-WPA says it has no apology for racist, incendiary remarks

EXECUTIVE members of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) on Tuesday reiterated that notwithstanding massive backlash, the party has no apology to make over racially divisive and inciting comments made by its members at a public meeting a few weeks ago.

Executive member, Tacuma Ogunseye, who is one of two members facing reprimand over their remarks, has also defended his choice of language.

“I will argue that the words were appropriate in the political terms to achieve its objective,” Ogunseye said during a WPA press conference on Tuesday.

He is on record at the March 9 public meeting calling for the Disciplined Services “to turn their guns on the State.”

“I’m convinced and in the WPA we are convinced that our language were appropriate for the street corner. The test is not whether the government agree; is whether it had the desired effect on our constituents in the first place and across the country,” Ogunseye said, despite the fact that persons would gather for public meetings only to listen to serious concerns and issues, especially with Local Government Elections (LGEs) upon us.

It is public knowledge that public meetings and rallies facilitate serious discussions and messages, which extend way beyond a “street corner” discussion.

Over the past few weeks, numerous civil society organisations, as well as individual members of the Opposition, have publicly noted their condemnation and consternation over Ongunseye’s incendiary remarks.

Aside from Ogunseye making inciting remarks, fellow WPA member Rhonda Layne, also made racially discriminatory remarks about Indo-Guyanese, claiming that Indo-Guyanese came from the “slums of India”, living in “pipes” and “deplorable places” making them lesser entitled to land in Guyana.

This is being done at a time when President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, members of his Cabinet and other right-thinking Guyanese are trying to unite a traditionally polarized country by creating a society where there is equity and equality.

Notwithstanding, however, the WPA reinforced its defence of its members.
“WPA reiterates its position that we have nothing to apologise for or retreat from. We stand by our members and our message,” WPA member Deon Adams noted as he read from a prepared party statement.
Under questioning, Adams also noted: “We are convinced from the public meeting that those people have endorsed our message.”
This was further supported by Dr. David Hinds, who, in adding his voice to the situation, said: “I hear this thing about mounting criticism… What is our response to it? They are doing their job and we are doing our job. We have nothing to apologise to them for.”

Several reputable organisations, including the Private Sector Commission (PSC) as well as members from the religious community including the Guyana Pandit’s Council, Guyana Central Arya Samaj, Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana and the Guyana Inter Religious Organization (IRO), and civil rights groups Article 13, and Association for Democracy and Human Rights among others, have issued official statements condemning what has been described as hateful and racist remarks made by Ogunseye.
A number of People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) have also condemned the remarks.

Former PNCR General Secretary, Geeta Chandan-Edmond issued a statement publicly disassociating herself from the inflammatory statements, and called for responsible action and commentaries from politicians, civil society and activists alike.

Also from the PNCR, Members of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Regional Chairman Daniel Seeram and Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine issued a joint statement calling remarks made by Ogunseye and Layne derogatory and distasteful.

In response to the reprimand of the Opposition members, Dr. Hinds, during a separate forum, had labeled Chandan-Edmond as a “slave catcher” and insinuated that the other PNCR members supported perceptions that they were traitors.