ON Tuesday, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, said that he has not heard a single intelligent argument advanced by the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton.
He went a little further by saying that all Norton and the members of the Opposition do is continue to spin the mantra of racism, discrimination, and now apartheid.

The Attorney General added that if one takes those things away from Norton’s opposition, then they would be quiet because, “…they have nothing to say in terms of an alternative government policy…an alternative economic strategy… an alternative social policy… no advice, no guidance, no alternative plan for the development of this country other than race.”

Minister Nandlall then went on to say according to opposition politicians: “… the PNC only speaks about one race to them; no other race exists.”
Again, he made the point that according to this narrative, there is no other ethnic grouping of ethnic people in Guyana.

He said: “I don’t exist. Amerindians don’t exist. Portuguese don’t exist. Whites don’t exist. Chinese don’t exist. Only Afro-Guyanese, that’s all that they speak about…because every time these guys speak at any other policy of this government directed to any other ethnic group other than Afro-Guyanese, the policy is racist. Any other ethnic grouping benefits from anything [from the PPP Government] it’s racist. These guys are demented. It is a form of mental aberration”.

Nandlall is hitting the nail right on the head. Firstly, Norton appears to have comfort in the direction that he is leading the PNC and steering the coalition.
As of late, they are seemingly practising murky and tricky ethnic politics, which they used in the late 90s and early 2000s to get the public riled up so that the stage is set for a confrontation.

If one were to look at all Norton’s speeches, press conferences, and messages given to various public and other events, one would think that the ruling PPP/C Government is allegedly racist, discriminatory, and it practises partisan politics.

Then, one would think that the PPP/C Government is being unresponsive to the point of agitating a conflict.
It is only when one is confronted with the stark reality of a set of modern policies and programmes that are rooted in the One Guyana ideology then one realises that Norton is politicking and playing the ethnic politics.
This is so, especially when one listens to the PPP/C Government’s outreaches and interventions in specific Afro-Guyanese communities like Mocha, Buxton, and Albouystown.

Norton is choosing to willfully ignore the facts and statistics in these communities and insists that there is some form of alleged ethnic discrimination afoot, so he achieves relevance and starts using his ethnic whip to get support in the upcoming Local Government Elections.

Secondly, the PNC+APNU+AFC has indeed lost its way and gone back to being considered a “Black people or an Afro-Guyanese party.”
Afro-Guyanese are the only group of people that they appear concerned about. They see everyone and everything along the racial or ethnic lens, so their arguments, though not backed by facts, will always be ethnic in nature.

For example, it takes extra pride in the emancipation celebrations but does not appear to show the same zeal and zest for the arrival day activities. This is why, in part, the politicians would seek to pull the wool over the eyes of the public.

Thirdly, the party has no qualms about appearing as a Black and ethnic party. They are not concerned about the public perception and how they are looking. The cosmetics that used to shield the PNC+APNU+AFC have faded away and the true look of the party is shining as clear as day.

A classic example of this rebirth of the party’s ethnic doctrine can be found at the party’s observance of its 65th anniversary. Also, PNC/R staff only had the Afro-Guyanese staff lined up and no ethnic diversity.
Some would obviously have a problem with the party announcing publicly the Black staff would get “breakfast in the newly refurbished canteen,” but that is an observation for another column or dialogue.

And who could forget, the incident with Geeta Chand-Edmond who is also Indian and a very vocal member of the APNU+AFC party in parliament?
Finally, it will take more effort to convince Afro-Guyanese that they are being singled out or discriminated against because of the colour of their skin. They are not willing to be bought or sold as a group of intelligent and independent thinkers.

Until, Norton let common sense prevail, facts, statistics and evidence, and the truth will always make light work of his arguments.
So, Norton could huff and puff all he wants, no one is listening and not the people they appear to be representing and using as their scapegoat in the ethnic and political warfare for State power.