UNFORTUNATELY, Guyanese have been the victims of the politics of division—also called divisive politics — for far too long. Some unscrupulous, self-serving politicians have used the tactic of divisive political rhetoric to achieve their own political ends.

In their attempt to consolidate a political base, they have actively worked to divide the Guyanese people; in the case of Guyana, along ethnic lines. In the local context, the current iteration of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is known for its reliance on this deplorable, shameful and disgraceful practice. A practice that has not only resulted in stultified national development, divided families and communities, but has also resulted in violent clashes between various groups, and even injuries and the loss of life. With the election of the APNU+AFC coalition to office, hopefully, that dark, shameful era of our history may come to an end.

Divisive politicking is defined as words or actions by politicians which are deliberately intended to separate, and to pull people apart. It is a dangerous practice that can result in violence, the extermination of an entire group of people, and even the breakup of a country. The most well-known example of the negative results of deliberate political division may be the holocaust that cost the lives of millions of human beings.

Politicians who have used divisive rhetoric tend to dehumanise their opponents, thereby creating a more divided and dangerous world, says rights group, Amnesty International (AI). There is no question that such tactics are routinely used by PPP officials. The “us versus them” messages which are peddled by the PPP are unmistakably riddled with racist overtones. Guyanese should reject all such attempts to divide us, After all, PPP officials use such messages to advance their own, personal, selfish, greedy agendas at the expense of ordinary Guyanese. Such tactics are a betrayal of all citizens, including their own supporters, and should be rejected in the strongest possible ways.

On the other hand, one of the cornerstones of the APNU+AFC’s policy agenda is the healing of Guyana’s wounds, bridging the gaps between cultures, closing the cleavages among communities, and fostering a united, cohesive society. One recalls that one of the first acts of the administration was the establishment of a Ministry of Social Cohesion. In other words, for the first time in our history, a government is actively working to promote national unity by dedicating an entire ministry to that noble endeavour. Guyanese should praise and support such a visionary undertaking.

President Granger has explained that social cohesion is all about the “combatting of exclusion and marginalisation, creating a sense of belonging and promoting upward mobility.” His Excellency said, too, that the administration’s commitment to the achievement of cohesion stems, in large part, from the fact that, “differences between various social groups continue to threaten mutual trust and to weaken people’s sense of belonging.” The president elaborated that, “Ignoring the absence of social cohesion risks allowing social instability to fester.” Clearly, such a state of affairs is undesirable and, indeed, abhorrent to any right-thinking, patriotic citizen.”

President Granger intends to achieve this essential objective by reducing the gap between the rich and the poor, providing conditions for equal access to goods and services, fostering equitable opportunities for education, and, importantly, providing access to secure, satisfying, well-paying jobs to all Guyanese, regardless of where they may live.

Additionally, we as patriotic citizens must also do our part. We must firmly reject any politician who tries to divide us. We must send a clear message to anyone who attempts to drive wedges between us and our brothers and sisters. And importantly, with elections on the horizon, we must vote only for representatives and leaders who wish to unite us. As patriotic Guyanese, we must support unity, cohesion and progress, and say no to division, separation, and backwardness.