Your men have destroyed the magnificent province. It is high time you put down the pot spoons, stop being housewives and demand that you be the part of the decision making process. In fact; why not demand to be the decision makers, and the law makers? Aren’t you tired and sick of the unnecessary violence which have buried many of our people especially our young people? Now if you don’t stand upon your own two legs and use your heads and reject that which is clearly not working in your best interests and safety and national interests whose fault is that.
And one more thing - there were numerous persons of East Indian heritage who never supported the PPP/C party and they are not enemies of their heritage or the people of Guyana and that for Sure. Will the Guyanese Kamla Arise? It does not really matter whether she is East Indian, Portuguese, Amerindian, and African or Chinese; Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Rastafarian, whether religion there is or none at all really matter. She is only required to be feminine, and nationalistic the call is a simple one out of the kitchen and into the office of the President as the leading architect of our future. That’s it – nothing sinister – nothing more than simply that has been spelt out Females are you up to the task. Do not tell me you are not ready yet – that seems so male chauvinistic to my thought process.

Rumours or Truth
Is Jagdeo related to Cheddi Jagan? Did the mother of Jagdeo birthed children with an African-Guyanese? A number of years ago I heard it said Jagdeo has relatives who are considered African-Guyanese. I was pretty certain the gossipers stated his sister mothered a number of children whom common place persons would refer to as Douglas. However, a few days ago, I heard several indo-Guyanese stating it’s his mother. More over, Jagdeo is related to Cheddi Jagan. Was there some extramarital activities occurring?
There are also persons claiming to have been involved in the trafficking of illegal narcotic drugs from Guyana to the USA during the Burnham era and with the knowledge of Burnham’s participation and interest. Could he have simply googled the names of locations in the county of Essequebo? It is quite plausible. But is it factual? Who would dare to substantiate the truth of the matter? Must the truth be buried and remain unknown? I think not.
While such unsolicited commentary may or may not have any merit - You ought to be well aware by now it is always open season on the lives of notable persons and/ or people in the spotlight. It just seems to occur with gross regularity and beyond political and/or ethnic boundaries.

THE WILD GEESE
I borrowed the thirtieth anniversary edition of the Wild Geese. Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris, and Hardy Kruger are the leading actors of the film. African actors, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona, Stewart Granger, and Jack Watson also have prominent roles in the motion picture. The Wild Geese is the only movie I saw at Crescent cinema in Mackenzie on the Demerara River. I am quite sure it was the last movie I saw in Guyana.
The characters of Jack Watson as the irrepressible Regimental Sergeant Major Sandy Young, Richard Harris as Captain Rafer Janders and the dialogue between Hardy Kruger (Second Lieutenant Pieter Coetzee) and Winston Ntshona (President Julius Lambani) gripped my attention. There were numerous outstanding barbs. “That was ludicrous, sir, you are jumping from an airplane, not a whore house window” …R.S.M. Sandy Young (Jack Watson) chastising Lieutenant Shawn Flynn (Roger Moore) is perhaps the standout lines of the movie. The political ideology may perhaps prefer the exchanges between Lieutenant Pleter Cootze (Hardy Kruger) and President Julius Lambani (Winston Ntshona). “Freedom is only a word for a new oppressor” Lambani reasoning with Cootze was simply a most memorable and rational statement
I realize today, after more than thirty years, they still do. Although I am aware the wild geese is simply choreograph, a fictional depiction of betrayal of contractual agreement, loyalty amongst friends, the need for Blacks and Whites to live together in peace in Southern Africa, and most of the bloodletting which occurs when Ruthless Dictators overthrow the man of the people and make deals with unscrupulous foreign businessmen. The main interests of the foreigners are the exploitation of the nations’ resources for the benefit of their personal prestige in western society. I still became emotionally overwhelmed. The scenes which included the characters of Richard Burton, Roger Moore, and Richard Harris remain delightful

THE WILD GEESE EXTRAS
In the section referred to as special features and/or The Wild Geese extras
; There is found under the heading, “Stars War – the making of The Wild Geese”, the following narrative:
“In 1968 a mysterious Dakota landed at Kariba in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) in the middle of the night carrying dead and battle-scarred mercenaries.
The fact was reported in some papers the next day and there was speculation that a famous president was on board.
But to this day nobody knows. The whole incident has been shrouded in a mysterious silence.”
Has evidence been found to support the claims made in the above statements? If proven - who is the President suggested?

THE FLIGHT OF THE WILD GEESE
I particularly love the lyrics and the phrasing of the song - the flight of The Wild Geese – written and performed by Joan Armatrading.

“That was ludicrous sir you are jumping from an airplane not a whore house window” …RSM Sandy Young (Jack Watson) chastising Lieutenant Shawn Flynn (Roger Moore)