Dear Editor,

ONE’S own thoughts are one’s world. What a person thinks are what he becomes—Maitri Upanishads (1500 BC). It seems that there is no end in sight over the controversy created by Ms. Amanza Walton-Desir, a leading APNU+AFC Member of Parliament. Her caustic remarks that PPP/C supporters, who are mainly Indo-Guyanese, are mentally lazy and are not capable to think for themselves have opened deep wounds within the Indian communities throughout Guyana.
A lawyer by profession and as a loyal supporter of the APNU+AFC, Miss Desir should have been more sensitive to the divisive wounds on race. For her to make such statement is not only inflammable, but such incendiary narrative has created turmoil between her proponents and her opponents in Guyana which remained a racially divided country, especially during elections.
Instead of apologising for her comments, Ms. Desir has brazenly and shamelessly accused those who criticised her as acolytes of the PPP/C. Clearly, her statement is misguided and highly irrational. My hope is that she would express her profound remorse to those who she has offended and will refrain from making such statements in future.

Ms. Desir’s statement could alienate Indo-Guyanese support from APNU+AFC and jeopardise her rise as a young political star in the Coalition. Most Guyanese are forgiving, so if she decides to apologise, I am almost certain that it would bring an end to the issue and kept her in good standing not only among Indo-Guyanese, but among the entire populace. It is wise for her to do so.
No credible and decent person would support Ms. Desir injudicious and intemperate assertions; to do so will simply cast them in the same mold as race-baiters. Their support for her would only serve to worsen race relations in the country and precipitate more racial division between the two main races. That said, I would like to see the leaders of both parties put an end to this regrettable narrative. For more than 60 years, race-bait politics have divided the nation and I am hoping that it will come to an end sooner rather than later. It has stymied the country’s development and has dampened the spirits of our youths who are 65 per cent of the country’s population. We are in the 21st century and I must say that it pains my heart to see that our political leaders continue to saddle our youths with this type ethnic division as a political scheme to gain power.

Yours sincerely,

Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine