HERE are some expressions of mine and these reflections have been informed by academic enquiries over decades. 1- I believe European civilisation has an in-built, race superiority instinct. 2 – I think American culture and American society have serious flaws that will forever deter me from wanting to live in the US or have even a holiday. 3 – There is Jewish thinking in Israel that sees the Palestinian people as an inferior race. 4 Germany has an in-built dislike for the Russian race. 5 – The Japanese and South Korean peoples see the Caucasian race as superior to other races and that explains their obsession with Europe and the U.S. 7 – I am not particularly impressed with the Arab character. 8- The African people in Guyana have been deceived by African leaders. 8 – My research leads me to think that Guyanese Indo-Saxons who are Christian have a natural disdain for Hindus and Muslims and dark-skinned Indians. 9- I believe the Holocaust occurred under Nazi Germany, but I don’t believe there is any proof that Hitler ordered it and I think the nature of the Holocaust has been wildly exaggerated because of the invincible global power of super-rich Jewish corporations and Jewish-owned globally influential media.
All those topics enumerated above I have ruminated on over 37 consecutive years of being a newspaper columnist, television commentator, and podcast interviewer. I would like to know which part of the constitution in Guyana and which law in Guyana restricts me from offering the opinions listed above? Why can’t I come to those conclusions if I believe in them?
There are nine viewpoints listed above and not one of them denigrates any race or religion or culture. If I believe there is a South Korean mentality that holds to the view that the Caucasian race is superior to other races, where are the words in that observation that advocates hatred against the South Koreans. Free speech must always be separated from hate speech and that is a sharp distinction the Ethnic Relations Commission has to make. In the Leonard Craig case, the ERC has not made that distinction, thus, if it continues along the pathway that it has embarked on with Craig, then it will curtail free speech in this country.
The ERC informed Craig that a religious person from the Christian denomination has complained against him for a statement he made on the PPP platform during the 2025 elections campaign last August. Here is what Craig had said, “From erection to resurrection, the PPP will take care of you.”
The complainant has argued that the use of the Christian term, “resurrection” is insulting to the Christian religion. The word, “resurrection” is not a Christian term and can be found in ancient Hindu, Egyptian and ancient Greek texts long before Christ was born.
Secondly, resurrection is a grammatical item that has been used millions of times over hundreds of years in social- science writings, literature, politics, and journalism. The use of it in those areas has absolutely nothing to do with the Christian religion. I offer an example: the Democratic Party in the US should know that the resurrection of Kamala Harris is impossible. What has that got to do with Christianity?
There is more about the ERC’s action that calls into question its credibility. Craig only knew that the ERC had summoned him through other people telling Craig they saw the summons on Facebook. When Craig contacted the ERC, he said the relevant official he spoke with told him they tried frantically to get in touch with him and because of failure to do so they put his name on Facebook.
The ERC may not be telling the truth. The ERC has a Public Relations Officer named Shiv Nandlall. It is Nandlall the ERC commissioners turn to when they want information, because it is Nandlall’s job to know about the crucial and sensitive dimensions of Guyanese society. But did the ERC commissioners ask Nandlall?
Last week, Mr Nandlall rang me to enquire if the ERC’s work could be highlighted on the Freddie Kissoon Show. This is the second time in six months Mr Nandlall has made that enquiry of me. Mr Nandlall had to know that the co-host is Craig. If he didn’t have Craig’s mobile number, he knew he could have asked me for it. The ERC has to know that Craig is a weekly columnist with the Guyana Chronicle. No one in the Cabinet of the government, in the police force and the army would refuse to give a serious, constitutional body such as the ERC the cell number of a person if the ERC says it wants to talk to that person. So, the ERC did not call the Guyana Chronicle. What a mess!
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
