Dear Editor,
REFERENCE is made to an article captioned, “Politicians must move away from race-bait campaigning-Ramsaroop”, as published in KN: 15.7.18.

If my memory serves as guide, I do recall Peter Ramsaroop declaring his support for the Peoples Progressive Party/C in the run up to the 2015 elections. If he still is a member/supporter of this political outfit, then I consider his statements very forthright, if not brave, given that party’s intolerance for self-criticisms. In fact, his current statement about the appeal to race has to be pointed unequivocally in the direction of this party. In fact, this is traditional of a party for whom “race’’ continues to be its seminal card, since it is used to whip up fears, prejudices, and hate, with the aim of keeping its support base in line.

It is interesting as a strategy, in the sense that the party has always been assured of the weight of numbers being on their side, until, of course, that came to an end at the historic May 2015 elections.

The fact that they have continuously resorted to the narrow, insular, parochial, and dangerous call to race, suggests a political movement that was, and still is not sure of its ability to compete squarely on the issues of the day, including what it could genuinely do for the socio-economic development of Guyana and its six peoples. For any political party, competing for executive office in a country that is beset by the problems of ethnicity and race, as Guyana, and genuinely wants to find solution to the latter ought to be a major priority. And if truth be told, this critical effort has only been paid lip service by successive PPP/C administrations.

For this party, “race” has been its shameless platform from which it has been attempting frantically to re-launch its comeback to government. In fact, every call from the coalition government to the PPP/C opposition to join in initiatives for a unified Guyana has been pointedly ignored and shoved aside. One only has to examine the wholly egregious campaign that party leader Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar et al, carried out against the David Granger–led administration, as they desperately sought to absolve themselves of their role in the collapse of a once proud sugar industry. One can add their flavour to the state bringing action to those PPP/C former senior government officials for acts of malfeasance against the State, to understand the PPP/C’s belief in a destructive appeal that has only served to deepen the racial divide in this country.

Even if any race in this country no longer “has majority”, as Ramsaroop has illustrated, the PPP/C will always find refuge in such an emotive appeal. It is/has been their only way of political longevity, and will continue to be, until it drowns in its own poisoned abyss. If Mr. Peter Ramsaroop feels so strongly about what he has stated publicly, and if he is still a member of this party, he should pointedly advise its hierarchy, that race-bait campaigns represent a mind-set that is dangerous for country, its unity, peace, and efforts for prosperity.

Regards,
Earl Hamilton