AFRO-GUYANESE have once again been subjected to the vile attacks of the opposition, this time from the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Co-Leader David Hinds, for daring to exercise their democratic right to align with a political party of their choice.

In his show, ‘Politics 101,’ Hinds opened the programme by insulting the dignity of Afro-Guyanese. He hurled a series of grotesque insults such as referring to them as “lick bottoms” and “house slaves.”

This is not the first time an executive of the WPA has been caught attempting to incite racial hostility.

Further, the politician’s words serve as a reminder of the type of rhetoric that continues to fester within the opposition.

In his programme, Hinds said there are a lot of “lick bottom” Afro-Guyanese. He continued his tirade for some time, continuously hurling verbal attacks towards Afro-Guyanese.

Hinds went on to describe this section of the Guyanese population as “sell outs,” adding, “All kind of talk they giving us, as to why they behaving like house slaves and slave catchers. We got to talk it as it is.”

Despite it being Black History Month as he highlighted, Hinds did not see it fit to use the opportunity and his platform to make uplifting comments, but instead he chose it to make derogatory statements directed at Afro-Guyanese, whom he claimed were not on the “right side.”

The WPA Co-Leader said: “… We’re talking to black people, those of us who are on the right side of the fence, we’re talking to you, to help us to bring them ‘lick bamz**’ Africans on the right side of the fence.”

Hinds’ attack not only sought to denigrate Afro-Guyanese, but was an abhorrent attack on the core values of democracy, human dignity, and equity.

Adding to this, he attacked those Afro-Guyanese who have openly endorsed President, Dr Irfaan Ali’s leadership.

He said: “And some of you lick a**, lick beet** Black people are running around the place [saying] ‘I am campaigning for the return of President Ali.’ Lick backside; that’s what y’all are. All of y’all.”

He then criticised Afro-Guyanese for not supporting the opposition’s black leaders, showing a clear indication that he believes persons should not vote on policies.

“Y’all prefer to lick somebody else’s a** and find everything that is wrong about black leaders.”

Further, he hinted at having leadership which is Afro-Guyanese, claiming that because Guyana is “racially divided,” one cannot discuss the best leaders without taking race into context.

The WPA Co-Leader said: “Personally and politically, I prefer the best leaders regardless of race, but in a racially divided society, I cannot talk about best leaders. I have to talk about leaders of the different ethnic groups. If Guyana was all black,99 per cent black, our conversation would’ve been different.”

Despite the success stories of Afro-Guyanese reaping benefits under the current government, Hinds told his viewing audience that the government has no interest in Afro-Guyanese.

Instead of looking at the facts and reports, he sought to do an ethnic count and claimed that Indo-Guyanese have never looked to a People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) government to defend their interests, painting the picture that this demographic does not have the ability to analyse policies and vote based on that.

If the opposition is elected to office and he is a part of the government, Hinds promised repercussions for those Afro-Guyanese whom he deemed as “lick bottoms.”

Such insensitive remarks are not strange from the WPA as in 2023, one of its executive members, Tacuma Ogunseye, was released on $100,000 bail for attempting to incite racial hostility in Guyana.

The Guyana Chronicle had reported that during a public meeting at Buxton, Ogunseye made incendiary remarks about Guyana’s Indo-Guyanese and called for the Disciplined Services “to turn their guns on the state.”

Ogunseye, during a gathering at Buxton on the East Coast of Demerara, said: “I don’t understand how people complain that they are oppressed and they are holding guns in their hands. They are the majority in the army, in the police and they say they are oppressed. And they still say our problem is our own making. Anytime we turn those guns in the right direction it is over.”

He had also called for a day of “National Resistance” on June 12, 2023, the date that had been set aside for the holding of Local Government Elections (LGEs).