CERLAC Hosts CALACS Congress
Citation - Herbet "Betinho" de Souza
Linkage between York University and the University of Guyana Grows
Dr. Jagan Opens the CALACS Congress
Cheddi Jagan Dies At Age 78

CERLAC Hosts CALACS Congress

President Cheddi Jagan of Guyana was among those in attendance at the 27th Annual Congress of the Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CALACS), held at York University October 31 to November 3, 1996. Opened by Vice-President (Academic Affairs) Michael Stevenson, Kalowatie Deonandan, Vice President, CALACS, and hosted by CERLAC, the Congress featured 70 panel discussions which were attended by 300 presenters and more than 1000 participants. The Congress drew a significant number of scholars from across Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as from Canada, the United States and Europe. "Delegates commented that the Congress was one of the largest and most intellectually stimulating CALACS events they had attended," says Patrick Taylor, deputy director of CERLAC and co-chairperson of the Congress.

The Congress' title, "Latin America and the Caribbean in a Changing World: Patterns, Problems and Prospects," was interpreted by a diversity of panels loosely divided into 10 themes: the environment; agriculture and indigenous issues; regional integration; social and economic policy; gender; education and history; transmigration, refugees and social transformation; civil-military relations and political processes; religion; media and communication; and arts and literature. Papers were presented dealing with issues affecting most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
 

Participants "shied away from looking at sustainable development just in terms of the environment," says Ricardo Grinspun, CERLAC's director and co-chairperson of the Congress. "Rather, we put it in a larger context which brings issues of ecology and human development together. This approach opens a much wider debate as you have to look at the political, social and economic issues, and ask if social processes are sustainable at every level."

A major symposium on "Sustainable Development in the Americas" was a special feature of the Congress. Jagan, in his opening address, challenged participants to work towards a broad definition of sustainability which "meets the basic needs of people [and includes] cultural upliftment and a clean and safe environment." A plenary session on sustainable development brought together a number of leading scholars including Martha Harnecker (MEPLA, Cuba) and Jonathan Fox (University of California at Santa Cruz).

Participants "shied away from looking at sustainable development just in terms of the environment," says Ricardo Grinspun, CERLAC's director and co-chairperson of the Congress. "Rather, we put it in a larger context which brings issues of ecology and human development together. This approach opens a much wider debate as you have to look at the political, social and economic issues, and ask if social processes are sustainable at every level." The panels on sustainable development covered a variety of themes.

The Congress gave space to many different activities. Among these, the Ottawa-based Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL) sponsored well-attended sessions on economic integration in the Americas. One very popular panel featured several prominent political figures from Venezuela. Two new Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) grants linking CERLAC to Central America were announced at the Congress. Also, an agreement for institutional collaboration was signed by President Susan Mann for York and Dr. Martin Boodhoo, Pro-Chancellor of the University of Guyana.

Another highlight of the Congress was the participation of several African-Caribbean spiritual leaders. Eva Fernandez, a well known espiritista from Santiago de Cuba, joined by two Spiritual Baptist bishops from Toronto, Mother Superior Deloris Severeight and Queen Mother Yvonne B. Drakes, shared their knowledge of Caribbean spirituality and led a cleansing ceremony. "Their active participation in the conference was the cornerstone of an impressive collection of papers presented on Latin American and Caribbean religion and culture," Taylor says. A related plenary session on "Culture in a Changing World" featured presentations by three regional intellectual leaders: Myrna Cunningham (Nicaragua), Barry Chevannes (Jamaica), and LaNnnec Hurbon (Haiti).
 

"We were able to bring together a great number of people from diverse backgrounds and interests. In using this approach CALACS and CERLAC are trying to build a model of research which links universities with society."

The Congress was also attended by a large number of graduate students from York and elsewhere. "This is significant because of the infusion of new ideas and enthusiasm into the research process," Grinspun says. "The Congress provided a forum where students had an opportunity to present their work and participate in debate, many of them for the first time. The experience is a very important part of the formation of new scholars and helps build our future research and policy-making capacity" (see Student Participation in the 1996 CALACS Congress).

Accompanying the Congress were a number of cultural events. Celebración Cultural del Idioma Español hosted a series of literary workshops and organized a display of Latin American and Caribbean art under the direction of York professor and CERLAC Cultural Coordinator Margarita Feliciano. H.E. Francisco Villagrán, Ambassador of Guatemala, and the Embassy of Guatemala sponsored the Ontario premiere of the internationally acclaimed Guatemalan film, The Silence of Neto. The translator of the movie into English, Mr. Asa Zatz, introduced the movie. Congress delegates were also treated to a dinner and dance enlivened by popular Barbadian-Canadian storyteller Itah Sadu and Cuban-Canadian disc jockey Maria Elena Escobar.

The 27th Annual CALACS Congress was "one of the great events in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at York University," Taylor says. "It was a testament to the commitment of York University and the wider Canadian scholarly community to the study of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the fostering of sustainable links with the region," Grinspun adds. Many students, faculty and staff put extra time and effort into making the Congress a great success. From the President's Office down, many York offices, faculties and departments provided funds and assistance to supplement the sponsorship of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL), Canadian International  Development Agency (CIDA), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

Citation - Herbet "Betinho" de Souza
Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa, November 2, 1996

York University used the occasion of the Canadian Association of Latin American and Caribbean Studies Congress to confer an honorary doctorate on Brazilian scholar and activist Herbet "Betinho" de Souza, and the Congress was dedicated in his name. De Souza, who studied at York during the 1970s, is a hemophiliac who was diagnosed as being HIV positive more than a decade ago. Despite his poor health he continues to be one of Brazil's most high profile social activists, recently leading a national campaign against hunger and poverty. Much of de Souza's work has been focused on the fight to increase awareness of AIDS.

Betinho was unable to travel to the Congress due to his health, so the honorary degree was accepted by his colleague Carlos Afonso, director of the Brazilian research centre IBASE. What follows is the citation read at the ceremony.

Herbet de Souza, affectionately known as "Betinho," not only in his home country, but all over Latin America, and in Canada, has been described as "a conscience for Brazil."

It may be hard for non-Brazilians to fully appreciate how many virtues this man represents for his country. One of his brothers, known universally as Henfil, was a talented artist and cartoonist who portrayed Betinho's role in the continuing story of Brazil's painfully slow restoration of human rights. A popular song of the early 1980's spoke of Brazil's need for reconciliation, claiming it would only be achieved when "Henfil's brother" was finally permitted to return. With characteristic modesty, de Souza recounts his shock when, upon his actual return to Brazil, he was greeted at the airport by thousands of spectators, cheering and singing this song.

Despite his status as a national symbol, Mr. de Souza has shown no interest in acquiring public office. Instead, he has chosen to focus his formidable energies on motivating participation among his fellow Brazilians, convinced that only a critically aware and active citizenry can ensure progress toward greater social justice.

He is an extra-ordinary person. He came to York University, twice exiled. An opponent of the Brazilian military regime that seized power in 1964, he remained in that country, underground, until 1971. He then made his way to Chile, from which he barely escaped in the wake of the bloody 1973 coupe d'etat. He arrived at York as a refuge, without documentation, and it is to our insti- tution's credit that he was accepted as a graduate student in Political Science despite his lack of formal credentials. He knew no English upon his arrival. His first written assignments were submitted in French, but this did not keep him from excelling in his graduate studies. Not only did Mr. de Souza rapidly learn English, his fourth language, he was soon making puns and cracking jokes in his adopted tongue.

He was a major force in establishing York University's Latin American Research Unit, and our Centre for research on Latin American and the Caribbean, known as CERLAC. Although he was not able to write the dissertation that would have completed his PhD at York, it is obvious that he has used the knowledge he gained here in establishing
IBASE, the Brazilian Institute for Social and Economic Analysis, an institution dedicated to research on social movements and grass-roots organizations.

Mr. Chancellor, Mr. de Souza cannot be with us today because his doctor will not let him travel. He has been fighting AIDS for nearly a decade now, and has survived a remarkably long time, but his health is delicate, and we could not take the chance of exhausting him. I call on his representative, Mr. Carlos Afonso, to accept the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, for Mr. Herbet de Souza.
 
 

Linkage between York University and the University of Guyana Grows

Dr. Cheddi Jagan witnesses signing of Collaborative Academic Agreement

On October 31, 1996, York University and the University of Guyana signed a Collaborative Academic Agreement witnessed by the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan, former President of Guyana. York University's commitments under the agreement are being coordinated by CERLAC.

Linkages between York University and the University of Guyana have been growing in recent years. In 1995, several York faculty members attended a visit by Dr. S.R. Insanally, Chancellor of the University of Guyana, which was organized by the University of Guyana Guild of Graduates. Faculty in Osgoode Hall Law School, led by Professor Thomas Johnson, have since been working cooperatively with the Faculty of Law at the University of Guyana to strengthen and assist programs at the latter institution. As well, early in 1996, the University of Guyana invited York president Susan Mann to become a member of its governing council. Mann asked York English professor and CERLAC Fellow Frank Birbalsingh to serve as her representative on this council.

A visit by Dr. Jagan to York University on June 20th, 1996, further strengthened York's links with Guyana, the  University of Guyana, and the local Guyanese community. As part of an official ten day visit to Canada, Dr. Jagan met with president Susan Mann and officials from York International and CERLAC. He also addressed faculty, students, local business and community leaders, and members of the NGO community in the York Senate Chamber on the topic of "Guyana: A Case for Debt Relief." Earlier in the week, Dr. Jagan was the guest of honour at a reception held in York's Tait McKenzie gymnasium which was attended by approximately 2,000 people from the Canadian Guyanese community.

The October signing of the Collaborative Academic Agreement marked the culmination of interest by faculty members and students at York in further developing relations with the University of Guyana. Under the agreement, for the next several years, York University and the University of Guyana will develop joint programs in areas of mutual academic interest. Potential activities included under the agreement are the exchange of faculty members and students, as well as research materials, newsletters and publications, and the development of joint projects in the areas of research, teaching and faculty development.
 

For the next several years, York University and the University of Guyana will develop joint programs in areas of mutual academic interest. Potential activities included under the agreement are the exchange of faculty members and students, as well as research materials, newsletters and publications, and the development of joint projects in the areas of research, teaching and faculty development.

One project already initiated which strengthens this agreement is Professor Frank Birbalsingh's work writing a biography of Dr. Cheddi Jagan. A subsidiary part of this proposal involves gaining access to Dr. Jagan's archives for inspection and research. A planned second project, which will require separate funding, will organize and catalogue these archives. The archival project, if funded, will cement the agreement between York and the University of Guyana since it will last for several years and involve teamwork from researchers and librarians in both universities. The project also has great potential for further publications beyond the biography of Dr. Jagan, since it will make available these historical materials to the scholarly community.

Also in the spirit of this new partnership, York University has coordinated a drive for books and computers because of the demonstrated need for resources in the library system of Guyana. A large shipment of texts and materials were collected and sent to the University of Guyana courtesy of the offices of the Consul General of Guyana, Mr. Geoffrey Da Silva. President Emeritus H. Ian Macdonald, one of the principal donors, presented some 15 boxes of books, including several complete sets of journals, to Dr. Martin Boodhoo, Pro Chancellor of the University of Guyana. It is the hope of some of the members of the York/Guyanese Faculty, including Professors Percy Anderson, Frank Birbalsingh, and Rudy Grant, that through a continuing drive these resources can be replenished and maintained. The offices of CERLAC and York International have been actively involved in this project, which has been managed by Rosemarie Nielsen of York International. If you are in- terested in contributing books and materials to the drive, please contact Ms. Nielson c/o York International, 201 York Lanes, York University.

Dr. Jagan Opens the CALACS Congress

On October 31, 1996, Dr. Cheddi Jagan provided the opening address for the 1996 CALACS conference held at York University. The following are excepts from the speech he gave which outline his thoughts on the international economy, Guyana, and the need for a "New Human Global Order."

On recent international economic reforms: "It is too early to say that the crisis of the eighties is over. True, shifts toward democratization, macro-economic reforms and external openness have brought about an increase in growth rates. But the problems of Latin American and the Caribbean are enormous and it would need more than optimism and an open mind to reverse the trends. The new adjustments bring some relief but at the same time Latin American and Caribbean capitalism is generating more problems. The stark reality is that the causes for revolutionary upheavals -- poverty, backwardness and corruption -- are still there. There is growth but no human development, no social justice and no ecological justice."

On the external debt: "A definitive problem must be found in the Third World's crushing debt problem. It has now reached unmanageable levels with a net value of 200 percent of the value of [the region's] export earnings. . . How can human development take place when, despite debt payments, the stock of the debt grows? Between 1981 and 1990 the region's foreign debt payments were US$503 billion, of which interest was US$303 billion. At the same time, the region's consolidated external debt rose from US$297 billion in 1981 to US$428 billion in 1990.This mechanism whereby you pay more than you owe is perverse and must be stopped.

"Debt stultifies development. It leads to unemployment. It leads to underdevelopment...Debt relief in the form of debt cancellation, grants, soft loans and rescheduling is urgent, if developing countries are to eradicate poverty, protect the environment, play a meaningful role in expanding international trade and help end stagnation and recession in the industrially developed countries. Debt relief must be seen as an investment not only in the development of poor countries, but also in the security of rich nations."

On Guyana: "[During the government of Prime Minister Forbes Burnham, who held office from 1964 to 1992] Guyana moved from Most Developed Country status in the CARICOM to Least Developed Country status and was bracketed with two other countries as the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. The deterioration in the quality of life was most marked in the last decades of [the Burnham government's] "administrative dictatorship": a 56 percent decline in real wages, 60 percent of the people living below the poverty line and 30 percent unemployment.

"Our new PPP/Civic government has been able, in four years to stabilize the situation... Our gains in democratic renewal are encouraging. However, it is in the sphere of economic and social development that we face a monumental task. The development of Guyana must be based on a harmonious mix of improved social and physical infrastructure, adequate and efficient production levels, just distribution of the national wealth and genuine cultural upliftment within an ever-expanding democratic process. Development is the progressive realisation of the capacities, abilities and talents of eah individual for his/her own satisfaction, the enhancement of the social good and a balanced relationship with the environment."

"Human needs and human security must be the object of development. In this regard, greater emphasis [in the development process] should be placed on human and natural capital. And much more needs to be done to speed up disarmament so that the hungry of the world can benefit from the savings which would be made. Humanity demands that disarmament must be accelerated."

Dr. Jagan ended his speech by calling for a New Global Human Order: "While all our countries are individually searching for more aggressive and innovative ways to cope with the growing inter-dependence and globalization taking place, there are fundamental issues which can be addressed only by new global initiatives. It is clear that if present worldwide trends continue, tensions, conflicts and disorders of potentiality disastrous consequences could become the order of the day.

"Disaster can be avoided. As an adjunct to the UN Agenda for Development, Guyana has been advocating a New Global Human Order which must have as its goal human development: meeting the basic needs of the people, cultural upliftment and a clean and safe environment. The proposal is founded expressly on the requirement for guaranteeing to every woman, man and child the rights, respect and recognition that have been so well underscored by international agreements; for ensuring effective, democratic, accountable and transparent governance, gender equality and empowerment of women, reduction of mortality rates for infants and children, primary health services for all individuals, diminished prevalence of disease, environmental sustainability and regeneration, and basic capacity building for efficiency and effectiveness; for the well-being of people through economic growth and development; and for facilitating these objectives through a global partnership that assures support for their attainment.

"A New Global Human Order comprises a combination of ideas that have been made over the years, but which were hitherto ignored, invariably because of political considerations prior to the more recent changes in the configuration of the world's political and economic climate. They are also based on new considerations that have to be made in light of the results (and lack of results) of the more recent world changes. This requires that the dialogue between the North and the South be within the context of interdependence, cooperation and partnership, and respect for national sovereignty.

"When the proposal for a New Global Human Order was first tabled, there were skeptics who, while acknowledging they were positive, questioned where the money would come from.The answer is simple: the proposal is self financing and its financing would depend on the preparedness of the North to see and realise that it too has a stake in furtherance of a new Global Human Order. A new Global Partnership isn't only about helping the South.
 

"To attain a new Global Human Order, it is necessary to establish a sound and just system of global governance based on: a genuine North/South partnership and interdependence for mutual benefit; a democratic culture of representative, consultative and participatory democracy and a lean and clear administration; a people-centred development strategy free from external domination; application of science and technology for increased production and productivity; and the creation of a Global Development Fund."

Cheddi Jagan Dies At Age 78

It was with deep regret that the announcement was made on March 6, 1997, that Dr. Cheddi Jagan, the President of Guyana, had died at the age of 78. Considered the elder statesman of Caribbean politics, Dr. Jagan played a leading role in his country's labour and independence movements and was universally regarded for his principled leadership, intelligence, and passionate views on global justice.

Dr. Jagan was born in 1918, the son of migrant labourers brought from British India to work in Guyana's sugar plantations. Trained as a dentist at Chicago's Northwestern University, Dr. Jagan returned to Guyana and became a prominent and well-loved leader in his country's labour and independence movements. He was elected to the Legislative Council of British Guiana in 1947, and in 1950 founded the left-wing People's Progressive Party (PPP), the oldest major Guyanese political party of modern day. The PPP won British Guiana's first free election in 1953, forming a government for 133 days before the British suspended the colony's new constitution. Following the dismissal of his government, Dr. Jagan was jailed for six months for breaking British orders restricting his movements.

 Dr. Jagan was elected the leader of British Guiana again in 1957 and 1961. His latter term was marred by strikes and riots partially caused by a split in the PPP between Dr. Jagan and Forbes Burnham. Ultimately, the PPP's government was replaced in 1964 by a coalition government formed under British and American influence. While Guyana achieved independence from Britain in 1966 under Forbes Burnham and the People's National Congress, few can question the influential and prominent role Dr. Jagan's leadership had in bringing about his nation's freedom.

Dr. Jagan continued to work for the people of Guyana as Leader of the Opposition from 1964 to 1973, and between 1976 and 1992, under the repressive government of Forbes Burnham. In 1992, Dr. Jagan again became the formal leader of Guyana, his final term in office lasting from October 9, 1992, until his death. During his final term as President, Dr. Jagan worked to reunify a country divided along Indo-Caribbean and Afro-Caribbean racial lines, resolve his country's dire economic situation, and present his version of a "New Global Human Order" to the international community.

Throughout his political career, Dr. Jagan and his People's Progressive Party were identified with progressive social reforms often described as "idealist". Unwavering in his commitment to seeking social justice for the marginalized and exploited, Dr. Jagan placed constant emphasis on the virtues of democracy, human rights, and transparent and honest government.

Internationally, he was one of the first politicians to bring the general issue of colonialism in the Caribbean to the attention of the world. Dr. Jagan was widely respected as a vocal spokesperson for southern sentiment regarding inequities in the international global order, despite the fact that he was the president of a poor country with little power at the international level.
 

Unwavering in his commitment to seeking social justice for the marginalized and exploited, Dr. Jagan placed constant emphasis on the virtues of democracy, human rights, and transparent and honest government...

He called for debt relief for countries from the South and made concrete proposals to change the international global order.  ...He continually appealed to the World Bank, the IMF, and the G-7 to shift their focus to economic management which emphasizes human development, the elimination of  poverty, and reversing the growing gap between the richest and the poorest countries.

Dr. Jagan also called for a new global human order which would recognise the inter-dependence of nations and work towards the elimination of exploitative commercial practices. The courage and leadership Dr. Jagan showed in addressing economic and social justice issues both within Guyana and internationally will be greatly missed.

Dr. Jagan wrote numerous articles on a variety of topics, as well as four books: Forbidden Freedom (1955); The West On Trial: My Fight for Guyana's Freedom (1966); Caribbean Revolution (1979); and The Caribbean: Whose Backyard? (1984).