Dear Editor,
Osafo Modibo is again at mischief with the AFC. The majority of Africans voted for the PNCR, which is where he should be addressing his question. I have one for him: who has placed Blacks in the position they are in today? The answer surely will no way have the acronym AFC.
I have advised him before that shouting on the roof top will not help “his Africans”. Modibo talks and talks forgetting that he needs actions to support his talk. Modibo is an African leader (he ought to recognise this) and there are many other political, social, economic, intellectual leaders who can all put their shoulders to the wheel to bring “his Africans” out of their perpetual state of “rudderlessness” provided them by the PNC. Individually many of us have succeeded and without help from our own unlike the Indians. We were never a people who like to help our own; we are more adept at pulling down.
So many of us know better now. And we can help ourselves if only we stop this nonsense of petty jealousy. All of those African leaders of the AFC have achieved much because of hard work, diligence, good social upbringing and other opportunities which were cultivated by their foreparents over the years and which they have emulated. Some people have insights and some will never have but those of us with insight and a sense of community are duty bound to help out. This is where my suggestion to the goodly gentleman comes from: make reasoned and constructive suggestions for uplifting the condition of the many underserved and under recognised Blacks. How downright shortsighted it is to be running around like a visionless idiot looking at individual issues rather than the larger picture of good and responsible governance where the interest of one group does not diminish the right and interests of other groups (well put Andaiye Moore). This is what currently passes in Guyana as democratic government and good governance. Micro-management is not visionary leadership.
But of course, some of us are being “hard headed”. We refuse to see anything other than that which we set out to achieve, and it is often negative, the destruction of anything positive. Yes, the AFC is a positive force and like it or not Mr Modibo the AFC is going to leave you behind, so get on board to help find real and sustainable solutions to the fortunes of Africans. Had they all voted for the AFC, we would have been much further ahead. Hope good sense prevails in 2011 (from all Guyanese).
I don’t know if this gentleman is African (as from the continent) or is Guyanese with an adopted African sounding name. Here is an interesting one for you: South Africa is a multi-ethnic society governed by a Black government. Do you think all the Blacks are equal in South Africa? How come the leadership comes only from the Xhosa tribe of Mandela, Mbeki, Zuma and the other top ANC leaders? You know what? Go to Kwa Zulu Natal province and the city of Durban and see how the East Indians and Indo-South Africans and Zulus live. I spent a considerable amount of time there.
The problem in Guyana with some Blacks is that we have now awoken from a prolonged slumber very disoriented. The PPP and their relentless, crass and crude methods have exposed the hole in the armoury of the Blacks. And many want us to respond with tunnel vision.
Yours faithfully,
Evan Thomas
