Dear Editor,
CONGRESSMAN Hakeem Jeffries, representative of a Brooklyn district comprising thousands of Afro-Guyanese, made a generalized, unsubstantiated remark on June 11 in Brooklyn to a small Guyanese grouping that not everyone in Guyana “is treated consistent with the principles of equal protection under the law,” adding that he “will not tolerate racism in Guyana”.
The Congressman offered no illustrations or examples or cases of alleged racism in Guyana. The truth is that the present Government of Guyana, from August 2, 2020 until now, has not exhibited any acts of racism or bias against any community.
The government has embraced strong pro-equality practices and has set out to reverse the racism that was practised by its predecessor PNC-led coalition, in order to build an equal and just society.
Everyone in Guyana is treated with equality and fairness before the law and with dignity, regardless of ethnicity and faith. Guyanese lived with inequality and racism between January 1965 and October 1992 and again between June 2015 and July 2020. Racism and inequality must have no place in Guyana and those who practise it must be condemned.
In his remarks, Mr Jeffries mentioned his close friendship with one Rickford Burke, a well-known supporter of the PNC and perennial critic of the current PPP administration, and who himself has been accused of uttering racist remarks against supporters of the PPP and violence against the government.
There is no evidence that the PPP government is engaged in racial discrimination against any group. None was offered. It appeared that Mr Jeffries uttered remarks with a preconceived notion about governance in Guyana that is in dissonance with reality. The Congressman was ill-informed and ill-advised about racial equality in Guyana and was fed a staple of untruths, probably from a racial provocateur.
The governing PPP has done more for Afro Guyanese than the PNC did during its 33 years in office. In the 22 months since President Irfaan Ali has been in power, there has not been one act of bias against any group. The same can’t be said of the preceding coalition administration, during which tenure perceived non-supporters faced racial and political discrimination.
There is no truth in the remarks about racism in Guyana made by Mr. Jeffries. The opposite is true. Africans dominate the state sector, debunking any claim on inequality or racism. As an illustration, Africans make up just under 30 per cent of the population but constitute 90 per cent of the armed forces; 80 per cent of the police force; 90 per cent of the prison service; 85 per cent of the bureaucracy; 65 per cent of nurses; 65 per cent of teachers; 28 per cent of ministers of the government; 25 per cent of CEOs of and appointees of state-run companies and membership of state boards.
The state media is 70 per cent African; staff at the University of Guyana (UG) are 80 per cent African; the management of UG is dominated by Africans; the student body at UG is 65 per cent African; the Chancellor of the Judiciary is an African woman; the Chief Justice is also an African women; the Prime Minister is African; Guyana’s Ambassador to the US, Sam Hinds, is African; Mr Hinds has the record as the longest serving Prime Minister of Guyana, during the PPP’s tenure, in the Commonwealth. Where is the racism? Reverse racism can be inferred.
At the institutional level, the PPP government has enacted legislation and amended the constitution to strengthen the laws to guard against racial and ethnic discrimination in any form and fashion.
Guyana is one of the few countries globally that has a constitutional commission to deal with ethnic discrimination. This commission was established by the constitution and its members are selected through a parliamentary process which involves both the government and opposition.
Any person can go before this commission to complain about discrimination. This commission has a wide array of powers. Race-hate language and any manner in which that is expressed are serious criminal offences that carry long terms of imprisonment under laws enacted by the PPP administration.
The PPP as a government has signed on to every major convention in the western hemisphere dealing with racial and other forms of discrimination. These conventions are now part of Guyana’s constitution through amendments made to that constitution while the PPP has been in the government.
In terms of policy, the PPP’s policies and budgetary allocations are available to the public and they can be critically examined from an ethnic perspective. And if that were to be done, there would be no evidence whatsoever of any ethnic bias.
Policies in Guyana are all issues and not ethnically driven. This is reflected in its annual budgets, housing policy, and in other areas. As an illustration, I noticed in visits at the Housing Ministry during the coalition’s tenure that the applicants and those given house lots from the state were primarily of one race. Since August 2020, I have noticed that the applicants for house lots at the Housing Ministry and at Housing Expos reflect the ethnic composition of the nation.
So, in what areas are there racism and lack of fairness and equality in Guyana?
Congressman Jeffries is absolutely wrong in his statements about racial inequality in Guyana. As a member of the leadership of the Democratic Party, he should not allow himself to be misled and misguided by a character who is engaged in demagoguery, working with relentless passion and purpose to spread myths and malicious falsehoods and hatred of people on account of race.
If Mr Jeffries were to speak with fair-minded, objective, well-informed Guyanese about aspects of governance in Guyana, he would learn that the PPP administration has been very inclusive in all aspects of governance.

Yours faithfully,
Dr Vishnu Bisram (PhD Pol Science)