Dear Editor,
I don’t know how many Guyanese citizens at home and abroad, realize the seriousness, significance or motive behind the ICC CWC ticket brochure, which has been referred to before, one which talked about Guyana’s distinctive Indian Heritage and proceeded to remark about the fusion of West Indian and Indian culture in Guyana.
The statement makes a clear distinction and separation between West Indians and East Indians.
But what is worrying and demands a full statement from the president and government is that, on the BBC Caribbean programme, the voice of Dr. Frank Anthony, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports told the world that the paragraph relating to the Guyana Stadium was prepared by the architects of the brochure in Jamaica, thereby subtly disassociating himself and one can assume the Party and government from this banal, inaccurate, racist statement.
Responding to remarks made by PNCR MP Mr. Aubrey Norton, the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee said that he (Rohee) was advised that it was a marketing strategy, thereby implying some responsibility, if not knowledge of its contents, but defending it as a marketing strategy telling the world somehow that something so inaccurate and so divisive a statement could be a marketing strategy. A classic Machiavellian twist.
Here we have two ministers of our government saying publicly two different things. One blaming the statement on some person or persons in Jamaica, and the other subtly admitting and explaining the same statement as a marketing strategy. The question is who or where is the target consumer.
There was a famous calypso with the lyrics: “Ya hear lie, tha is lie.”
Even, if they wish for electoral purposes to pursue racist and divisive policies, members of the cabinet can do well to tell the same story, even though it may not be truthful, at least it would tell our people and their own supporters that even though there may be immorality, they can at least achieve one virtue, that of consistency. The gravity of this matter is this when the cricket teams take to the playing field there will be teams from Australia, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Canada, England, India, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe.
When my heroes Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara or Chris Gayle go to the batting crease, do we see them as Indian or African? Certainly not. They and others in the team will go to hold aloft the West Indian pride as a nation. However, if we accept this statement, will one set be carrying the Indian flag, and another Zimbabwe or Kenya? For God’s sake, let us do nothing to disunite a people and a team that still has the potential and promise to do us proud, this offensive statement must be removed and the culprit author exposed.
I am reminded of the statement attributed to Aristotle, which I now paraphrase, Plato – “the party is dear to me, but dearer still is the truth.”
Even though some in high places neither subscribe to, not believe in our holy books: they can do well to note: Esdras 1: “Great is truth and mighty above all things.”
In the interest of posterity, I ask the Ethnic Relations Commission to pronounce on this matter with clarity and without delay.
To dilly-dally until the World Cup is behind us would be to negate their mandate.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green, J.P.
