I WRITE to endorse the contents of Ms Ryhaan Shaw’s letter (published in the media on May 6, 2015). As we celebrate 177 years of Indian Arrival to this country, Indians who articulate their ethnic pride (while not denying the right of others to do so) are castigated to the nth degree. Simply look at the blogs associated with Ms. Shah’s letter where the slogan “a vote for the PPP is a vote for racism and corruption” dominates the platform. The electoral battle lines are clearly drawn and, this election will do little to change previous electoral configurations when it comes to ethnic support, largely because political leaders refuse to confront this anomaly in our body politic. Suspicions among Indians are fuelled by the continued refusal of the PNC (APNU) to confront its past transgressions and, in the absence of leadership and organisations that sincerely and frontally advocate for Indians in our plural society, the PPP, though not the ideal, represents the best choice for Indians. Most Indians will hold their noses and look beyond the corruption issue, as they ask themselves which party best represents their security and political interests. Others will do the same. In a post-election period, regardless of which party emerges victorious, we should strive to promote ‘Unity in Diversity’, as we seek to uphold our national motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’. In addition, Guyanese need to look towards a decentralisation political system, one that takes power away from the node in Georgetown and transfer meaningful power to local communities in the three counties (Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice).

DR BAYTORAM RAMHARACK