Were David Hinds not so blinded by egotism and divorced from reality, he would acknowledge that Buxton at one time was the epicentre of criminals embellished as freedom fighters, and their activity was nurtured, sustained, aided and abetted by racist elements within the PNC, the police and army with the sole intention to destabilise the government. It is not surprising that the then Police Commissioner has been rewarded as a member of that elite group.
So, David, the stigma of being labelled as thugs and hooligans did not just happen, it was caused by your own people, who encouraged them to pillage, kidnap, murder and rob innocent people and businesses – a continuation of the norm during the PNC misrule, when businesses were burnt and looted in Georgetown, and East Indians were beaten, raped and robbed.
And, as a matter of fact, the target of the Buxton criminals happened to be more than 95 percent Indians. If Buxtonians reflect on those days, they would bow their heads in shame, rather than be considered as a proud and dignified people. Maybe the majority of Buxtonians did not condone the criminals; but, nonetheless, they stood idly by and allowed those criminals to take over their village. Buxton was a safe haven for criminals protected by the army, and you cannot dispute that unless you are suffering from convenient amnesia.
And, to crown it, David, these same criminals and murderers were defended by certain racist lawyers collecting blood money, who are now saying that the PPP/C cannot control the crime situation. But monkey knows what limb to jump on, and joining a band of Indian renegades is just a means of whitewashing their real intentions.
And since when does the PPP/C need Buxton votes to win an election, hence their resort to bribery? I cannot recall Buxtonians voting en block for the PPP at any election. So this is the most preposterous statement emanating from a supposedly intelligent person.
And since when has development in keeping with a national policy that affects every village been considered bribery? Do you see any discrimination in the distribution of house lots, which was alien during the PNC days? And please do not speak of marginalisation, since a visit to the NIS office will dispel any such claim.
Back in the Wild West, the Red Indians used to accuse the white eyes of speaking with a forked tongue. This is an apt analogy for people like David Hinds, Ogunseye, Maxwell, Lewis, Benschop et al, who want our brown Indians to believe they are not racial; but only fools like Kissoon and Ram would believe such hypocrisy.
Reverend Gilbert’s letter in the Guyana Chronicle should make for interesting reading for the likes of Ramjattan and Nagamootoo. It may shock them into reality on the possibility of another onslaught against Indians if the PNC loses the elections. And, believe me, their families will not be spared.