Dear Editor,
Sultan Mohamed states “Inevitably federalism will become the correct solution to ensure African people run their own affairs just as it would ensure others do the same. When race is viewed as the ultimate problem it must also be the final solution” (‘Inevitably federalism will become the correct solution’, SN, November 21, 2012). This is nothing more nothing less than a racially perpetuated perspective. Mr Mohamed has preached division of Guyana using federalism. What he has not told us is that for Guyana to pursue the kind of federal system of the USA or Canada or any of the developed countries, this country would not only be splintered but may be annexed and invaded by our neighbours. In a weak country like Guyana that is divided along racial lines, federalism is an invitation to disaster. Those who see their ethnic utopias through misguided lenses must learn to look at the consequences of suggestions before uttering them. Mr Sultan and others offer federalism because they know that in a weak country like Guyana, federalism will lead to secessionist movements where the newly federated states will eventually break away and form independent countries. Look around the world in the past 40 years and this is evident. If federalism is ever proposed in Guyana, it will lead to conflict. It will be the destruction of the country that we know as Guyana. There will be fights for and against federalism. Naturally, accusations of racial motives will amplify those conflicts. Boundaries will become an issue.
There will be questions of resource allocation and this will lead to further conflict. Then there is the issue of the fate of those ethnic minorities within regions which are held hostage by leaders preaching federalism along ethnic lines.
What of those non-Indians who live in Berbice and who oppose federalism? What of those non-Africans who live in Demerara or the non-Amerindians who live in Essequibo? Will they be displaced? Will they accept their homeland being separated under the guise of federalism? Will we have a country where ethnic minorities will be forced out of these newly minted federal states into other states where they are the majority? Think of the enormous economic costs of this exercise. Federalism is a completely illogical solution to an already divided country. This is not Europe or Canada or some developed nation where people will vote on a separation referendum and will accept the decision peacefully. This is a country where rage will overflow. What federalism will lead to is the dissolution of the state and will provide encouragement for our neighbours to invade. If federalism is ever proposed in Guyana, it will not be accepted by the majority. It will have to be forced down the throats of the populace.
What if Berbicians or Essequibians vote in a referendum to break away from Guyana and join the Surinamese or the Brazilians or the Venezuelans? Should people within those regions who voted against that mandate resist the destruction of the country, and should forces from other states invade that territory to prevent the secession?
Yours faithfully,
M Maxwell
