NOW that the new APNU+AFC Government is settling into office, it is time for us to reflect on the recently held 2015 National Elections, contemplate their significance, and extract lessons learned.

This elections showed in no uncertain terms that African-Guyanese have finally arrived, as I said in a previous letter, “at a point of collective enlightenment and maturity which enables them to recognise and accept Indian-Guyanese as equals worthy of their respect and embrace as Guyanese brothers and sisters”. Let us be honest: This had not been the case for decades. Readers will rightly ask why I appear to be focusing exclusively on the African-Guyanese attitude. Check your Guyana political history, particularly the 40s, 50s, and 60s. You will have to confront the evidence that Dr. Cheddi and the PPP consistently bent over backwards to join hands with the African-Guyanese political leadership and rank-and-file supporters to put together inclusive Governments. And they were constantly rebuffed by African-Guyanese.
But what has just happened? Suddenly, it dawned on the masses of African-Guyanese that the pathway to political power in Guyana lies in joining hands with Indian-Guyanese. Driven by that awareness, African-Guyanese rose to the level of their better natures, took the moral high ground, and discovered that Moses Nagamootoo, Khemraj Ramjattan and other Indian- Guyanese were really nice people like themselves. And the rest is history.
Today, the secret is out and everyone knows it – racial reconciliation and harmony is power. And since politicians love power, they must realise that no longer will the politics of division give them power in Guyana. Guyana has irreversibly turned a corner. Integration, not division, is the new political game. Of course, there will be those who will try to resurrect the old divisive energy, but they will find themselves in the minority. It is a pity that it took us over 60 years to learn this important lesson.
WILBERT M. STEPHENSON