Dear Editor
GUYANA has been stained with this curse which originated in the 1950s. The meaning of this Hindi word ‘aapan jaat’ meant “Blackman for Blackman Coolie for Coolie.” This curse embraces both Indo and Afro- Guyanese to the point that it shaped the political culture and presents itself in the very fabric of our plural society. J.S. Furnivall defined a plural society as one “where people mix but do not combine.”
“Each group holds its own religion, its own culture and language; its own ideas and ways. As individuals they meet only in the marketplace in buying and selling. There is a plural society with different sections of the community living side by side, within the same political unit.”
This is the plural society which exists in Guyana today. This hatred between these two races had caused them to be polarised to the point where prejudice and racism surfaced its ugly head. Only one change came in recent years, which were welcomed by all races, where it was illegal to use the words “blackman, coolie man and buck man.” Instead, to use these derogatory words, they are supposed to use these words Afro- Guyanese, Indo-Guyanese and Amerindian. That is good and everyone appreciated this correction. I still noticed that both races are guilty of using these words out of earshot of the police. That is totally wrong and we should not harbour this distasteful word, especially when hate crimes are committed.
Wealthy people have been attacked and they have been subjected to hate crimes which consume the lives of many people. This has caused people to form gangs and rob the nation of its wealth. This has caused untold suffering of the people to the extent that both races have lost trust in one another over the years.  Both governments won elections over the years and ‘aapan jaat’ never came to an end but persisted. All political parties called for political sharing of the government, but nothing materialised. I have seen a lot of wrong things done in the PPP/C and to a lesser extent within the new APNU+AFC. There is no doubt that corruption was prevalent within the earlier party PNC and now PPP/C and were both blamed for that by the public.
The APNU+AFC has mixtures of both races in the government of today after the PPP/c lost the 2015 elections, after being in government for 23years.
Recently, they have blamed the APNU+AFC for rigging the past elections. The Indo- Guyanese were frustrated with the PPP/c having witnessed their leaders allegedly robbing the coffers and many of them were vexed and felt cheated.
They were ashamed of their leaders allegedly allowing rich men to peddle drugs under their leadership and many got rich through the clandestine way. Too much of drug money went into the hands of the rich who squandered their money openly.  Some of them still want to clear their names and stayed with the PPP/C and held crucial posts within the party. They are telling the people to remember the past, when the PNC was in power and how they were emasculated and treated like dogs. I remember those days when I had a complement of GCE subjects to get a job. But because of racism I could get no job in my neighbourhood or Georgetown. Eventually I got a job with a Roman Catholic school at Akawabi Mission at Wauna, North West District. I suffered a lot because I could not cook, etc.
The national elections came and most of them voted for the PPP/C, because the hoodoo “apaan jaat” made them vote for the PPP/C, and of course, the entire Afro race voted for APNU+AFC. Then the point is who are we to blame?  The Elections Commission were the ones who counted all the election results in the past and no objections came from the APNU, because they knew that Africans were fewer than Indo-Guyanese. The PPP/C was happy and continued with their governance. Corruption escalated and both APNU and the AFC did not accept the budget, by not using their votes to pass the budget and voted for no-confidence. That is the role of the opposition, to oppose when they do not agree. All opposition forces do that all over the world. The PPP/C got vexed and suspended Parliament for six months. They weakened themselves to the point where they gave the opposition strength to win the next election. It is my feeling that the then leader Donald Ramotar and his Cabinet ministers are not fit to rule again. They felt that they would win the May 11 election, so they left enough money in the till, but little did they know they were leaving money for the next government. They did their best to canvass and win the election by allowing rich men in the country to plug money to fete people in various communities, but they lost. The same men are weaving their way into APNU+AFC. God is a just god. Any rich man wants to get more money, in the process they lose their sight and forget the poor and the powerless. They treat people as if they are the “scum of the earth.” The famous revolutionary author Frantz Fanon said political leaders preach the good things they will do to help the poverty-stricken and in the end they behaved worst than our colonial masters; they get large swimming pools, fancy cars etc. and live in fat style whilst the poor go hungry. I will challenge any cane-cutter to go to the PPP/C leaders who live in Georgetown and take a plunge in his pool. See what happens.
Now that the APNU+AFC is ruling, I feel they must collaborate with the PPP/C to govern the country. This should be done by coaxing them. This is the only way for us to kick “apaan jaat” for good. We need to bury the hatchet and let bygones be bygones; let us call a spade a spade. Only through collegial and collaborative thinking can we solve the problems of Guyana. It is my belief that the PPP/C cannot win an election again, because people will vote the same way and maybe better if the APNU+AFC try and give the sugar workers a good deal and also try to get rice markets for the farmers.

Sincerely,
Chandradat Deonandan