THIS trend of opposition attacks on Afro-Guyanese who choose to embrace the philosophy and throw their support behind the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) reflects an unpleasant, retrograde political agenda.
Instead of embracing greater political opportunity and thinking in Guyana, persons close to the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) and other opposition parties have resorted to humiliating, denigrating, and discrediting Afro-Guyanese professionals and businesspersons who have the temerity to venture beyond the political box envisioned by some sections of society.

This is not only hypocritical, but also gravely corrosive to Guyanese democracy. The opposition’s “house slave” or “lick bottoms” rhetoric directed towards Afro-Guyanese PPP/C supporters is clearly an attempt to insist upon political conformity by threats and public denigration.
It is insulting to Afro-Guyanese agency and intelligence to reduce them to pawns in a cynically played ethnic game. The political communication is clear: Afro-Guyanese are only useful to serve at the discretion of the opposition as long as they are doing as told, not if they exercise independent thought or pursue opportunities for themselves and their communities.

Rather than celebrating the success of Afro-Guyanese who excel through hard work and choosing to be independent thinkers, the opposition attempts to undermine their legitimacy, all in the guise of being supportive of Afro-Guyanese empowerment.
The hypocrisy is telling: their true terror is that they are in danger of losing their traditional constituency since increasing numbers of Afro-Guyanese are realising that the PPP/C is genuinely attempting to bring them in and to develop them.
The PPP/C, in turn, has registered actual gains in inclusivity and is providing opportunities to all communities, irrespective of race or political affiliation.

The record of the party in housing, education, and economic development is there to be seen, and the growing numbers of Afro-Guyanese who have come to view their political home in the PPP/C are living evidence.
The opposition’s response to resort to divisive rhetoric and bashing those who switch over is evidence of absence of vision and traditional race politics.

Guyana’s prospects depend on moving beyond such polarising tactics. Afro-Guyanese, along with all Guyanese, have their right to have their political loyalty decided by themselves and seek advancement free of threats of reprisals or denunciation.
The attempts by the opposition to stifle such independence are not only antidemocratic, but necessarily destined to be unsuccessful in an increasingly developing society moving away from fear and polarisation politics. The moment is now for all Guyanese to reject such attacks and to uphold all citizens’ rights to participate fully and openly in their country’s construction.