The Ministry of Social Cohesion is more than relevant

THE PPP has made a lot of noise about the Ministry of Social Cohesion (MSC). It has demanded the outlawing of the ministry, which it argues displaces constitutional organs such as the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). Of course this is all part of the PPP’s grand strategy to delegitimise the government; but, in the process, it runs the risk of poisoning the minds of its supporters, who stand to benefit from the initiative embodied in the objectives of the MSC. In this column, I am arguing that the MSC is a very necessary initiative.

For me, the MSC represents a bold step by government; it is a recognition that Guyana needs healing and reconciliation. It is the first time that a government has moved beyond empty rhetoric to acknowledge that government does have a role to play at the highest level in facilitating a national ethos. Ethnic and social-class polarisation is more deep-seated than we admit. That we downplay their salience has to do with our collective ahistorical attitude to our country’s evolution. In the final analysis, we are a reflection of our cumulative history.

The major justification for the MSC is that Guyana has a historical problem of polarisation between our major ethnic groups, and inside of those groups; and it needs to be addressed by all stakeholders, including the government. We also have a class polarisation that is often masked by ethnicity.

The poor know why they are poor, and the rich often believe that poverty is a function of individual and group choices. This polarisation has impeded the realisation of a shared national purpose that is so needed for survival in a hostile world.
We have spent a lot of time wishing that our ethnic diversity goes away, and that, in the process, we become Guyanese bereft of ethnic identities. But the more we wish, the stronger our individual ethnic identities have become. Obviously, there is something fundamental about identity that some of our commentators and politicians do not grasp or care to grasp. Our challenge, then, should not be the eradication of our ethnic identities. Rather, it should be about constructing a national ethos that accommodates our diversity. In the end education, both formal and informal, and the enactment of government policies, are the most potent tools.

The biggest barrier to a Guyanese national ethos is the fear by all ethnic groups of domination by the other. Often, it is the fear of domination that leads to the practice of domination, and vice versa. For me, then, the MSC’s major task should be tackling the problem of ethnic domination. If we are able to contain the instinct and fear of domination, then we would go a long way towards creating more space for a shared ethos. A lot of that work has to be done through formal and informal education. The MSC has to partner with the Ministry of Education to create in our larger curriculum a Social Cohesion curriculum.

There is also need for a Community Social Cohesion initiative that aims to reduce the tension between ethnic identity and national belonging. In this regard, the MSC has to acknowledge our diversity and highlight both the intersections of those identities and the uniqueness of the individual ones. We are very good at pointing to the intersections, but we silence the uniqueness for fear that it is interpreted as bigotry. In this regard, education and frank discussions about race are inevitable.

The dream of a non-ethnic society must not be the substitute for an inter-ethnic socio-political, cultural and political space.

The MSC also should focus on developing policies aimed at socio-ethnic equality, and suggest these to the government. There can be no social cohesion without social equality; this has to be a priority for the MSC. The unevenness that exists between social and ethnic groups is an impediment to a national ethos. The poor know that they are dominated by the rich, and that government policies generally favour the rich.

Finally, the lack of cohesion within ethnic and social groups has to be a focus. The fracturing of village cohesion, brought about by the culture of divide-and-conquer championed by the PPP government, has to be confronted. The glaring gulf between men and women is systemic, and the consequences are far-reaching. There can be no meaningful social cohesion outside of this fracture between the sexes. The MSC is, therefore, more than relevant.

More of Dr Hinds writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com