Dear Editor
Fasten your seatbelts as I thread on delicate grounds.
IN this letter to the esteemed editor and the readership, we will unearth the topic of race relations in Guyana under the PPP/C regime. We have all heard the age-old adage that “if we do not admit that a problem exists, we cannot resolve it”.

I put it to the readership that race has been and continues to be an issue in our country and the philosophy of some individuals, but especially the likes of a few political characters and the organisations they are part of, has intentionally encouraged and fuel this issue to disgusting levels within our country.

It is not difficult to accept this view that former Presidents, Bharat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar crafted and manifested a system of economic apartheid for every top position within our nation in favour of only our Indo-Guyanese brothers and sisters, even though Guyana is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious, plural and diverse society.

The PPP/C consciously and unashamedly practised a type of apartheid and discrimination that was never practised anywhere in the post-colonial era of the English-speaking Caribbean.

Apartheid is defined as a system of institutionalized, racial-segregation that legally existed in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. Apartheid was characterized by an authoritarian political culture based on white supremacy, which encouraged state repression of Black Africans, Mixed and Asian South Africans for the benefit of the nation’s minority White population.

Mr. Editor, with respect to the aforementioned held view, I will present evidence to you that reaffirm my articulated position that Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar systematically and deliberately implemented this system of “economic apartheid” after Dr. Jagan’s death.

Jagdeo and his presidential candidate, Mr. Irfaan Ali, who is called and accused of many unethical and illegal acts by his party supporters, are seen on social media taking pictures and videos with some cheaply paid Afro-Guyanese actors, is nothing but a pathetic window-dressing exhibition of racial inclusion by the PPP/C. It’s just despicable; no right-thinking Guyanese will be hoodwinked and bamboozled by this, as Jagdeo’s agenda was implemented in clear view and is forever etched in the memories of the Afro-Guyanese community whom he systematically discriminated against.

Jagdeo’s agenda went against our constitution; our motto, “One People, One nation, One Destiny” as he proceeded to systematically marginalised Afro-Guyanese and oversaw Indo- Guyanese domination of all spheres of life in Guyana which included his Cabinet, every state board and every High-Commission and Ambassadorial post. There was severe/gross under-development in Afro-Guyanese communities; for example, Sophia, Linden, Buxton and Albouystown. University of Guyana’s Tain campus was given more money per capita than [the] University of Guyana, Turkeyen. The townships which housed mainly Afro-Guyanese (Georgetown, Linden & New Amsterdam) received a lesser subvention per capita than the minor towns (Anna Regina, Rosehall and Corriverton).

Was this all coincidence, considering the ethnic make-up of the greater and smaller townships? The undeniable evidence suggests otherwise.

During Jagdeo’s twelve-year imperial rule, 468 Afro-Guyanese men were killed by an alleged state-sponsored death squad and phantom gang. These men who had no court hearings and in many cases were unarmed were labelled as criminals, along with their entire communities. Their “token” Afro-Guyanese mouthpiece, Roger Luncheon, in his exact words defending Jagdeo’s public unwritten system of apartheid, when he was asked to explain why the PPP/C government only appointed Indo- Guyanese Ambassadors and High Commissioners, he said “No Afro-Guyanese was qualified to be an ambassador…” wow! The perfect mouth-piece against his own community.

Mr. Editor, in 2008, Gay McDougall, a United Nations independent expert on minorities, declared, based on her findings, that there existed the stigmatization of young Afro-Guyanese males and entire communities, which reported feelings of being excluded, discriminated against and victimized. She also said that “Ethnically-based divisions and politics have created two separate and conflicting narratives and perceptions of reality in Guyana.” On the part of Afro-Guyanese, McDougall said there is a widely-held belief that they are discriminated against by an Indian-dominated and supported government that puts Indian interests to the fore, particularly in resource allocation, government contracts and employment.

McDougall also reported that ethnically divided political and administrative structures and failed political processes have created deep frustrations and distrust in the institution of government. She further highlighted a bitter and destructive political environment that has infected the wider society and is failing the people of Guyana.

Further, in 2003, Doudou Dienne, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, found that every level of Guyanese society is permeated by a profound moral, emotional and political fatigue, arising out of the individual and collective impact of ethnic polarisation. In 2008, McDougall said she witnessed a continuing societal malaise that shows evidence of the same, having deepened and transformed in some instances into despair, anger and resistance.

Even after these revelations by the United Nations representatives, Jagdeo’s subsequent actions reflected the PPP’s unchanging ideology of racism. He just didn’t care what anyone had to say, his arrogance was unmatched.

The location of the controversial Berbice Bridge was just another well-crafted device intended to cripple the commerce of non-PPP New Amsterdam. All of this, the David Granger administration has been tasked with for the past four years, to correct the effects of the unconscionable economic marginalization within the Afro-Guyanese community, while at the same time not daring to neglect the other ethnic groups, including the group that was placed in an adventurous position of this dear and diverse land.

I encourage Guyanese from all walks of life to come together for a national and truthful discourse on ethnic relations in Guyana, as Guyana is a multi-ethnic society, so that we can together plan the way forward that is transparent and beneficial to all Guyanese. The Coalition Government represents various ethnicities, religions and genders. It is a direct reflection of our multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society. All Guyanese are and will continue to benefit under the David Granger coalition administration, instead of only coalition supporters as was previously the case under the PPP regime where only PPP supporters benefitted.

Guyana under the David Granger-led Coalition Government is better equipped to continue serving this nation for the benefit of all Guyanese. We must never allow ourselves to forget that most evil, wicked and corrupt PPP administration.
Forward ever, backward never.
Jermaine Figueira
Member of Parliament
Region Ten