Insensitive comments, racial overtones and deceit

Nov 02, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Guyanese are no longer surprised or shocked with the behaviour of PPP/C campaigners on the political platform. The antics and utterances of those acting and speaking on behalf of that party and its campaign, leave much to be desired.
I am not sure what is causing this despicable situation; it is clear, however, that the voters are not excited about this display and demand a greater level of maturity, and responsibility from Mr. Jagdeo, Ramotar and their band of ‘party hosts’.
Once again, the President used the PPP/C’s campaign platform, this time at Bartica, to engage in his ‘gutter politics,’ and politics of fear, intimidation and deception.
At this ‘Bartica swing’ Mr. Jagdeo in a vile manner attempted to coerce and bully Barticians into voting for his party by telling them that if they vote for APNU they are voting to put guns into the hands of criminals.
He asserted that “the APNU will give guns to the criminals”, and essentially charged that the PNC was responsible for the Bartica Massacre, among other dangerous claims.
As for his ‘running mate’, Donald Ramotar, he accused APNU lawyers of being part of this criminal enterprise, because according to him, they represent criminals in the court. What a nonsensical analogy! Is this the kind of leader we want? Will Guyanese settle for this?
Where will Guyana go, should this kind of thinking be foisted upon us? Is there anyone, at this time, sane in the PPP/C? I think not, for if there were, I am quite sure there might have been some change in the tone and direction of the campaign.
Apart from using the campaign stage, the party propagandists and ‘fast talkers’ are using the state resources to spew their vile and continue the onslaught on the people of Guyana, including APNU leaders.
The Guyana Chronicle, NCN and the national airwaves have been dominated with the lies and the wicked propaganda of the PPP/C.
Nomination Day has sent the PPP/C into overdrive, and as a friend of mine would say, “deh gon mad sick, head nah good”. Campaign Manager Robert Persaud sat on national television (NCN) and deemed APNU supporters ‘hooligans’ and ‘thugs’. This is the term they attributed to protestors since 1997. It is sad that at least three of those who once rejected this label, when they themselves protested, are now sitting on the cushions of the name callers, and are now involved in the said name calling. I guess they have graduated from being hooligans to cronies.
What is sad is that the PPP/C has continued to categorize a major section of the Guyanese people as coarse, and uncultured. The consistent demeaning of Afro-Guyanese, who were largely those who made up the APNU’s Nomination Day contingent, and who were primarily the 1997 protestors, is very unfortunate. The inferences to be gleaned from various utterances are very disturbing and should cause every right-thinking Guyanese to denounce this kind of subtle stereotyping of Afro-Guyanese by the PPP/C.
How do we as leaders, intend to even contemplate building a cohesive and harmonious society when we harbour such deep negative stereotypes of one section of the population? How can Indo-Guyanese leaders encourage the ordinary Indo-Guyanese to fight against injustice, when these leaders seem to embrace a view that a protest action is for ‘certain uncultured people’?
Do they intend to have Indo-Guyanese believe that protest action is not a legitimate form of protest, and limited only to ‘hooligans’, ‘mobsters’ and ‘thugs?’ How do we bridge this dangerous gap in thinking?
This kind of political campaigning by the PPP/C is a dangerous intimidation plot designed to instill fear in Guyanese. It is a wicked plan, orchestrated by a troubled party, which is aware that its ability to retain political power after November 28, 2011, is most uncertain. So, their campaigners in a desperate mode will do and say anything, despite how foolish, dangerous, race-baiting, and counterproductive their action.
This kind of ’thrash talk’ has the potential to become very heated, confrontational and violent. It would be in the interest of those, with sense, in the PPP/C to caution the clearly out of control PPP/C campaigners to desist from this dangerous practice.
Where are the newcomers? Where are all those who recently “joined the fray of things PPP/C?” Have you already immersed yourself in this kind of ‘low life behaviour’? Where points your moral compass?
I make a special appeal to the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Dr. Steve Surujbally, to intervene and make his position known on the specific issues raised in this letter. As a bona fide voter, I, like every Guyanese, reserve the right to exercise my right to vote in an environment free of fear and intimidation.
I also reserve the right to identify any and all whose utterances and actions are geared to ignite racial clashes and violence.
I therefore call on Dr. Surujbally to act swiftly on this matter, as things left as is, are likely to get out of hand. The President and others have outdone themselves, it cannot get worst.
I also call for a retraction of the comment about the people who walked to City Hall under the APNU banner. They deserve no less respect than the people who walked under the PPP/C’s. Everyone in the vicinity of City Hall on that historic day knows that there were no unsavory incidents.
The comment is insensitive, has a racial overtone, deceitful, untrustworthy, and points at pure bigotry.
So much for the UN declared International Year for People of African Descent. What disrespect, even in this year!
I urge all APNU supporters, members, Guyanese to remain focused and vigilant in this period of unhealthy temptation. Ours is the mission to get out and continue to work for every vote, from Crabwood Creek to Dartmouth; from Upper Takutu to Monkey Mountain; from Ituni to Wakenaam; from Black Bush Polder to Bagotville. No territory is off limits!
Let us continue to respect the value and worth of every Guyanese regardless of race, class or creed. Our only mission must be to work to ensure APNU gets the overwhelming victory that is expected, so that all of our people can have an opportunity to work to secure a good life.
Let us not be distracted by the apprehension and anxiety of a troubled PPP/C, they have dug their own graves and have no one else to blame. The people of Guyana have had enough! Time for real change!
Lurlene Nestor

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