…race assumptions
At began like a clichéd joke…Two town fellas wander into an isolated, rural community and are caught stealing rear view mirrors. They’re given a sound thrashing and handed over to the Police. Nothing extraordinary up to now, right. Well, let’s introduce some adjectives into the story. Two African- Guyanese fellas wader into an isolated Indian-Guyanese community…. And we now have a full-blown “racist incident” – if some are to be believed.
The newspapers reporting the incident mentioned the Police were conducting investigations after they’d taken the two men into custody after the beating. But on Capitol News, the men are interviewed – and of course they give THEIR version of the events. They never saw any car mirrors – but the local friend they were visiting did ask them as to where they’d put the mirrors.
While in the broadcast the men didn’t mention any racial taunts, being African-looking and Canal known as an Indian community, several officials jumped into the fray without waiting for the Police report. The Government Director of Public Information (DPI) – shill for the PM as head for Information – rushed out a column “Is it OK to be black in Guyana?” That right!!
He offered a POLITICAL explanation for the beatings: the beating of the men “presumably under the suspicion of pilfering car mirrors does not exist in a vacuum. The views and convictions of the perpetrators are formed over a period of time by information they are fed, quite possibly from leaders to whom they look up to and revere… Our political leaders cannot be allowed to contrive an environment in which members of the public who ascribe to their political convictions begin to cultivate hate and bitterness and resentment to persons of another ethnicity.” Khan knows his readers know it’s the PPP he’s talking about.
Another Chronicle columnist Akola Thompson observed: “The savage beating of two Afro-Guyanese, Dameion Gordon and Vernon Beckles in Canal … by the residents in my view was prompted by stereotypes where their only crime was not fitting in the predominantly Indian community.”
But the DPI wasn’t the only public official that rushed to the “racist” judgment. The Govt Advisor on Culture shrieked, “These are the victims of the racist violence over at Canal No. 1”!! And called it “attempted murder”. The Social Cohesion Ministry, while noting the Police should conduct their Inquiry, suggested they should visit the community. The Government Information News Agency reported this.
The following day, the Police reported their investigation showed no sign of “vigilantism” and the beaten fellas alibi were blown by the man they claimed invited them to Canal!
Think we’ll see any retractions? Would it change anything? Naaah.
…dissembling
PM Nagamootoo and Security Minister Ramjattan took a ministerial entourage to pay tribute to the 15 sugar workers massacred on March 13, 1913, at Rose Hall, Canje. Noticeably absent was Agriculture Minister Noel Holder who you’d think would have been the fittest fella to show his face. Sugar’s still “Agriculture”, no?? But maybe Holder had the grace not to be praising sugar workers for their sacrifice – when his Government’s about to CLOSE Rose Hall!
But what about Nagamootoo and Ramjattan? They secured the 11 per cent Indian vote that put their APNU coalition over the tape by specifically SWEARING sugar wouldn’t be privatised. Nagamootoo callously reiterated that promise – without mentioning that Rose Hall and three other estates would be closed – one by his son-in-law!!!
Imagine Rose Hall sugar workers staring into the maws of starvation – which drove their ancestors to Guyana as Indian indentured servants – yet Nagamootoo wouldn’t level with them.
Would it matter? Naaah. No empathy cause he said he ain’t no Indian!
…blaming PPP
We know the antenna at Sparendaam wasn’t moved to create Pradoville 2. Now US$5 million monies owed by the Chinese company HKGT for GTT’s stock was confirmed by the company as never paid to NICIL.
Any retractions? Naaah! The damage’s been done.
