Race was the theme of choice at the event held on Sunday last at Babu John, Corentyne, Berbice to commemorate the life and work of the Jagans – Cheddi and Janet – both former presidents of Guyana and founding members of the ruling People’s Progressive Party. President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo appeared to have compared notes, or perhaps their speechwriters did, as it could not have been a coincidence that they both sought, futilely, to whitewash the historic racism that still exists here today.
There was President Ali sublimely pontificating about racism not being allowed “to succeed in Guyana”, even as its spectre still clouds most aspects of life here, particularly in the political sphere. The President is earnest enough that one could absolutely believe he means what he says, at least in that moment. However, the optics fail to completely match the spiel and that warps the rosy picture somewhat.
One example is his intransigence in making confirmed appointments to the offices of the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice. That the President cannot, or chooses not, to give a reason for pussyfooting around with their substantive appointments, leaves the issue wide open for speculation and distrust.
Vice President Jagdeo took it a step further, proclaiming that the PPP was “the only multiracial party in the country” evidenced, he said, by the diversity present at Sunday’s event. In addition, he called the People’s National Congress (PNC) – a member of the main opposition coalition and the PPP’s historical nemesis – racist. While he stopped short of repeating the language that saw him facing a private criminal charge in 2015 over making racially divisive statements at the same venue in contravention of Section 139 D of the Representation of the People Act, it did not appear that the VP had learned anything from the past.
As a politician, Mr Jagdeo is well aware of the power of words (as is the President) one therefore has to assume that whatever was said was worded with some amount of purpose. As a case in point, the VP chose to refer to former auditor general Anand Goolsarran as a fossil and liberally punctuated his comments with the words “these people”.
Meanwhile, despite the event being billed as a commemoration, both the leader of the PPP and the leader of the country gave political speeches. They could very easily have been on the hustings at Babu John; and underlying the unity posturing was the typical ‘we’ versus ‘them’ that has plagued this country for decades and seemingly has no end.
We vs them figure highly in what is deemed institutional racism. As defined by the UN Human Rights Office, it is the “racial attitudes found in an ethnic group’s traditions, beliefs, opinions, and myths that are firmly ingrained in the very fibre of the ethnic group’s cultural paradigm,” and have been practised for so long that they are accepted as normal, when in fact they marginalise and demonise another ethnic group.
Historically, the two main political parties harboured institutional racism to the extent that it became a monster they could not control. Generations of Guyanese have therefore joined political movements because the leaders looked like them. They have also voted for candidates who looked like them, as they were taught to distrust those who did not. Policies have had very little to do with where the X was placed on the ballot.
While there has been discernment and change over the years, it has not generally occurred among the rank and file members of the main parties. Furthermore, it has not progressed enough for anyone to claim that racism does not exist in this country. On the contrary, it is alive and well. It exists even among those who profess to eschew it. It exists in our subconscious. It is revealed in all the choices we make, not just the political ones, but including how we raise our children. This latter unfortunate fact means that it is likely to continue for generations to come.
It will take more than words, more than platitudes to begin to defeat racism. The first step, like that taken by a recovering addict, is to admit that there is a problem. Even that is tricky as the default is to look outwards; to try to find culpability among others. In actuality, the accountability starts inside; with the individual, then the group and so on.
Another key step to curbing racism is finding the root cause. In Guyana, the historical context is very well known. What is needed are the conversations that will lead to understanding and healing. The requirement here is not for anyone or any group to turn the other cheek, but for either to be the bigger person in the interest of the country; to display the leadership constantly being claimed by both sides.
