EVERYDAY, we are faced with decisions that affect not only ourselves, but also the people around us. As individuals, it is left to us to determine how we react to these circumstances, and whether we accept or reject what we are being told. Unfortunately, the ill-informed and ill-educated, sometimes cannot help but be impressed by the misguided values that are reflected in the writings of what President Jagdeo so rightfully calls “bigoted academics”. (“Is it a case of might is right”, David Hinds, Kaieteur News, September 7, 2010).
While it is very common, and very easy to utilise the race card in order to further their own political ambitions, these bigots find it more demanding to employ factual, statistical findings to provide evidence that Africans, or any other ethnic group, for that matter, is being marginalised or face oppression by the Government of Guyana. The socio-economic status of Guyanese is not determined by their racial heritage, nor is it determined by their ethnic makeup. We need to realise that equal opportunities exist for all Guyanese, and this is owed principally to efforts undertaken by government to invest heavily in social programmes, that educate and empower all Guyanese.
The 2010 budget allotted $21.4 billion dollars to the education sector, and 13.3 billion to the health sector. Quality universal secondary, technical and vocational education is provided to all Guyanese, and is not inoperative to Africans because government hates and discriminates against that ethnic group. Instead, all of society enjoys and benefits from the education and health system. There is no segregation in this country. Afro-Guyanese children do not attend different schools from Indo-Guyanese children. In fact no child could ever be refused entry to a secondary school or a school of any other level, for which he/she has the required grades.
It is important to emphasise here, as I stated in a previous letter, that “Race and ethnicity are not barriers to an individual’s progress and development”. The underlining fact here is that President Jagdeo is well within his rights to condemn racial provocations. He should be encouraged to take every means necessary to arrest this issue. Continuously reiterating in people’s minds that they are ‘second class citizens,’ breeds hostility and ethnic conflict. Xenophobia should never be tolerated by any government, or in any society.
The racial provocations of these “bigoted academics” are motivated solely by their quest for political power. It is my hope that people will choose not to be lured in by the hate literature of these bigots but choose instead, to unite as a people for the common good of our country. No nation divided can stand!