Latest update August 20th, 2026 12:07 AM
Exploitation of the fear vote in Guyana
Dear Editor,
It seems that the politicians are at it again to exploit a gullible electorate in pursuit of their own selfish aims. A campaign seems to be underway in the media to confuse the electorate into believing that the politicians were the ones who have challenged the British and won in the long and bitter struggle for Independence from the colonial masters. This fallacy should be shunned with all the contempt it deserves. Apart from the make-belief struggle by the politicians, there was never any battle conducted against the Britain by any politician in Guyana on the withholding of Independence. However this does not prevent them from basking in the vain triumph and glory, as Independence was doled out inevitable to Guyana, as a matter of course. Britain was a war-torn nation at the time, when they were faced with the mammoth task of re-construction. The colonies within their British West Indian Federation interests were viewed as an intolerable burden, and which had to be shed with all haste. Independence was therefore a foregone conclusion and not a matter of conflict. Responsibilities had to be shed and handed over to the Independent entities that will then handle completely their own affairs. This in turn would stem the drain on the British Treasury. There was not an issue about the withholding Independence to the colonies, and the quicker the better. The politicians however, had to devise a struggle of their own, as they embarked on a destructive path to racial dive. A fierce war on ideology on race and politics soon erupted as the face of Guyana was destined to change as never before. The politicians have clearly demonstrated that they were more adept at destruction than to build and mend upon what little they had inherited. They were first however, to lay blame elsewhere for their rigid shortcomings. The cold war in its height also had a profound effect. The politicians did little to stem the backlash, or seek to shelter Guyanese from its devastation. Instead they stood rigidly on opposing sides, until the Berlin wall fell in 1989, as they blamed the outside world for the problems or their own creation. The fair and free elections that were held in October, 1992, were not because the politicians had willed it to happen. It was because the Berlin wall had tumbled down at their feet along with them in their rigid ideological turrets. Sadly it was the ordinary people, who ended up paying the high costs of the politicians, who had clung rigidly to the tenets of defunct ideologies. Hundreds of innocent Guyanese had loss their lives as hundreds of families mourned the loss of their loved ones. Women and children bore the brunt of the atrocities as politicians looked the other way. Guyanese had suffered much in a very rough period in their recent history, and they are still not yet out of the political quagmire. There is no other way but up and Guyana has to rebound. The racial divide cannot get no wider except narrower. The cohesion and trust that were once prevalent cannot forever remain an illusion. A confident electorate would no longer wish to return politicians on the basis on fear. They would demand due accountability, transparency and effectiveness from them. Until such time Guyana time will remain at the mercy of those politicians who are acutely aware that their existence is not about genuine accountability and effectiveness but on the fear vote.
Mac Mahase
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