GUYANA is undergoing unprecedented transformation in infrastructure, education, healthcare, science and many other areas, but there remains a gap in the area of mental transformation among some of the old political minds, who continue to sow seeds of discord by attempting to utilise the archaic strategy of “divide, conquer and mislead.”

However, given the dismal responses to those efforts, it is evident that many persons are no longer easily persuaded by demagoguery, unjustified statements and misconceptions that border desperation because of the abundance of evidence to debunk whatever allegation/assertion is being made.

At this point, it is evident that the old guards in the opposition, People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and Alliance For Change (AFC), are running out of “fancy card tricks” to distract the population from the reality around them: more house lots, less taxes, increased wages and salaries, more training and scholarship opportunities, business grants, relief grants and measures that demonstrate the caring nature of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration.

The race card seems to be only one left in opposition’s deck, but even this is beginning to fail them since persons are realising now more than ever that actions speak louder than words.

“We don’t have no time with politics. At the end of the day, we have to come out and listen to things that are offered to us and share our concerns. That’s very important. I came out here because I have children and my concern is about what they have to say and whatever contribution I can make towards developing the community.”

Those were the words of Victoria resident, Mr. Crawford Rodney, a father of five, who refused to be deterred by “development detractors,” who had called for residents of Victoria to boycott a ministerial outreach to the community led by Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips.

His is just one example of the mindset of modern-day Guyanese, who are concerned primarily about their well-being, and are very capable of separating opportunities and realities from fallacies and misconceptions.

Like Mr. Rodney, there is glaring evidence that persons will be able to deduce the true intentions of the WPA and its members.

At a time when the government is pushing an agenda of “oneness” to unite Guyana and ensure there are equal opportunities for all citizens, Executive Member of the WPA, Tacuma Ogunseye, who is already in the spotlight for racist and incendiary remarks, has said that his party is willing to utilise “civil disobedience” as a political weapon ahead of the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGEs).

Although two LGEs were held under the APNU+AFC government of which the WPA was a member, Ogunseye called on Afro-Guyanese to take to the streets for the elections and “make a profound political statement.”

“It is important that the African Guyanese find a way of making a profound political statement. And profound statements are made either through the ballot box or in the streets. And we believe that the 12 June, where we will be disposing a lot of resources in a mobilisation for the elections should turn into something meaningful.

“We want Africans to come into the streets, not to the polling stations, and demonstrate to the country and the world that Africans have real concerns and we are addressing these concerns collectively so there can be no misunderstanding of where our community stands. And we want this activity primarily in African communities,” the WPA Executive Member declared.

The reality is the WPA does not command the support it did in years gone by, so that alone makes it highly unlikely that persons would pay attention to their statements. But that aside, just as persons demonstrated in Victoria that they will stand against naysayers and detractors, there is little room for doubt that the WPA will receive the same response.

What makes the party’s failure in this regard more absolute is the fact that the WPA is only interested in a “street corner gyaff” and not serious conversations and discussions, as evidenced by Ogunseye’s paltry attempt to defend his racist and incendiary remarks as “appropriate language for a street corner.”

Persons are interested in hearing about betterment, solutions to their everyday problems and ways and means in which they could improve their livelihoods, not frivolous, unjustified comments that seek to further divide the country.

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali has said time and again that it is important for political leaders to prioritise the well-being of the country and its people, rather than engaging in divisive rhetoric that only serves to further polarise the nation.

“They only weaponise this one great asset that we have; the one great asset is our diversity as a people. It is not a negative; our diversity is a great asset to us, but there are those who cannot help themselves but weaponise this asset.

“Today, I say that no weapon formed in the clothing of racism will succeed, once this People’s Progressive Party is alive. And we don’t intend to die; we will stay alive.

We will disband, destroy and completely wipe out the weapon of racism that continues to be used against the people of this country. And those who handle the weapon must understand that their days are numbered, and their days are coming to an end, because that weapon is being destroyed, globally. And that weapon will be buried here in Guyana,” President Ali said.