Dear Editor,
The relationship between any two major ethnic groups sharing the same space is inherently fragile, and is particularly vulnerable to any effort aimed at increasing the levels of mistrust that will always exist within such an arrangement.
I have noted the recent attempts by the state media to cause division within the Alliance For Change by suggesting the existence of two opposing factions within the party. The gist of the story is that these factions are lined up behind Mr Trotman and Mr Ramjattan respectively, and that they themselves are engaged in a leadership battle and are going around behind each others’ backs seeking alliances with the PNC and the PPP respectively.
The story is clearly consistent with the illogical political polarization of African and Indian Guyanese from which the PPP has benefited at previous elections. While not explicitly promoting division along ethnic lines, it clearly plays on the element of mistrust. Given the realities which prevail here, any mistrust generated will ultimately manifest itself in ethnic terms. Any attempt by the state editors to feign a lack of awareness of the implications and effects of their reporting would be disingenuous.
One of the hallmarks of a modern and progressive society is the maintenance of strong and independent institutions. The blatant undermining of the independence of the state media is indicative of an approach to governance practised by the current administration that is neither modern nor progressive. By using the NCN’s strongest signal and the Guyana Chronicle’s pages – which are heavily subsidized through state advertising – to spread information that is untrue and harmful to the AFC, the PPP government is tampering with Guyana’s democracy and fomenting ethnic mistrust. The specious reasoning that the state media is actually providing a balance to the bias of the private media is an insult to the intelligence of our people. Those political flunkies who espouse this nonsense in defence of their actions ought to be ashamed.
It is clear that the PPP does not wish to engage the AFC at the next national election and is seeking to destroy it in advance. Without wishing to belittle anyone’s intelligence I wish to state that only a complete fool could look at Guyana after almost half a century of independence and conclude that the PPP and the PNC provide all the political variety that we could possibly require, and that another strong party is superfluous to the national need.
Yours faithfully,
Dominic Gaskin
