Dear Editor,
Let me make it abundantly clear that I have never been a racist nor a person who hated another person because of his/her ethnicity or religious beliefs. I am the product of basically Afro-Guyanese parents and have always been and will always be proud to be an Afro-Guyanese, and hold the firm belief that you cannot love and appreciate others unless you love and appreciate who you are. Historically, there is no doubt that the Afro-Guyanese have suffered the greatest beginning with the inhumane capture of my ancestors in West Africa, (of interest with the connivance of their own kith and kin).
When the Immigrants arrived after 1838, using crude implements, being beaten and their soul brutalized, the African slaves had civilized our entire coastal belt, some of which was below sea level. This brings me to our annual celebration of African Holocaust Day held last Wednes-day October 12, 2022 organised by ACDA. For reasons which are beyond belief but which are now being investigated, for the first time since its inauguration years ago I was not invited, hence my absence from this significant event which took place at the Georgetown Seawall Bandstand. This event has always been used to share knowledge of our history and to remind young and old that the effort for total emancipation or if you prefer liberation, must continue since many of us have had the chains removed but mental slavery in some quarters lingers on.
I am told that the Government was represented by Minister Ramson, Minister of Sports and Culture and Prime Minister Mark Phillips. Prime Minister Phillips, from those present and representing the African community of Guyana, assured that the Government is committed to inclusivity and values the traditions and customs of all Guyanese. Along with calls for inclusivity and denouncements of all forms of hate and prejudice, the Prime Minister was adamant that every Guyanese must benefit from the impending wealth of the country. He said “There is no place for racism, marginalization and oppression in Guyana. It is all about development, inclusivity and improving all the lives and livelihoods of all Guya-nese inclusive of African Guyanese.” I was amused and bemused by Phillips who is a nice and charming individual but we know he has neither the authority nor, as we say in Guyana, the political clout to speak on behalf of the PPP on matters such as how this vast wealth is to be distributed.
Throughout the world so-called democratic, socialist, so-called communist or whatever, every country is managed by a handful of men or women. Guyana is no different and our Prime Minister must be careful when making statements as he did on Wednesday, whether from a prepared script or at lib to say things that he has little control over. It is no secret, the Prime Minister is not in charge of the Natural Resources Fund, neither his subjects under his portfolio gives him the authority to make ex-cathedral decisions, speaking to the descendants of Manumitted Afri-cans as to how did abundance of wealth we now have is to be spent. My advice to the good gentleman therefore, is when next he is asked to speak to an Afro-Guyanese event to be careful to say only those things that he is capable of delivering, or unless he is following in the footsteps of a predecessor in that office- Prime Minister/President, Samuel Archibald Hinds who told a gathering of Afro Guya-nese assembly to celebrate Emancipation Day that they must forget the past.
For now, I avoid the tedium of examples, except to ask the Prime Minister if he has noticed, that led by the Government control media, he is no longer referred to as is required by the Constitution as the First Vice President, and I may add the perception is, he is not part of an emerging oligarchy. If the Prime Minister and First Vice President wishes to serve the Afro-Guyanese community, he can begin by persuading his government to treat Haitian immigrants with the same favour that immigrants from Venezuela and like-looking countries are treated. I end by posing this conundrum raised by Profes-sor Ali A. Mazrui when he addressed a group of us at an International Conference to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Emancipation when he noted ‘But Blacks have neither sacralized their suffering into a sacred doctrine nor exploited it as a political fund as the Jews and many other groups have done.”
It may be useful if Prime Minister Mark Phillips and others help themselves to reading that booklet entitled ‘Selected Papers’, edited by Winston Mc Gowan with a Foreword by the Late Professor Joycelynne Loncke, before he speaks to another group representing Afro-Guya-nese. My dear Prime Minister, these are serious times and we have no time for disarming platitudes.
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
Former Head of Clerical Section,
Transport & General Workers’
Union
Former GS, PNC
Former Prime Minister
Ex Mayor, City of Georgetown.