Dear Editor,
Haitians not welcome, we do not want poor people coming here; ‘they’ have to show cash at immigration ‒ what a sad day in Guyana’s history! This is a new government with a new attitude, one that is as demonstrably crude as it is ill informed ‒ not to be outdone by the Director of Public Information posting a picture of PPP prime ministerial candidate Elisabeth Harper standing outside a bookstore along with a derogatory comment. He did this the very day the Sunday Stabroek’s editorial on ‘Statements and information’ noted, “All in all, the events of last week brought to public attention the fact that the government’s PR is seemingly in disarray.”
The history of the Haitian revolution is taught in all of our schools; the facts, dates and people involved are part of our education. What should be taught is how the ‘white’ world has worked to keep Haiti from being a success. First it was due to the fact that slavery was still in existence in the New World, although reasons changed over time; outright racism and classism seem to be the driving forces presently. What pains me however is to see Guyana join that line of oppressors; we should be embracing our Caribbean brethren, treating them with respect and dignity, and dare I say it, some preference. Instead I see a denigration of a proud people by hollow men, new to power, devoid of consciousness, the nouveau riche of the Caribbean; how soon we forget.
It was mere decades ago, Guyanese were restricted to fifteen US dollars as our travel allowance; what if the immigration policy of the countries we visited were as heartless as ours presently? I pray we never have to pay the karmic price of this arrogance.
As to the Director of Public Informa-tion Imran Khan, one can only hope that he realizes that his salary is paid by the people of Guyana, and that we will not tolerate ‘eye-pass” of one of our foremost female role models; he will soon learn that the party paramountcy’s days are over and he is answerable to the people. The DPI has a job and he must perform it. He is being paid by taxpayers and must be held accountable for the seeming chaotic state of the information flow from the government. With power comes great responsibility; that time is now for Minister Felix and DPI Khan.
Yours faithfully,
Robin Singh
