October 12 is African Holocaust Day or Maafa Day. Maafa is a Kiswahili word meaning great disaster or tragedy. Usually in Guyana the occasion is observed at the Georgetown Seawall Bandstand and this year was no different. Though the rains threatened to pour, the drizzle did not dampen the spirit of the people who know that for our advancement we must stand firm in our identity, history must not be forgotten, and we must honour our ancestors.
On the way to the seawall the traffic was backed up on Main Street into High Street all the way to Pegasus. I quickly learned that it was the Prime Minister Hon. Mark Phillips and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Hon. Charles Ramson who were present.
One could sense tension in the air. But this simply was not because there were politicians present. Politicians have always been invited to the event, and some would even speak. What I deduced made the crowd uncomfortable and from the few conversations I had, was the politicking.
The prime minister spoke of young people embracing their culture. He denounced all forms of hate and stated that the government is committed to inclusivity. He reiterated that all Guyanese must benefit from the oil wealth and of course commended the government.
The observance of the Maafa should not feel like a political rally even though we may be reminded about the state of our country, the issues within the African Guyanese community and the great achievements.
The government’s ‘One Guyana’ initiative is said to be about inclusivity, but had we been living up to our motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ there would be no need for this new so-called attempt at unifying us. And whether real in the minds of some or imagined in the minds of others, there are African Guyanese complaining about unfair treatment in this current ‘One Guyana.’
One such person who has been recently speaking out is Nigel Hinds. He has accused leaders in the government of portraying African Guyanese as intellectually bankrupt and stupid, has spoken about marginalization and has called for the government to review and amend the 2% royalty paid by ExxonMobil and partners.
Another issue that came to light recently was the cutting of the government’s financial support to the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly-Guyana (IDPADA-G). The government decided to withhold the $8 million subvention for the months of September and October from IDPADA-G and the organisation has been forced to downsize. This organisation was formed to answer the United Nations call under the International Decade of People of African Descent (2015 to 2024). In August the organisation was accused of misusing funds by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. Subsequently the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture requested their financial records. In a press conference, Vincent Alexander said that there was a comprehensive audit for the period 2018 to 2021 and that the information was available to the state. Alexander has stated that the organisation has always been transparent and accountable. Still requests for the $8 million subvention for the months of September and October have been met with silence.
We know that our politicians are constantly engaged in the game for power, and it is the people who suffer. We have not been fortunate to have a collective group of politicians who are impartial and mature enough to put their personal grievances aside, their prejudices, and to free themselves of their god complexes. Whether they are opposing and accusing each other of transgressions, whether they are seeking to manipulate the people or making promises and not fulfilling them, there are few politicians of whom we can truly say that have the best interests of all Guyanese at heart.
So, in this season there are accusations of groups being treated unfairly and racial discrimination, but is this so? Is there evidence? Why was the subvention withheld from IDPADA-G for the months of September and October even though they were audited for 2018 to 2021, the report was submitted to the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Culture and they have expressed their willingness to be audited for 2022? Is this an example of the discrimination against African Guyanese that some are speaking of?
We would hope that the presence of the Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports at the Maafa was not just for photo-ops and an attempt to score political points. We would hope that their interest was genuine, but unfortunately this cannot be said with confidence.
Real in the minds of some or imagined in the minds of others, this melting pot of different cultures and religions, six ethnic groups, two major political parties and a growing immigrant population, is like a volcano waiting to erupt.
On this year’s Maafa, we were also reminded that ancestral lands which mostly belong to African Guyanese are also under threat in some communities. In Beterverwagting, the people are at risk of losing 143 acres of land ,some of which belongs to villagers. The Beterverwagting/Triumph Neighbourhood Democratic Council does not wish to sell the land, has attempted to refund a 20 million down payment to John Fernandes Limited and now Mohamed’s Sons and Daughters Trading, Mining, Logging and Construction Inc. is taking the NDC to court in a bid to possess the land.
We do not have to recount the stories of how freed Africans pooled their resources and purchased villages around Guyana so that their descendants would have land to call their own. The fact that it appears that people are being bullied for their lands is troubling. It is tragic when people can be bullied, robbed, and dehumanized in their own country.
Speeches and photo-ops do not demonstrate justice and equality. In cash-grant country it is works that will demonstrate inclusivity. It is when we no longer hear stories of approved budgeted funds being withheld from organisations with clean records or people’s ancestral lands being stolen or bullied away from them or a general feeling of onslaught or dehumanization of any group that we can say we are all respected and first-class citizens of this country. There are people who seem to believe that because of money and power, they can oppress and intimidate others.
As we made our way into the ocean to lay our wreaths in honour of our ancestors to culminate the Maafa, I had to quiet my mind. The sounds of the drums echoed in the wind and the waves washed over my feet. I reminded myself of my purpose and like a whisper on the wind a voice reminded me that the struggle for the Guyana we deserve continues.
