…in race local relations
It’s clear that it doesn’t take much for Guyana’s ethnic fissures to be opened up. The “Affaire Gandhi” is only the latest contretemps to set temperatures rising. And we know why this is so, don’t we? What else but the scorched earth campaign of the PNC and its cohorts since the PPP’s No Confidence Motion back in Dec 21, 2018! Yep…it’s almost three years now. Time does speed past when the PNC is stoking its usual fires by playing the race card!
At that time, even though NCMs are a standard feature of Parliamentary Governments in England and its ex-colonies and is embedded in their constitution, PNC cried “RACE!!!” They’ve been regularly used in the Commonwealth countries to bring down Governments such as Thatcher’s in England, Harper’s in Canada and Vajpayee’s in India. Some of their MPs that helped them to form the Government would’ve voted against them and bring them down! Remember May and Brexit? None of them complained, but took their fall in good faith as they departed. That’s the way the cookie crumbles when representatives can vote their conscience! NOT the PNC!! No siree Bob!!
They not only screamed “Judas” – and elbowed him in the ribs in Parliament – but outright accused AFC MP Charandass Persaud who voted with the PPP of doing so because of race! Never mind he explained that he switched because the PNC had fired 7000 sugar workers mainly from his Region!! The only Indian is a dead Indian, we heard! Several other Indian Guyanese Opposition MPs were forced to defend their “honour” and prove their loyalty! And the race card was never returned into the pack since! When they were finally dragged, kicking and screaming, to the polls after a year, the PNC’s racial campaign was epitomised by their supposedly technocratic Finance Minister screaming in front of a predominantly African Guyanese crowd in Bartica – WAR BREAK!!
But rabid as that was, it was tame compared to what’s been taking place since they finally left office 5 months after the elections were held. Let’s not forget the racial beatings on West Berbice after the Henry murders following Granger’s provocations. Every PPP Government’s action was dubbed as “racial” by them. The COVID-19 vaccination is as good an example as any. Imagine PNC Facebook jockeys telling their mainly African Guyanese supporters that the PPP was trying to commit genocide with the vaccination programme?? Their specious distinction that they weren’t against vaccination per se, but against the Government making it a prerequisite for obtaining Government service didn’t cut any ice!
The PNC made a public health issue into a racial issue without a scintilla of evidence.
Why be surprised we’re sitting on a rumbling volcano?
…of corruption
The news that the Amerindian Affairs Ministry PS was nabbed in a sting operation after the Police were alerted that she was shaking down a contractor blew the lid on what many had known but has escaped scrutiny. Corruption isn’t confined to politicians and the business community: state officials are also neck deep in it. Who hasn’t been propositioned to “pass something” when seeking a governmental service?
So, what do we do about it? Well, we can encourage public-minded citizens like the fella who blew the whistle on the errant PS. But that species is rare. Another way might be to return to the professionalising of the Public Service, as it was back in the day (sad to say it) of the Brits. Does anyone believe the PSs of the old days would’ve been so brazen?
Well, we have to get back to these standards. And President Ali has demonstrated that he won’t put up with this nonsense.
But guess who will scream “race”!!
…of Covid variants
With our rate of new infections and rate of deaths stubbornly heading north, Guyanese are still just as stubbornly hesitant about getting vaccinated – egged on by the PNC scaremongers.
Let’s hope the just-arrived 100,000+ Pfizer vaccines change some minds.
