OPPOSITION Member of Parliament (MP), Coretta McDonald, is facing immense scrutiny and backlash for entertaining attacks against Indo-Guyanese on her show “Advancing the Cause.”

During the programme, a person called and spewed racist comments, which People’s National Congress-Reform (PNC-R) member, McDonald not only failed to shut down the caller, but shockingly agreed with what was being said.

The caller expressed hateful sentiments, stating that Indo-Guyanese have no “history” in Guyana’s creation.
Additionally, when the caller stereotyped India and said that “wicked” things occur in the country as a result of their people’s attitude and behaviour, the Opposition MP agreed to those sentiments.

When replying to the comments that Indo-Guyanese do not have history, McDonald said: “It’s frightening to some of them [Indo-Guyanese].”
Earlier this week, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) came under fire for “offensive and disrespectful” remarks in an effort to create division in the Guyanese society.

WPA Executive member, Rhonda Layne, during her remarks at the Cuffy 250 Committee Forum, disparaged Islam and proceeded to imply that the religion oppresses women.
“In a Muslim’s life, a woman is only there to be a home-maker, a child bearer and everything that is against the women,” Layne said.

The principles of Islam are widely established and respected by persons even outside of the religion, so Layne’s remarks could be deemed as a dangerous and misinformed narrative to women and their religion.

Additionally, earlier this year, the WPA also faced tremendous backlash for inciting hate at a rally, and when called out by their own party members and associates, WPA Executive member, David Hinds referred to those persons as “slave catchers.”

Hinds, lashed out against the media, the private sector, trade unions and Indo-Guyanese Opposition members for speaking out against the racially incendiary remarks made by fellow WPA member, Tacuma Ogunseye.

On his virtual programme “Politics 101,” Hinds referred to the Indo-Guyanese People’s National Congress-Reform (PNC/R) member Geeta Chandan-Edmond, the Stabroek News newspaper and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) as “slaver catchers,” for having condemned remarks made by Ogunseye.

Hinds also called out PNC/R Parliamentarians Ganesh Mahipaul, and Natasha Singh-Lewis; Regional Chairman, Daniel Seeram, and Mayor Ubraj Narine for their comments.
“We are going to begin to document all the slave catchers, from the private sector to FITUG, from FITUG to Stabroek News and all those other slave catchers who are hunting down slaves to turn them in to the master…we are documenting them… there is life after the PPP. Those who are catching slaves to turn them in to the masters, may the wrath of the ancestors visit them,” Hinds said.

Ogunseye’s comments were further compounded by further incendiary remarks made by fellow WPA member, Layne.