Mike Persaud is wrong about Guyana’s democracy

Feb 28, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I have been following closely, the engagement in the Kaieteur News between Prem Misir and Mike Persaud, which followed a letter, captioned, “Democracy in Guyana and the PNC’s callous legacy”, in the Guyana Chronicle of February 18, 2011 and the Kaieteur News of February 19, 2011.
In particular, I was drawn to Mike Persaud’s letter in the Kaieteur News of February 25, 2011. After reading these letters, I must conclude that the basis of Persaud’s argument was covered in Misir’s; that is, that Guyana is a fragile democracy, and that we cannot assume that a person votes on the basis of race, simply because of their ethnic composition.
In Mr. Misir’s letter, as carried in the Guyana Chronicle, Prem Misir wrote, and I quote:
“Democracy is more than casting ballots at elections. Nonetheless, the Constitution guarantees the right of Guyanese to vote for the party and presidential candidate of their choosing. This decision is only that of the individual to make, and regardless of ethnicity or race, we must respect that person’s voting decision. And what are the criteria for determining whether or not a person voted on the basis of ethnicity? In answering this question, we must distinguish between ‘attitude’ and ‘behaviour’. It is hard to unravel the mind or rationale of a voter to determine whether or not he/she voted on the basis of ethnicity.”
Cross-ethnic voting is a reality in Guyana. Guyanese are educated and cultured people. Voting is more than just casting ballots on Election Day. It is a decision that affects not only the voter’s life, but the lives of their children and that of the entire population. It is insulting for Mike Persaud to intimate that Guyanese are blinded beyond their own ethnicity when placing their votes.
In Region One, for example, in the last three elections, the PPP was victorious in securing cross-ethnic votes. This is the case in many other Regions; so unapologetically, I will declare that Mike Persaud’s self-served polling system cannot suffice.
The facts are that cross-ethnic voting is Guyana’s reality, whether this gentleman chooses to accept it or not. Of course, I can understand why someone who fled Guyana “about 40 years ago” would have a hard time accepting this. This after all, was during Burnham’s reign, which other Guyanese endured.
Further in his letter, Persaud questioned Misir’s point of the rise in global food prices as another way in which the opposition tried to create instability, as straying from the topic; “apples and oranges”, he calls it. Any careful analysis of Misir’s letter would show that this point was made to demonstrate how the opposition is inclined to create instability, and subsequently retard development. Having an opposition is necessary, the constitution demands one.
Nonetheless, that opposition must be effective in defending and protecting the needs and rights of the people. It must not be an agent of instability in the country, as this destabilises and slows down the democratic process. This I believe was Misir’s point.
Rachael Bakker

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