We in Bartica will not allow these calls to race to divide us

Dear Editor,
On October 1, 2018, the Mayor of the township of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, posted on his Facebook page, “Mayor Gifford:2018”, a deliberately edited screenshot WhatsApp status of a young lady with a caption on same spreading hate and racism, which caused the young lady’s image to be tarnished.
This was very distasteful for a leader of the community to manipulate someone’s Facebook in order to incite racism. All Barticians and Guyanese should condemn this.
On Monday, October 1, 2018, Mayor Gifford Marshall published an article in the Guyana Chronicle newspapers which said, “Bartica Mayor rejects Jagdeo tirades”, after which members and supporters of the People’s Progressive Party Civic went on social media, specifically Facebook, and shared pictures and videos displaying the warm welcome and love which was shown to the Opposition Leader by all races. One of those pictures the young woman in question posted on her WhatsApp status, which the Mayor subsequently screenshot from her Whatsapp and added in a racial line.
The APNU camp was clearly shaken up by this demonstration of love by the people of Bartica for the Opposition Leader, and thus Mr. Mayor went on social media venting, accusing Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo of inciting racism by saying “us versus them”.
My question is, how was the Opposition Leader inciting racial division when he was comparing Guyana’s ECONOMIC situation from the time of the PPP/C Government and now under the APNU/AFC Government? Mr. Jagdeo never said us versus them; he pointed out cold, hard facts of how the APNU/AFC Government is damaging the country, the economy, by bad polices that are hurting the people and the country; and, in contrast, pointed out what the PPP/C had done in the economy and social programmes to better the lives of the people.
The Mayor could not refute these facts, and he and his colleagues in the APNU became fearful of the PPP/C being victorious at this upcoming LGE.
Mr. Mayor was totally out of order for publicising a screenshot status which included the young lady’s name and image on his Facebook page, which he edited and inserted words she never used. He then watched as his cronies bashed her and the PPP/C mercilessly on race.
We recognise that, in their desperation, all the PNC/APNU/AFC has left is race to call on.
We in Bartica will not allow these calls to race to divide us; we want a better Town Council, one that will consult and represent the interests and needs of the Barticians. After three years of the APNU/AFC-controlled Government, RDC and Town Council, and unfulfilled promises, we know only the PPP/C can offer us improvement and a better life.

Sincerely,
Tamana Thomas,
Young
businesswoman