Even when you are miles away, there is something about Guyana’s election season that somehow manages to rope you in. Behavioural patterns shift and tribal politics takes centre stage, even amongst the diaspora. Intentional efforts to detach feel like a waste of time as it is inevitable that it will snake its way into your psyche.
Historically, almost everyone has their political choice determined through some form of trauma that blindsides discussions over policy. The arguments always seem to range from election rigging to ethnic superiority to election violence. I think perhaps the most painful part of it all is how we manage to emotionally injure each other for our interests, almost as if these relationships held no prior value. Or perhaps if they did, for the most part it was circumstantial.
