PNC revelation

Dear Editor,
In the world of sport coaching there are two schools of thought, one holds that adversity builds character and the other which believes that it reveals it; I sit firmly in the school of the latter and find it also applicable to all aspects of life. PNC Chairperson Volda Lawrence’s statements as reported by Demerara Waves on 27th and 28th Nov bear testament to the extent to which adversity reveals the true character of a person and/or organization.
Ms. Lawrence said “PPP had 28 candidates looking like you running in Georgetown and two looking like (Bharrat) Jagdeo.” While I applaud her candor in admitting her party’s need to move away from its traditional base, her language exposed Volda Lawrence and the PNC’s Aversive racism, according to which negative evaluations of racial/ethnic minorities are realized by a persistent avoidance of interaction with other racial and ethnic groups.
Language such as ‘look like’ can only attract those with low self-esteem and blatant opportunists, had Ms. Lawrence stated that the PPP had fielded 28 Black candidates and 2 Indians, and she wanted to attract more Indians to the PNC, I would have applauded her common sense approach and lauded her for the realization that the AFC is dead as a vote getting ally; had Ms. Lawrence any real affinity for Guyanese of any ethnicity, she would know that we are all well able to recognize the coded language of the latent racist.
Editor, even as the unpalatable described above was being digested, we were informed that Lawrence told delegates at the PNC District 4 Conference “The only friends I got is PNC so the only people I gon give wuk to is PNC and right now I looking for a doctor who can talk Spanish or Portuguese and ah want one that is PNC,” I am now sure that Minister of Health Hon. Volda Lawrence did not know her statements were going to be broadcast in any way shape or form outside of PNC Headquarters Congress Place! How else can we account for this blatant statement of intent to implement nepotism?
The old PNC party card used to have immense power at the KSI for permission to purchase scarce essential food items during the last period of PNC mismanagement; it is now being touted as essential in securing a job paid for by the public purse in this new dispensation.
Editor, when we add the sentiments expressed by Volda Lawrence to those of Minister of the Presidency Joe Harmon where he asserts that there will be no more ‘nice time’ for Opposition People’ Progressive Party supporters who ‘sabotage’ his Administration’s programmes; a clear pattern of aggressive racism emerges.
I would call on civil society organisations to avert their gaze from the oil barrel long enough to recognise we are now in a critical phase in our nation’s history; should the statements emanating from People’s National Congress headquarters not be condemned, the actions they advocate will soon become our new reality. The Guyana Human Rights Association recently awoke from its slumber to advocate for a consumer issue in dealing with banking regulations; GHRA needs to return to its primary responsibility of protecting individuals from excesses by the state, its actors and organs.
I will not end by asking for apologies from Lawrence or Harmon, for people should not be asked to apologise for who they are, they should also not be re-elected to public office now that their true character has been revealed.

Name withheld