From:  Ram.Singh

Cc: <guyanese@yahoogroups.com>

Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003

Subject: RE: [Guyanese] Viola Burnham - An Obituary -Stabroek News

What a bunch of baloney and the gall to dare compare Viola Burnham to Indira Gandhi, and others.

Indira Gandhi did not get into politics and achieve her position as a result of her father's death. Instead she campaigned and won many elections - democratic elections. None of her election victories was scandalized by stuffed ballots etc.

No doubt in her own way Viola was a woman who achieved a lot but how dare you to compare her to the likes of Indira Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto and Sirimavo Bandaranaike!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

From: dora

Cc: guyanese@yahoogroups.com

Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003

Marcus Gordon must have his head in the sand.

The comparison to Mrs. Indira Ghandi and others is a feeble attempt to compare Guyana to other populated countries.  The population in the countries which had female presidents/prime ministers run in the millions and billions.  Guyana, a mere 650,000 and a Highly Indebted Poor Country, made so by the PNC Government in its heyday.

Has Guyana become such a depraved society that they will look to anyone to become martyrs as long as their association was/is with the PNC?  Sad, sad situation.

Mrs. Viola Burnham, no doubt made remarkable strides as a woman in Guyana's politics and she should be complimented for it.  But to compare her to others like Mrs. Ghandi, Bandaranaike, and others is going way overboard and an affront to these highly qualified women.


 

From: Fyi

To: Guyanese@yahoogroups.com

Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003

Subject: [Guyanese] The=20Burnhams=20

Dear fellow Guyanese:

Can the present government mount a full inquiry into the finances of the past and present presidents of Guyana, dead or alive, to confirm with the level of integrity demanded by public service laws and conventions, as pertains in some countries? The reputable international Ebony Magazine, in the late seventies, rated the brilliant orator Mr. Forbes Burnham, then in the still early DESPOTIC throes of his power, as one of the richest Afro-Americans in the world. His financial onslaught was merely picking up steam.

The Kabaka, as he was affectionately and fearfully called, depending on if he knew you, subsequently banned the magazine. Mr. Donald Robinson, a leading Senior Counsel in Guyana, and who had the "honour" of probating Burnham's will, once declared that the Kabaka's wordly possessions only consisted of a horse, a gown, a few law books, some furniture and other de minims items. What happened to the copper mines in Zambia, the Swiss millions Ebony quoted him as owning, and all those other assets he usurped from the Guyanese masses? 

Surely the Guyanese people have a right to know? In other countries, these public facts are made known to taxpayers, as a matter of public domain. I cite the Emelda Marcos revelations as a precedent. This is a duty owned to the Guyanese people. Moreover, all presidents and people holding public office are not above the law-ministers, judges, public servants- they all have a duty of full financial disclosure. After all, this would clear their names of the financial rumours that plague and stigmatize them-the trawlers, the supermarkets, the real estate investments we hear of so frequently. This financial disclosure under oath should also apply to policeman, soldiers, customs officers, pilots, airlines, etc. Any assets not properly accounted for are given back to the people, to whom it should have gone to in the first place.

He may have escaped earthly due process for Dr. Walter Rodney, Dr. Joshua Ramsammy, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.etc., but full loan open financial disclosure is paramount, even if it puts him, a Guyanese, in the Guinness Book of World Records as the richest person on the planet!

Guyanese citizen and taxpayer

 

From: JM

Cc: guyanese@yahoogroups.com

Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 

Subject: RE: [Guyanese] Viola Burnham - An Obituary -Stabroek News

Can we ask the Burnham's families to return all the billions they robbed from Guyana and deposited in the overseas banks. It would be an honour to our poor country. If that happen I can petition that her ashes be laid at the seven pond. Place of heroes, hope she would be welcome there. Viola Burnham is not even 1% of Indira Gandhi and others, Indira and others didn't raped their country of it valuable resource like the one in mention.

She was totally against Hoyte lifting the ban on foreign goods entering Guyana. Quote from her "this is totally against my husband wishes". She left hoyte government after hoyte went ahead and lifted the ban. What a women to be praised today, for helping to starve the children of  our poor country.

May her soul be burnt in hell and hope and pray that no one like her ever grace the earth in Beautiful Guyana.

 

From: Sanko

Cc: guyanese@yahoogroups.com

Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003

Subject: [Guyanese] Viola Harper-Burnham: Forbes Burnham Revisited

The observer's temperament, including his preconceptions, and motives, or purpose of research, article. Impartiality is a dream and honesty a duty. I may not be impartial; however I always attempt to be intellectually honest. Revisionism is vitiated by prejudices, and often falsified.

Am I biased? Of course I am. Am I honest? I make every effort to write honest accounts - via my eyewitness and or hear witness. Am I wrong? Who knows! The experiences between 1966 and 2003 are etched in the hearts and mind of the society. The mere fact that a number of us,  Guyanes, gave up on  Guyana as the land of our residence is a sure indicator of the accuracy of the conclusions.

Viola Harper-Burnham: Forbes Burnham Revisited

Burnham means oppression, dictator. Burnham means enemy of the people. Burnham shared similarities with for Massa .

Dr. Eric Eustace Williams in a speaking in Port of Spain , c. 1960 cried- "Massa Day Done".   I would like to ask fellow Guyanese- Is Burnham day done? Good Lord knows I've had more than my fair share of the Burnhams- Let me qualify that - I would like to think the working class peoples connected to the Guyanese society - should by now, had their fill of Forbes Burnham, his family and descendants. I know - months of winter - my cup is full and running over- what's worst is the hypocrisy- the pain and the suffering.

Viola Harper choose to make and lay down in the bed with Forbes Burnham, in what 1966/67. Miss Harper - with that simple act, preferred illicit gain for personal glorification, the self over the socio-economic development of the nation at the expense of the masses.

Mrs. Burnham simply put; is just another Imelda Marcos. And, therefore, not a being the mass should ever lift up as heroic. However, mis-education - a legacy of slavery and colonialism - has  been the recurring theme - the working class peoples of the society always bow down -prostrate themselves to the ruling class- and this is a most annoying feature of so-called intelligent people.

The Afro-centric psychiatrist Frantz Fanon grappled with this phenomena - why some oppressed peoples- Blacks- develop the proper consciousness while others cling to "false consciousness".

It sickens me greatly, Guyanese who I was under the impression was the most intelligent and articulate society in the world-constantly reveal otherwise - especially when it comes to crossing the ethnic divide.

This has allowed vampires to suck the blood of the nation, using the national treasury as their personal bank account. And, yet, you are trying to tell me -the Burnham's are honorable folks. Why that's dishonest and you know it. Perhaps, you have forgotten, well I am here to remind you. I would hate to think- stealing from the state, and enjoying such actions - are honorable. If that's the case I must be missing something- and cow did indeed hop over the moon.

I see Viola Harper-Burnham through my own spectacles- thank you very much. I doubt whether honest social commentators will be kind to the second Mrs. Burnham, and try to rewrite the events, to give her a face lift.

I am appalled that Guyanese would still in this day and age only see race or ethnic boundaries.

Therefore, they refuse to critique individuals because of this ill advised notion- it's anti their ethnic groupings. When will the society ever cross the ethnic divide?

Miss Harper choose her bed, and laid upon the blood sweet and tears of the collective peoples of the society.

Could Forbes be evil and Viola be good ? yet share the same bed, for years! Very unlikely.

Whatever Forbes Burnham represented so did his wives.

Guyana must begin the journey, the process of placing- disciplined candidates who are committed to using their knowledge, skills in service to the people, for social change.

What bothers me greatly there are still too many more Burnhams left in the Guyanese society-Thus this hypocritical behavior will only repeat itself. Oh! My people! Lord have mercy! When is enough, enough?