– Those Palm Tree Philistines
I was not that surprised that the Culture Minister’s remarks about “black role-models” for Afro-Guyanese youth would generate robust responses. Even outrage, feigned, manufactured or genuine.
However what was indeed a little startling was the venom for the young PPP official – laced with declarations of socio-historical hurt, as Opposition spokespeople, with surrogates in tow, sought to remind the world of the historical contributions of Afro-Guyanese to what Guyana is today and why perceived or real impediments conspire against Guyanese “Black People” up to now.
Whew! Even though I was hesitant to join the sensitive current conversation, I take this plunge, partly because a few weeks ago I shared my humorous view that there are those opposition dudes who would politicize our Cook-Up-Rice, Pepper pot or Roti Curry. Tell me, was the hurt over the Minister’s remarks genuine? Oh I won’t or can’t really “understand”? Was it not an issue to politicise?