This website was implemented to keep you updated on the progress of events in Guyana as a result of the women's peace rally on Friday, January 24th, 2003 and to collect names of people who would like to support the women in Guyana by signing onto ADs that will be placed in the country's newspapers. This idea began last Friday when a concerned Guyanese woman living in Toronto decided to recruit her colleagues in academia to sign onto the ADs. The list was then extended to include Caribbean artists, from singers to writers to painters and poets. Given the range of the internet, many other Guyanese from all walks of life are hearing about these ADs and are signing on. The plan is to run these ADs again and again. How to sustain that? We're working on that.

We are in constant contact with the women in Guyana and will try to keep this site updated with their progress. They are forming committees to tackle specific issues and we will post that information so that if you wish to help or join them you can.

The submittal of your name to the list says that it is ok to use your name in the advertisements placed in the newspapers. See a sample AD on the Signees page.

This website has reached many Guyanese living overseas and some have raised valid points pertaining to the roles of those outside and to their “abandonment” of Guyana. This email response was intercepted for the web as it may help clarify the purpose of the newspaper Ads.

People leave Guyana for a variety of reasons; who are we to judge everyone by the same yardstick? It certainly means that we should not presume to speak on behalf of Guyanese at home, but does that disqualify us from caring, from sharing, from responding when the initiative and request for our facilitation comes from Guyana?

When last anyone see anything, with the word Guyana on it, that people have signed on to, across race, across class, across gender, across age, across national borders, even Caribbean academics and artists? Or the responses from chutney singer, Terry Gajraj, saying he really wants to help, or the Mighty Sparrow saying to sign him up, to Rikki Jai saying that we should sign him up and that he and Black Stalin are working on songs that addresses some of these issues in Trinidad, to some Caribbean artistes letting us know if we come up with lyrics they will contribute their talents and come up with a song, to Trinidadian DJ's saying they want to join the list too, to Guyanese everywhere offering to contribute money for full page advertisements? Perhaps elsewhere in the Caribbean people will not only sign on, but take example in their own situations.

And finally, we may think it is symbolic, or can't come to anything. But look what does happen when you put a bunch of educated people together (and yes, I include myself here), we does pontificate, we does quarrel, baby party does bruk up, we does talk and talk and talk.....and over 30 people already murdered in Guyana for 2003. Someday we may say nothing much came of this, but for now, a strategy whereby you choose what I call 'the lowest common denominator' (and that was just to say if you agree that the killing must stop NOW, then sign on) to get Black, Indian, and Amerindian, rich and poor, man and woman to sign on, is a good strategy. If we don't do this, and we immediately start instead by putting forward positions or reasons why the violence happening, then the can buss open, Rishee cussing Josiah, Josiah cussing Rishee and we don't move forward.

If we can generate some generosity of spirit with this, we have done a lot.

The women in Guyana are not speaking. They are acting. We are near the bottom. How much does it take to give them the benefit of the doubt, place some of that little bit of hope you have left in what they are doing, and have just a little faith.

SIGN ON AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT. NOW.

Alissa Trotz

Any Questions or comments pertaining to the maintenance of this site can be sent to maya@jouvay.com.