–        McCoy says
–        Blasts Hinds for offensive comments

MINISTER within the Office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy on Wednesday condemned the recent divisive statements made by Working People’s Alliance (WPA) co-leader David Hinds and underscored that Guyanese have the right to support any political party of their choosing.

Hinds earlier this week opened his programme, ‘Politics 101’ by insulting the dignity of Afro-Guyanese and hurled a series of grotesque insults such as referring to them as “lick bottoms” and “house slaves.”
In a video response to Hinds’ comments, Mc Coy noted that Hinds’ assault on Afro-Guyanese was offensive and a damning indictment of the APNU-AFC’s longstanding exploitation of the Afro-Guyanese community in Guyana.

“His words drip with disdain and arrogance reflective of the very mentality that has defined the opposition’s approach to race and politics in Guyana,” McCoy said.
The minister added that what was expressed by Hinds is exactly what they already know to be the opposition’s deeply ingrained mentality and disposition on race.

McCoy added, “His words betray the entire façade the opposition’s attempt to present to the public exposing the toxic and divisive ideology they continue to pedal while pretending to be a part of inclusion.”
Against this backdrop, he noted that this was no slip of the tongue, as this is who they are and what they think of the people they claim to represent.
To this end, he remarked that Afro-Guyanese, like all Guyanese, have the right to support, engage and advocate for a political party of their choosing, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
“As the afro-Guyanese and other Guyanese exercise their democratic right to support policies and leadership that actually improve their lives, they are met with insults and derogatory slurs from individuals who once begged for their votes,” he said.

Minister McCoy indicated that these very people operate as though they must hold the Afro-Guyanese community hostage, demanding blind loyalty to their failed and corrupt leadership while expecting support for rigged elections and disastrous economic policies, among other things.

He added, “Afro-Guyanese, like all other citizens, endured systematic neglect while the ruling elite padded their own pockets, doubled their salaries, and crushed working-class citizens on the draconian tax policies, all Guyanese must stand up, stand firm and denounce David Hinds and the APNU-AFC.”

Meanwhile, McCoy added that it is heartening to see that Guyanese today are more motivated than ever to move away from the regressive, hateful rhetoric of the past and embrace the unifying, inclusive, and transformative approach under the “One Guyana” construct.