IT WAS not public information that Linden enjoyed an electricity subsidy for more than 22 years during the PPP/C tenure in office, and also during the PNC’s 28 years in Government. That secret was closely guarded, but for what reasons? Only after the PPP/C Government attempted to ease the nationwide burden was the massive subsidy revealed, resulting in the 2012 Linden riots. 

But the justification to remove Linden’s electricity subsidy had prior approval by the same PNC-APNU-WPA leadership of David Granger (PNC) and Dr Rupert Roopnaraine (WPA) in an agreement with the PPP/C Government.

Why did WPA-PNC-AFC extremists subsequently find such fertile ground to demand continued subsidy for only Linden’s PNC supporters? No other Guyanese people – despite colour, race, religion and what not – mattered at that time to Linden’s extremist champions. Do even the rest of the Afro-Guyanese in the nation matter so that they also might get cheaper electricity? Are they rich, unlike Linden’s “poor people”?

Race only matters to those who are “possessed”, and when the few jumbies so decide. No other Guyanese citizens — regardless of colour, religion, friendships, inter-marriages, and proximity as neighbours — supposedly count, or have any say.

Sugar workers nationwide must, regardless, still work tomorrow to tap into the sugar levy; unlike every Lindener, who automatically benefits, regardless of whether or not they work.

For anyone to croon about the nationwide sugar subsidy, which provides jobs and earn foreign exchange, and ignore its political, racial and economic repercussions, is most pitiful and reprehensible. How does it compare to validating rioting for Linden’s electricity subsidy?

Well, since Linden is all black, it seems that race is all that matters. It provides traction for mayhem and proves their point. Can there be any future magnanimous fairness and honesty? Production of comparable rioting evidence that Indians indeed fought against subsidy for Linden based on race may do the trick; but such evidence simply does not exist.

Now we find some 300 sugar workers in 2014 picketing the National Assembly without disturbing the free flow of traffic, brutalizing and robbing people, burning private buildings and schools, and without throwing any stones at the police, which is excellent reason why no one was arrested. How can political affinity, race, behaviour, education, crowd control or the race-baiting agitation be responsible for any contrasts at both events?

What was the role of those WPA and AFC instigators during the 2012 riots? Is it still a secret?

In contrast, how long has the sugar industry been subsidized, especially with AFC/APNU future goals to ensure its demise? Does Guyana’s nationwide sugar industry (and workers of all races) have the right to a subsidy? For how long can this last? That is the big question.

Indo-Guyanese workers were quickly put to work to stabilize Guyana’s economy right after landing. Even those many freed black slaves from the Caribbean who came as indentured servants, as well as Portuguese and Chinese labourers, shied away. Finally, when all else failed, Indian sugar workers were brought to build the wealth of Guyana. They still continue to do so in contributions to subsidize education and upkeep Guyana’s growing infrastructure.

In the 1970s, the PNC imposed a levy on sugar and skimmed the fat off the profits for “national development”. Was any such levy imposed on either Linden or bauxite for national development?

President Barack Obama quickly ensured that American banks and major car and housing industries were adequately subsidised after he was elected in 2008. (I stood in line for five hours to vote for him).

However, what some champion as subsidy to a community rather than an industry is only encouraging laziness, which can only ultimately create a welfare country. Encouraging any Guyanese community to remain anchored on handout dependency only continues to keep them mentally shackled and does them no good. Sooner or later, even GuySuCo, if it continues to remain needy, must be divested to prevent the entire ship from sinking; but only the PPP/C Government, and no one else, must be prepared to make that decision!

VASSAN RAMRACHA