Home Letters Have we brought to power a discriminatory Government?
Dear Editor,
Have we brought to power a discriminatory Government? Surely, so! Editor, I urge you and our readers to continue reading for details. Ms Volda Lawrence, Minister of Human Services and Social Protection within recent weeks publicly condemned the high incidence of murders originating from domestic violence. Rightly so! However, a colossal problem that desperately deserves similar attention is the alarming murder rate racked up through brutal crime (street robberies, burglaries, etc), a problem to which Ms Lawrence turns a blind eye. How inhumane! Ms Lawrence castigates domestic violence because she wants solutions and rightly so. However, Ms Lawrence lacks enthusiasm condemning the horrendous crime situation which engulfs this country.
Criminals largely go after and kill a certain segment of the population, but Ms Lawrence remains silent. It is hard not to conclude that Ms Lawrence discriminates against this segment of people. Certainly, if Ms Lawrence were impartial, she would have publicly denounced crime. This is damning testimony that Ms Lawrence lacks consistency managing the welfare of Guyanese. Such prejudicial behaviours irrefutably paint Ms Lawrence as divisive, toxic and injurious. Editor, what can account for Ms Lawrence’s behaviour? Categorically, Ms Lawrence is a partisan woman who shows no consideration, to say the least. Considering Ms Lawrence’s less-than-desirable character I wonder why the APNU/PNC/AFC Government does not disavow such a person; then again an autocratic Government will never hold its friends and family culpable. Besides, discrimination is a trademark of this Government.
Ms Lawrence’s discriminatory behaviour is untenable, particularly considering that domestic violence and crime are problems which come under the jurisdiction of her Ministry and they share common root causes which include – lack of respect for others, poor parenting, mental illness, substance of abuse, etc.
This then prompts the obvious and logical question: why Ms Lawrence chose to address domestic violence but not crime? Her inconsistency makes no sense and it is quite disturbing. Ms Lawrence is obviously handicapped by politics which leaves her in a pickle to explain such one-sided actions. Ms Lawrence even rocks a thriving portfolio cataloguing discriminatory utterances such as: the rape of a child is a family issue. Ms Lawrence, may I ask: since when this is the case? Such one-sided theatrics by Ms Lawrence plays into the definition of discrimination. Ms Lawrence needs to be reminded that every taxpayer pays her salary irrespective of race/ethnicity or political affiliations. As such, Ms Lawrence owes it to all Guyanese to be impartial.
Furthermore, such rampant discrimination within the APNU/PNC/AFC Government, in the face of a heightened era of enlightenment is unnecessary and disgraceful. Very unfortunate!
Discrimination within Government ranges from its unfair hiring and firing practices to its lack of inclusiveness at the jubilee celebration, among a string of others which create an intense aura of dysfunction.
Government needs to be reminded of its constitutional and human rights obligations: it must protect and provide for every Guyanese, irrespective of racial or political affiliations or otherwise. Anything different suffers human beings and destroys our country which is exactly what Government is doing.
Undoubtedly, the APNU/PNC/AFC Government stymies the coalescing of Guyanese through its discriminatory practices, even though it rode a mantra of unity to power, only leaving the singular conclusion that its posture on such is bogus. In the face of this, it makes no sense that Government runs a Social Cohesion Ministry (Department). It is a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. Given Government’s discriminatory posture, it is unlikely that it will ever respond to our pains, particularly those emanating from the heart-wrenching crime situation.
Unarguably, Government’s discriminatory tones, as marked by Ms Lawrence’s silence on crime and President Granger’s undemocratic refusal to release the names of criminals pardoned, effectively embolden criminals and drive up the crime rate.
Government’s divisive behaviours need to be eschewed to allow us what we rightfully deserve as human beings. I urge my fellow Guyanese not to back down from our fight against a one-sided Government. We must remember that we, the people, are endowed with the ultimate power to not return such a Government to power. And this we will do.
Sincerely,
Anita Singh