Dear Editor,
Editor, thank you for allowing me the space to call this racism thing as I see it in my country of birth. Let me unequivocally start by stating that all the discourse below began with me looking in the mirror – my ethnicity (beliefs, habits, and values). Then I move to the position or question – what do I keep or what can I change? Racism in Guyana is like an octopus, its far-reaching tentacles have spread everywhere. Like Cassidy who testified on Capitol Hill, somebody has to be the adult in the room to make firm decisions, to stand boldly and testify – speaking truth to power. Those of us born in the late 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s have to deal with the racism monster in our country and those in ‘Little Guyana’ as well – deal with it we must.
Everywhere I turn in society, racism is glaring. Our current leaders on either side cannot do better, they learned the racism script. Some of us are mixed, yet still practice racism in the home, community, and wider nation. I have taken the time over the last week to listen to persons speak their “heart” in the public domain and all I can say is – here we go again. When will it end? It can’t right now. Racism is firmly embedded in society and the current government will use it to its advantage. Well, let me say, the current government and its supporters will say the same of the past government as well – “a merry-go-around effect”. That will not be true, the past government tried – they had a rainbow coalition. I will address what can be done in a society like Guyana.
Guyana has got a deep-rooted racism problem – face it and face it now. It makes no sense to keep pretending and repeating it over. Guyana has never dealt with its racism issue seriously. We are tip-toeing around each other and don’t want to rock the boat around our friends and family – until Mon Repos happen. This type of behaviour exists in the Church as well. We are trying our best to tolerate each other, but it’s not working. What can we do as a nation? Work towards a Truth and Reconciliation Commission – let us sort out our hurts, pains, anger, and racist selves. Immediately following, implement affirmative action laws now across the board (i.e. including employment). One law I would love to see in Guyana is all communities in Guyana that carry over 80% of the same ethnicity should be discouraged (same in the police, army, and public/private sectors). All should dwell amongst each other in love and harmony. I lived in Richmond Hill, Queens for over 15 years and I have seen Indians demonstrate love and harmony towards me in the streets and on the A train. Could we not do the same across Guyana? Young Guyanese should be determined not to drink the cool-aid of racism that the 50s, 40s and 30s generations are trying to feed them. Be different.
If we don’t heed what I have written above, disaster awaits all of us in the nation. The Jim Jones era continues to embarrass Guyana far and wide, and racism is doing the same. I implore Guyanese of all religions to be the “adult in the room” and denounce racism (move towards forgiveness) in families, communities, and in the marketplace. I especially speak to Indo-Guyanese who are Christians – stand and represent all ethnicities. Thank you GHK Lall, Mike Singh, and Pastor Anil Sugrim in Berbice for speaking out in the last two weeks on a ballooning and fiery situation getting worse in Guyana. Let us all forgive and show all love, grace and mercy.
Sincerely,
Denise Murray
