Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
May 18, 2022 Letters
Dear Editor,
To the annoyance of members of my household, I often sing the part of a century in Gilbert and Sulivan’s play .
I was a solid 160-lb member of the Queen’s College Cadet Corp and I suppose that persuaded the British masters who put on the play to identify me for the role of Private Willis in the play Iolanthe. His song reflects the conditions of the British Parliament, our then Mother country, the words of the song sung by Private Willis:-
When all night long, a chap remains
On sentry-go, to chase monotony
He exercises of his brains,
That is, assuming that he’s got any.
So never nurtured in the lap
Of luxury, yet I admonish you,
I am an intellectual chap
And think of things that would astonish you
I often think it’s comical fal,lal,la!
How nature always does contrive fal,lal,la!
That every boy and every gal
That’s born into the world alive
Is either a little Liberal
Or else a little Conservative
Fal, lal,la!
When in that house M.P’s divide
If they’ve a brain and cerebellum too
They’ve got to leave that brain outside
And vote as their leaders tell ‘em to
But then the prospect of a lot
Of dull M.P’s in close proximity,
All thinking for themselves is what
No man can face with equanimity
Then let’s rejoice with loud Fal la – Fal la la!
That nature always does contrive Fal la la!
That every boy and every gal
That’s born into the world alive
Is either a little Liberal
Or else a little Conservative
Fal, La, Lal!
Guyana, for better or for worse is the product of our last colonizers, the British and for good or for evil, the least this generation can do is to know the underlying principles of this parliamentary democracy foisted upon us.
The book prepared by Sir Thomas Erkskine May “Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament,” should be necessary reading by our Speaker and Members of the National Assembly. This would avoid the laborious arguments about what is acceptable and not acceptable in the hallowed Chambers of Parliament. MPs under both Burnham and Cheddi Jagan were required to secure copies of this, what we know as the “Bible of Parliament.” For whatever reason, those days are gone, but as an optimist, I hope not forever.
Our MPs must recognize that they represent the people of Guyana, both at home and abroad. As such, we should arrest this downward slide noticeable in the highest decision-making body of our country. This based on my experience is a daunting but necessary and noble task, for I recall in 2005 after a certain high-ranking functionary confused West Indian and Latin America countries, I suggested seminars and workshops intended to help. I was told at a meeting, at State House that those things do not matter. This is the reaction of a high-ranking decision maker. It’s amazing as I often sing the words that I sang seventy-two years ago. Little has changed but the demands today require that we bring our brains and cerebellum to the fore.
Regards,
Hamilton Green
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
Apr 19, 2024
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