Working People’s Alliance (WPA) member David Hinds on Tuesday called at an opposition rally in Georgetown for the equitable sharing of the “oil money” to all Guyanese.
At the rally which was held at Burnham Park, Parade Ground, Hinds, using the rallying cry of the late Walter Rodney-led WPA, “People’s power, no dictator,” said “we are going to be at the table for our share of the oil money.” He warned, “…if they don’t want us at the table, we will kick the foot (of the table).”
Hinds said that 10 percent of the annual oil proceeds should be distributed to the 210,000 households in Guyana regardless of their race. He said that African Guyanese don’t want hampers and outreaches, which are offered by the government. “We want power, economic power. Political power,” he declared.
Describing the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government as a racist one, Hinds contended, “you don’t go to Region Six and give them a training school and go to Buxton and give them a tractor, I say that is racism. You don’t go to Region Six and give them stadiums and go to Buxton and repair a ball field that is racism.”
He added: “Some of the economists are saying that the oil money has to be targeted, well the PPP targeted the oil money, giving the oil money to their people”. Hinds said that it is known that Guyana is racialized. “When you say sugar workers, you mean Indian Guyanese, when you say public servants, you mean African Guyanese. When you say police and soldiers, you mean African Guyanese. When you target sugar workers and give them $250,000 and you go to public servants and give them 3 percent, you are damn racist,” he declared.
Hinds said that his ancestors waited 15 years before Emancipation Day, however, he said, “…we are not going to wait so long…Tonight I am not looking for votes, tonight I am not looking to be politically correct, tonight I come in the words of Brother Bob, to disturb my neighbours. Tonight, I come here to speak some truths, for us to link hands and march to the promised land…”
Hinds said that the government is urging peaceful protest and declared that his party was not violent. “Tonight we are sounding the bell, we are saying that the march has begun, we are saying that the struggle is going to be taken to another level”, he declared.
