Ramjattan’s Bath Settlement call has the potential to attract unhealthy debates

Jan 31, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Harry Gill’s letter (Kaieteur News 01/27/2011) captioned, “Ramjattan should not respond to this ridiculous charge”, has certainly missed the point or was penned with the intention to launch an attack elsewhere.
His leading sentence about politicians seeing things through a racist lens is very much welcome. I would only add that his point might have been more complete had his statement been extended to include the “wanna be politicians” and those who have a penchant for engaging in “donkey kong mischief”, for they too seem to see things through that ‘racist lens’ he speaks about.
However, it is quite ironic that Mr. Gill’s intervention here, clearly supports his ‘racist contention’, Gill’s words offer a good example of the point I made regarding the effects of Mr. Ramjattan’s ill-advised call, which I did say has the potential to attract all kinds of unhealthy debates. Mr. Gill’s “racist talk”, though, resembles that popular strategy some would use to attempt to divert attention from the real issues, especially when they, or their bosses are found wanting. However, this is such an old trick, that it has outlived its time and therefore will not succeed in hoodwinking Guyanese, for we are all too aware. In his haste to support Mr. Ramjattan’s “don’t fear Afro-Guyanese call”, Mr. Gill posits; “Lurlene Nestor is well aware that documented statistics may not exist in Guyana for crimes committed by ethnicity; but “empirical evidence” can easily be obtained if she takes off the blinders she’s wearing.” This is a very troubling and worrying statement. Gills interpretation of the ‘Ramjattan’s call’ has taken the debate to an unfortunate place, which certainly would invite us to take a deeper look at the call.
By introducing the concept of crime here, Harry Gill seems to be telling Guyanese that Ramjattan’s position that Indo-Guyanese fears Afro-Guyanese is based on crimes committed by ethnicity, but for which the documented statistics do not exist? This comment is symptomatic of a perfect ‘no brainer’, if the data does not exist how can one determine fact from fiction? Mr. Gill negates this fact and proceeded to project a view which seems to suggest that had statistics been documented it would indicate that Indo- Guyanese fear Afro- Guyanese because the latter group perpetrate criminal acts against the former? What lunacy!
Mr. Gill talked about politicians seeing things through racist lens but his argument here leaves much to be desired. He calls on Khemraj Ramjattan to refuse to retract his ill-advised call, and ignore the criticism of same, but he has now given him every right to respond to distance himself and the AFC from this outrageous position, advanced by Harry Gill. Gill appears to be telling Guyanese that Ramjattan’s call is justified and is grounded in the interpretation he advanced in his letter.
Ramjattan’s refusal to distance himself and the AFC from this outrageous position may indicate that he and his party subscribe to Harry Gill’s lunacy. Further, it would be helpful if Mr. Gill guides us to the evidence, which he says can be easily obtained, to prove his point as the whole of Guyana might be wearing blinkers. Guyanese see a criminal as a criminal and to attempt to even suggest that criminals are Afro-Guyanese who direct attacks at our Indian brothers and sisters is wicked and dangerous.
It is believed to be an old PPP/C talking point that even they apparently abandoned, having recognised the dangers in harbouring and advancing such foolish and baseless theories. The fact is crime engulfs all of Guyana, and none is excluded all are caught up in this vicious and unending cycle of crime and corruption.
Every person regardless of race, class, or creed is caught up in this web of crime that Guyana has become. Mr. Ryan Panday, the initial defender of the Ramjattan “Bath Settlement call” tells us that the AFC candidate was not attempting to provide a sociological analysis of the Guyanese society, therefore, his “don’t fear Afro-Guyanese call”, was probably justified.
However, Mr. Gill’s argument has indicated why such analysis might be necessary for the AFC to undertake, as it would assist those who seek to speak on its behalf to be more informed and ultimately more responsible in their comments. It may offer a deep sociological understanding and appreciation of the various factors intermingling and at the same time provide sound rationales for the realities. According to Harry Gill, Ramjattan’s call is likely to ease tension, and that the call by Ramjattan might be a good step for politicians to take in order to deal with issues of race relations.
My question is how can such a call ease tensions, especially when it is linked to the dangerously lopsided interpretation Gill advances How can such a call improve race relations when it is based on a hunch and not a fact and when positions seem to have already taken root in the minds of some. I remain baffled by Harry Gill’s comment on ‘crimes committed by ethnicity” and how this may justify Ramjattan’s fear call.
Let me remind Mr. Gill that my intervention on this serious issue stems not from a mandate to score political points, or to demonstrate some penchant for ‘nit picking’ but rather to highlight the dangers of irresponsible and insensitive comments by those who want to lead us.
However, some with their twisted political outfit would be unable to appreciate this, as they seem incapable of stepping out of that mode of, ignore the message and focus on the messenger, thus adopting a very narrow position.
Harry Gill’s interpretation of Ramjattan’s call provides all the reasons why the call is deemed ill-advised.
Lurlene Nestor

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