There must be many of us in the Caribbean who in consideration of some matter or other have had some lyrics of Robert Nesta Marley (6th February 1945 to 11th May 1981) spring to mind.
This is precisely what happened when I was considering President Irfaan Ali’s comments earlier this month on the ethnic situation in Guyana. He is widely reported to have said that all of us are ‘consumed’ by racism and individuals are opportunistically using it to solidify their own position and ‘deliberately misconceive things and repackage and disseminate it in a manner that promotes sentiments of hate, racial feelings and distrust between the people.’ He called upon all of us to criticise those who use racism for their own selfish reasons. He said his government is ready and willing to work with every section of Guyanese regardless of who you voted for or how you look, to help them realise their aspirations. The first two lines of the following well known question from Bob Marley came to mind.