Dear Editor,
Guyanese scholars or academics in USA have faced a persistent challenge of finding jobs and of publishing or perish—meaning they could lose their jobs if they don’t publish original articles in credible, respected peer reviewed academic publications (journals, books, etc. They have faced discrimination in hiring and in publishing their work even when demonstrating superior knowledge.
And when hired with extraordinary, higher qualifications than natives, they have faced difficulties in publishing, a criterion for tenure. Many of their research submissions were or are not published; to what extent race or nationality was (is) a factor in denial of publication is not determined. And in recent years, with the closure of many journals, getting published is even more challenging which means getting tenure in a tertiary setting has become more difficult.
In academia, including research centers or institutes, except perhaps for Guyana, full time scholars (professors or educators) are expected to produce. If they don’t publish, they could face termination in employment and or denied tenure (lifelong job security). Once tenured, publications no longer are of paramount importance to their jobs. Nevertheless, most continue to do research and publish. Some academics do obtain tenure based on the history of their teaching record and high likability or acceptance (satisfactory record) or ratings from evaluation by students and by department head. Several Guyanese have taught at universities part time; they are not up for tenure although they have retention rights based on experience in teaching a course or in a program.
Several Guyanese hold PhD or MA but don’t pursue teaching at the tertiary level. Thus, they don’t need to publish for job retention. Those who teach in the public school system are not required to publish for job tenure. But some have contributed significantly to research or scholarship. In Guyana, few lecturers conduct research and or publish; their jobs are not on the line because of shortage of competitive staff and unavailability of journals, and as such they are not terminated as in the USA.
Unlike in Guyana, In USA, academics and educators and students have not been known to be active in community affairs or politics.
Even after obtaining tenure, Guyanese academics have failed to make any meaningful contributions to their former homeland or in community affairs in the diaspora. Few Guyanese academics or university students (UK, Ireland, Canada, etc.) were vigilantly concerned about Guyana during the period of authoritarian rule; they were engrossed in their studies and earnings to pay tuition or to upkeep their families. Fewer students were involved in the struggle for restoration of democratic governance, fearing consequences of political activism. Baytoram Ramharack, Vassan Ramracha, Rennie Ramracha, David Hinds, Chuck Mohan, Mel Carpen, and myself (Vishnu Bisram) and a handful of others were deeply engrossed in affairs relating to our community in greater New York and to Guyana.
Baytoram and me have earned PhD from accredited universities, in my case multiple doctorates and several MAs. A discredited columnist disparaged our academic achievements and questioned what contributions (publications) I have made to scholarship (thoughts or literature on the subjects I studied). He is an irresponsible writer who was kicked out of university. He also used to attack Ramharack, Ravi Dev, Swami Aksharananda, Tarron Khemraj, Ramesh Gampat, and other Indian nationalists as well as then President Jagdeo, then Minister Irfaan Ali and the PPP in general. He has single-handedly tainted the public views on Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP administration. This scathing mindset on me and others has shaped his thought process in a failed effort to undermine the contributions of those who have greater academic achievements than him. And that is why he is ignored by scholars, Jagdeo and other government officials, and the public. His criticism of my and others academic contributions rings hollow.
Ramharack and I have published extensively, Ramharack much more than me, in journals and books; he also authored several bestselling books. We both published countless articles, myself much more than him, in mass media that can be considered as worthy of publication in peer reviewed journals.
Some of us in academia (teaching and or research) and or as students like Ramharack, Vassan, Chuck Mohan, Mel Carpen, Gary Girdhari, and myself, and a handful of others, were engrossed in “revolutionary activities” since the 1970s to bring about restoration of democracy in Guyana.
After that achievement in 1992, we have continued the struggle for better governance (transparency, accountability, increased participation of the population in government, and uplifting the lives of the poor). Community activism in America and our ongoing involvement in struggle in Guyana have competed with our time for contributions to academic publications. The disgraced columnist never contributed to the overseas struggle against the dictatorship and has not published anything remotely close as respected scholarship and has never been involved in community affairs. His prejudices against achievers like myself and his poor academic achievements as well as lack of intellectual depth have limited his understanding of struggle and how such activism impacts on academics like myself and others mentioned above. Our struggle for Guyanese in the diaspora and for a better Guyana have limited our academic contributions, but our struggles benefited the columnist and Guyana.
Our struggle is also inspiring to many who have viewed us as examples to emulate. Our work since the 1970s has been dynamic, earning accolades in the diaspora and in Guyana; there are no comparisons. It is well known that the dishonorable columnist has viewed us competitors and as such villains in philosophical or ideological political discourse. Hence the continuous attacks on myself and Indian intellectuals and his denunciation of Indian culture as well as our advocacy of Indian culture. He misunderstands our intellect and our work that has emerged out of experience of racism and a demand for justice. Our scholarship is influenced by our resistance to oppression. Attacking us is a convenient trope in the columnist ideology and his lack of academic achievement and integrity. For him, knowledge has not been wielded as a pursuit of truth and to educate but as an instrument of spreading hate, lies, and propaganda.
We are punching bag because it serves his purpose to feel good about why he has not been an academic achiever. His writings are paradigmatic expressions of hubris, marked by a deep-seated bias against those who completed PhDs and better than him. He is psychologically displaced, displaying deep anxiety and anti-social behavior because he cannot accept that scholars are superior to him. Our writings should be studied, not demonised by the columnist, to illuminate how we have contributed to Guyana and the diaspora in a variety of ways not the least in the restoration of democracy and publishing countless articles in the mass media and in academic literature. Writing requires intellectual honesty, not rhetorical fury like that of the disreputable columnist.