Dear Editor,
Thanks to all those who agreed to meet and talk about the violence in Guyana, no matter the way they looked at it. Let me say first that I have seen the development of conflict in Guyana, have been part of it, and have carefully and I hope fairly documented the racial aspects.
In due course I shall speak directly on the destruction of Buxton-Friendship, one of the centres in Guyana of many sided human development.
For me personally Lusignan is a birth place and Buxton a school There is very little of true Buxtonian origin that I will separate myself from. I embrace its human traditions.
I see no need up to this point to withdraw the comments I have made from 2001 and especially in “The Morning After” (2005) on the disturbances staged from Buxton-Friendship and within it by the various tragic actors. .I was there for a whole year of it and marvel in silence at wise ones who claim and put forward real economic hardship as the cause.
I repeat what I said before that my differences with the majority of the African Guyanese are not racial but political.
After a series of atrocities by both official security forces and civilian vigilantes, we have come to where we are. Father Malcolm Rodrigues can in no way be seen by any sane person as an enemy of the PPP. He proposed negotiations with the civilian gunmen. Just about that time and independently of Fr Rodrigues, clearly without his knowledge, an ideal facilitator offered his services, the former military officer Mr. Oliver Hinckson, now reported to be under arrest. Without prejudice to any evidence against Mr Hinckson, I see his offer, if it is still alive as the most important thing since the start of the seven years’ war.
On Sunday, March 2, 2008 the PPP held a massive event to reflect on or celebrate the life of its former Leader, and best known co-founder President Cheddi Jagan.
Within seven days of the grand consultation on crime and security and the communiqu