Involvement of Guyanese- Americans in US politics

Dear Editor,
This coming Tuesday is the day of America’s general elections. How involved are Guyanese-Americans in this or other elections and in politics in general in the US? In general, Guyanese are not politically-minded, but in this election, they would vote in larger percentages or numbers than before.
An increased number of them don’t feel comfortable with Trump as President, even though his administration is largely responsible for the change in administration in Guyana. The Obama Administration was responsible for the removal of Ramotar’s Administration in 2015.
Based on my interviews and empirical observation, Guyanese political participation in America is minimal, with less than 50% voting, with few involved in campaigns and political activism or donating to campaigns. I attended many political meetings and rallies and victory celebrations from the 1980s to now, and hardly came across (Indo) Guyanese in political activities.
Generally speaking, Guyanese- Americans are not politically or civic-minded. Only a handful of us, inclusive of this writer, are civic- minded, attending community meetings, or are engaged in political activism or donating to campaigns. Very few are actively involved in getting-out-the-vote drives, and fewer seek elective office or organize political groups in their neighbourhoods.
Guyanese turnout rate in voting is very low, thus it is not surprising that Guyanese do not have much influence in American politics, except in rare cases, as when they lobbied American politicians for the 1992, 2015, and 2020 Guyana elections. Those outcomes were determined largely through US pressure to bring about change in administration.
With Guyanese not being a homogenous group, their political engagement varies by ethnicity. Afro-Guyanese seem more politically involved than Indians. Afros seem more politically inclined in Brooklyn than Indians in Queens or the Bronx. There are Afro-Guyanese elected to office, but no Indos. The two groups are settled in their own distinct communities, with little social interaction, except for some national festivals like Phagwah or Independence Day celebrations and shopping in Richmond Hill. The two groups live and socialise apart in a manner not different from what obtains in Guyana. In fact, they are more segregated in America than in Guyana. Indos have not been vested with positions of political power, whereas Afros have held elective office. Issues pertaining to Indos are not attended to (given resources) by American politicians, whereas interests of Afros are attended.
I once approached the Congressman for my area in Woodhaven on an issue pertaining to Guyana. His staff checked the registered voters list for my name and pointed out I am not registered as a voter. Assistance was not provided. I could not vote as a non-American. So, it is important to become citizen, register, and vote.
Community and civic leader Ashook Ramsaran lamented the minimal participation of Guyanese in mainstream American politics. Ramsaran, President of Indian Diaspora Council International, noted that “despite their arrival in the USA starting in the mid 1960’s and being a substantial potential voting bloc in various districts in Queens, particularly so in Richmond Hill, Indo-Guyanese have significantly lagged other recent immigrant groups politically, such as the Punjabi and Indian communities who are making rapid strides in political consciousness”. There are 2 Indo-Guyanese appointed or elected district leaders Taj Rajkumar and Richard David in Queens. On the other hand, says Ramsaran, Afro-Guyanese in the USA have made much more progress in politics at the federal, state and city levels. He points to “Shirley Chisholm (former US Congress Member) and Helen Marshall (former Queens Borough President) who are notable examples. Others include state senator (Roxanne Persaud) and state assembly member (Alicia Hyndman)”. Ramsaran advices that “Indo-Guyanese must take bold actions on this front to achieve political representation in order to be a fully established community”.
The paucity of Indo participation in mainstream American politics go back to the 1970s when the few existing Guyanese political groups were involved in issues pertaining to Guyana’s politics and not American politics. This writer joined with other student activists to found a group that championed free and fair elections in Guyana. Because we were not citizens, we were not involved in American politics in the early years of the Guyanese presence. We were more interested in the freedom of Guyana. And almost every Guyanese was caught up with earning a living and establishing themselves in a new society and acquiring a home with little time to engage in civic or political activities or even to be bothered in activism to liberate Guyana. Later, during the 1980s, attention was paid to involvement in domestic American politics. We recognized that without Guyanese involvement in American politics, pressure would not be borne on the Guyana dictatorship by American politicians. Several Guyanese volunteered on American political campaigns. I have not missed an election cycle as a volunteer since the late 1980s.
Since the 1990s, seminars were held to sensitize Guyanese about American political participation. Yet in 2020, Guyanese, Indians in particular, have not exhibited much activism in politics. Their role has remained very submissive and minimal to some of them voting of about 50%. Very few Guyanese attend political meetings or financially contribute to campaigns. And fewer volunteer on campaigns.
Guyanese Americans manifest a resistance to acculturating into American society. This is a result of cultural, religious and ethnic background. Indians cannot relate with mainstream (White) American culture which is not appealing to them. They feel at home socializing among their own in their secluded communities. And because of political issues in Guyana, that is the principal reason why they find themselves in America, they avoid politics. They find little honor in politics given their experience from Guyana. And, thus they avoid politics except when their leaders from Guyana visit America. Guyanese came out in their numbers to greet, hear, and interact with the leadership from Guyana. Indians in Queens showed up in packed halls to meet the PPP leadership. And Brooklyn based Africans do the same when the PNC leadership visits. The two ethnic groups hardly patronize each other political programs. There is virtually no inter-group political interaction to empower each other in America although Black candidates from Brooklyn are known to seek campaign funding from Queens. Every Caribbean politician from Brooklyn has sought political campaign funding from Richmond Hill. Yet not much political benefits flow to Guyanese in Queens. Indo Guyanese need to change tract and strategies.
America has been their home since the 1960s. Guyanese are not returning to live in the former homeland. Thus, they need to become more civic and politically minded to life in the US. Tuesday elections is critical for their presence in America and also for relations with Guyana. They must come out in their numbers and cast ballots. And where practical, they should join the campaigns and provide assistance to the few Guyanese seeking elective office to empower the community.

Yours truly,
Dr Vishnu Bisram (Pol Scientist)