Dear Editor
MAYBE it was politically incorrect for the chairperson of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Volda Lawrence to express publicly that she will only give employment opportunities to supporters of her party, the largest grouping in the coalition government, A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC). Of course, criticisms were fast, furious and emanated from all quarters to such a pronouncement.
However discriminatory was her statement, there are some cold, hard truths and realities that it reflects; and as a popular columnist would have said, “Volda Lawrence merely made public what others do.”

Editor, if it is contended that the low turnout of voter support for APNU in the recently held Local Government Elections (LGEs) has been due to the latter’s neglect to service its support base, then voter reaction to the LGEs has been duly registered, with the message and all that it meant understood very clearly by APNU, especially, the People’s National Congress.

In clear and unambiguous terms, this is a prime example of voter support disenchantment, which warnings had been echoed by many commentators. In clear terms, this means that APNU’S supporters are disappointed because of the perceived neglect that they felt, and still do feel. They vented their feelings by staying away from the polls.
This reaction mirrors a reality as far as the current socio-economic status in relation to of

African Guyanese, and there can be no pretension that it does not exist. It is this situation which Volda Lawrence, in her capacity of chairperson of her party, expressed her views.
Editor, it does not take an alien to realise what the former PPP/C government did to African Guyanese in its 23 years of governance, as it evolved a programme that was specifically configured to place African Guyanese, the support base of the PNC/R, outside of the circle of economic participation and beneficial gain. Even for those of this ethnic grouping, who for one reason or the other gravitated towards the PPP/C, they were never on par in terms of being part of the inner circle of cronies, who grew fat on the opportunities on offer, and even on the criminal spoils that were tailor made for the latter category
By the time of the new dispensation, African Guyanese were pushed into the category of non-participants in the socio-economic activities of the nation where there were boundless opportunities for legitimate participation in return for material rewards. They were denied the opportunities

A perfect example of this outright discrimination that was undisguised, unconcealed, and unmistakably racist in its application, and which defined the political morality of the PPP/C was the manner of its dispensation of state contracts. Not only were the rules conveniently sidestepped, trampled, and overturned for rewarding the ethnicity of their base support, but also the question of the Procurement Commission had been deliberately stymied.
This particular act has left its destructive mark on the national ethnic landscape, where many African-Guyanese contractors were reduced to beggars, strangers, and mere spectators to an activity that denied them the right to earn, not only for themselves, but also for scores of labourers.
Thus, for Bharrat Jagdeo to label Lawrence as “corrupt” because of her statement, and even threatening legal action has to be yet the biggest political, convenient nonsense, and case of self-induced amnesia that has been emitted from his forked tongue. All that she did was to pronounce the truth on a situation, that was scripted, and tailor made by this most dishonest of political opposition leaders, and which has impacted severely on one segment of the nation.

A visit downtown to the commercial houses, offers another window into the reality of the institutionalised racism that has been enacted against African Guyanese – most stores employ Indo Guyanese, with a number of them never having had a single African on its staff for decades. But that has been a trademark of most sections of the country’s private sector, even against African-Guyanese applicants who have been better qualified than some who are employed within that sector.

Editor, there is no doubt that this government decided on a path of non-discrimination in its governance programme, in a country that has been deliberately been converted into a racist entity by the former PPP/C administration in furtherance of its programme of ethnic dominance. The coalition has proven its message of governing in the best interests of the nation and its entire people, by its numerous socio-economic interventions in communities where it has no support. But we all know that it was never so, during the racist reign of the PPP/C administration – they discriminated against African-dominated communities.
In fact, at a PNC biennual congress, a senior party official in his report had emphasised the fact that its supporters will have to understand that it is not the only segment of the population that needs the attention of the government. Given the context of what would have been our ethnic realities, and its cumulative experience to date, and concomitant lessons, I have no doubt that it was a realistic position to take, especially given the political dynamics of the country.

However, the reality was of a country in which African Guyanese had been blatantly marginalised, and still looking for a place under the economic sun of Guyana. The hands of African-Guyanese were not in the national pie as the other ethnic segment was, much being close to dispensing base.

I see nothing wrong in a party in government, tending to and ensuring the needs of its supporters, who would have given its all for having it elected to government, even in a nation that is as ethnically diverse as Guyana. It is a political fact in other states. However, this has to be done in a manner that must offer equal opportunities to other ethnicities, and not the other way around, as was the dictum of the PPP/C administration which had practised institutionalised racism and discrimination.

In reality, no one can accuse the coalition government of racism in its employment policy of Guyanese within the general public service. As an example, it has been more than magnanimous in retaining many in public service positions that are staffed by well-known PPP/C adherents, who also ran on the PPP/C slate in 2015 and who are known to be part of a collective that has been stymieing socio-economic programmes which are critical to improving the lives of Guyanese and their communities.

Though Lawrence has apologised for her statements, she is not a racist, since she has been performing her ministerial responsibilities in the best interest of all Guyana and its people. All that she would have done is to reflect on a delicate situation that pertains to her party supporters, which can no longer be ignored, be postponed, be overlooked, or be swept under the carpet. It has to be remedied without delay. By affirmative action to right the wrongs perpetrated under the PPP/C’s reign. As an aside, it is the greatest of contradictions to have read the comments from a few political commentators; particularly those from a foremost Africanist Dr David Hinds, well-known for his pro-African views as far as the socio-economic condition of African Guyanese is concerned.

Though Hinds has warned as to the potential effect that Lawrence’s statements can have at the 2020 poll, he must be reminded that in so many of his columns, he was critical of what he has described as the government not tending to the needs of its supporters, especially the circumstances of African Guyanese; while ignoring their unchanged economic conditions and the discontent that such can have for future support. Though one may understand the context of this political scientist’s views, given the need for the government to attract voter support from the other ethnic groups, there has to be measures taken to deal with what is an overwhelming socio-economic imbalance against the African segment of the nation. This columnist must also be reminded of his views on social cohesion, in one of his many opinions on the concept in which he clearly challenged the concept of equality in a nation where there are existing, glaring economic disparities among the two largest ethnic groups. He has queried this coveted goal, given the extant reality. After having pronounced on Volda Lawrence’s statements, it is only fair that he offers suggestions as to how to elevate his fellow African Guyanese.

Editor, as an African Guyanese I have lived in this country all of my life, and has borne witness to the rise and establishment of institutionalised racism that have decimated my fellow African Guyanese, causing many to become unwilling sycophants at the altar of survival; with even they too confined to the outside of the realm of the chosen few. While others have been made to live degraded lives, even though possessing the credentials for meritorious opportunities, others are just merely surviving.

Definitely, they all would have understood what Ms. Lawrence said, simply because it is about their state of existence and the need to improve it. The announced initiative of 20 per cent of contracts for small contractors, is indeed a welcome beginning, for it will offer opportunities to a category whose capacity to expand were deliberately destroyed, by the former PPP/C administration who decided who got what, and how much.

Finally, in my own humble way, I am prepared to give weight to measures, all measures which will effect a fair and equitable deal for my fellow Africans who have suffered economic pain and martyrdom over the decades, at the hands of a racist PPP/C administration.

Regards
Observer