Guyanese Online

Captain the (PPP) Ship is Sinking

Dr. David Hinds

By Dr. David Hinds

Desperation leads politicians to do and say strange things. These are desperate times for the once invincible PPP. We are hearing some very strange things from the PPP’s quarters. We recently heard that Moses Nagamootoo, in 2008, said that he was not Indian. That revelation by the PPP camp was followed by two other stunning revelations. First, it was revealed that Dr. Walter Rodney was a Pan Africanist who was proud of his African ancestry. Second, we hear from the PPP side that embrace of their ethnic identity by Eusi Kwayana, Tacuma Ogunseye, David Granger and David Hinds should be emulated by all Guyanese.

Seriously? This is double standard and political dishonesty of the highest order. Even from a desperate PPP, this one takes the cake. Maybe they have had the pollster do some polls for them that shows the Coalition winning the upcoming elections. Is the PPP’s ship sinking? 

Now, what is this thing about Nagamootoo saying he is not Indian, but Guyanese? What is the crime? None whatsoever. All Moses was saying is what all politicians have said. In our sensitive ethnic environment, politicians, as a rule, don’t play up their ethnic identity for fear of being branded racists. The preferred identity is the civic identity—Guyanese.  This is where our political discourse has been since independence. All of the political parties and Civil Society have agreed that this is the politically correct identification. A few of us, including this writer, have been hammered for invoking ethnic identity. I can’t count the number of times I have been called racist for discussing or affirming ethnic identities. But you see, I don’t want to be President, so I can be politically incorrect.

The laughable thing here is that Nagamootoo apparently made this statement when he was in the PPP.  He was not condemned then. Clearly the PPP was not uncomfortable with the statement. But now, in the moment of desperation, they are telling East Indians that Nagamootoo don’t like them; he is ashamed of his Indianness.  When they want to cuss Hinds and Granger, ethnic identity is racist. When the want to cuss Nagamootoo, ethnic identity is not racist. And worse, when they want to appeal to ethnicity for vote-getting purposes, ethnic identity is noble.  Hypocrisy and Double Standard.

After fooling Guyanese for years that Walter Rodney was only concerned with multiracialism, that he was not concerned with race, that he had nothing to do with Blackness, we now hear that he was a Pan Africanist. Really! The last time I checked Pan Africanism had everything to do with race and Black Identity.

But the worst (or best?) is left for last. We now hear from the PPP that the examples of Hinds, Granger, Ogunseye, Kwayana and Rodney—all proud Africans—should be emulated. These men have not abandoned their roots. Moses why you don’t emulate them. Oh how kind of the PPP boys. Maybe I will do like some others and mount the PPP platform tomorrow.  But no thanks, I stand on one side of the fence and I too old to jump fences.

The Trinidadian calypsonian , Winston Peters (Gypsy), sang a telling calypso in 1986—“Captain the ship is sinking/Captain the seas are rough/We gas tank almost empty, no electricity/We oil pressure reading low/Shall we abandon ship, or shall we stay on it?”/ And perish slow/ We don’t know/ Captain you tell we what to do.

Nagamootoo must be having a positive effect on Indian Guyanese. Keep on doing what you doing Moses. From all indications, the PPP’s ship is sinking.

–Dr. David Hinds, a political activist and commentator, is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Caribbean and African Diaspora Studies at Arizona State University. More of his writings and commentaries and other news and views on Guyana and Caribbean politics can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website http://www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com

The Sinking Ship (The Trinidad) – Gypsy

–   Lyrics: The Sinking Ship… Gypsy  (1986)

This is an SOS from the Trinidad
Location seven miles off the coast on Venezuela
SOS! SOS! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!
Help! Help!

The Trinidad a luxury liner
Sailing the Caribbean Sea
With an old captain named Eric Williams
For years sailed smooth and free
But sadly, Eric Williams passed away
The ship hit rough water that day
Someone turned the bridge over
To a captain named Chambers
Meh blood crawl, thinks start to fall
Hold meh head when a sailor bawl

Chorus
Captain this ship is sinking
Captain these seas are rough, oh yes
We gas tank almost empty
No electricity, we oil pressure reading low
Shall we abandon ship
Or shall we stay on it and perish slow
We doh know, we doh know
Captain you tell we what to do   

Vs 2
The Trinidad, oh she was a beauty
With wealth that few surpass
And in her day she sailed majestically
There were few in her class
Faithfully she fulfilled her sailors need
Some were overpowered by greed
And so they pilfered slow
Some took by bulk and go
Now she look dull, sheís at a lull
She could barely sit on her hull

Chorus
Captain this ship is sinking
Captain these seas are rough, oh yes
We gas tank almost empty
No electricity, we oil pressure reading low
Shall we abandon ship
Or shall we stay on it and perish slow
We doh know, we doh know
Captain you tell we what to do

Vs 3
The Trinidad, in her day of sailing
She was a friend to one and all
She never once ever hesitated
To answer all SOS calls
And yes, well she always did her best
To help out those in distress
Now itís so sad to see
Sheís in difficulties
Though she help jeer
Some ah dem cheer
And sarcastically declare

Chorus
Captain this ship is sinking
Captain these seas are rough
We gas tank almost empty
No electricity, we oil pressure reading low
Shall we abandon ship
Or shall we sit on it and perish slow
We doh know, we doh know
Captain you tell we what to do
If only there is something I could have done to restore the credibility of this beautiful vessel
Money is no problem

Vs 4
Now there is a lot of fingers pointing
Suspicion running strong
Whoís to be blamed for all her failures
Whoís to be blamed for doing her wrong
Now please remember Iím warning you
For thirty years, she had the same crew
Who hold the keys to her vault
So we know who ís at fault
Now it ís up to you, itís up to me
To make her worthy to go back to sea

Chorus
Captain this ship is sinking
Captain these seas are rough, oh yes
We gas tank almost empty
No electricity, we oil pressure reading low
Shall we abandon ship
Or shall we stay on it and perish slow
We doh know, we doh know
Captain you tell we what to do
We doh know, we doh know
Captain you tell we what to do
We doh know, we doh know
You tell we what to do
We doh know, we doh know
Captain you tell we what to do Put up a flag
Oh gosh we doh know
Can we turn to the World Bank for help