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Freddie needs to provide evidence of discrimination

Sep 02, 2013 Letters

Dear Editor,
Mr. Freddie Kissoon has not offered any evidence to support his contentious conclusion (KN column Sep 1) that Indians are not critical of aspects of PPP’s governance.
There are numerous commentaries penned by Indians, including from this writer, critiquing aspects of government’s policies and actions and officials as well.  So it is not true that Indians don’t speak out against wrong doings.
One cannot condemn discrimination unless there is evidence to show there is discrimination. Clearly, Freddie is abusing his right of free speech making unsupported claims and irresponsible generalized statements as has been history as a columnist.
People should have unfettered freedom of speech right but columnists like Freddie must exercise restraint in making claims that are not substantiated with facts or empirical evidence. For example, Freddie claims that there is ethnic discrimination in Guyana and Indians are not speaking out against such discrimination.  Kissoon needs to take one sector and how show how any group is being discriminated against.
Balanced analysis is sorely missing in Kissoon’s commentaries. I can provide Kissoon with evidence to show how Indians are being neglected in infrastructure and housing in rural areas and in low pay in the sugar sector.
Can Freddie cite authentic (real, not manufactured) figures to support his claim informing the world in what areas discrimination exists and how?  Could it be that such discrimination does not really exist and Freddie is just making claims in order to have some kind of relevance in the media or retain a following from the other side?
Freddie pens that some African liberation fighters, primarily those attached to the WPA, against the PNC dictatorship regret their action that helped to restore democratic rule because it has led to Indian PPP political domination. Is Freddie saying that Africans would have been better off had Guyana remained a PNC controlled dictatorship since October 1992.
One should not support democratic rule or join a freedom struggle based on ethnic consideration.  It should be based on a principle that people have a right to democratic governance and equal opportunities regardless of ethnicity. Indians are grateful to the handful of Africans, like Bro.
Kwayana, Nigel Westmaas, Ogunseye, Walter Rodney, Frank Fyffe, Clive Thomas, etc. who joined Indians, including this writer, in the struggle against the PNC dictatorship. Those Africans who now express regrets of standing side by side with Indians to fight Burnhamism are simply wrong. Opposing the dictatorship was the right and honorable thing.
Since the fall of the dictatorship, full democratic rule has been restored in our country and people have freedom of association as well as to absolute freedom to pursue their goals.
Political and economic opportunities are not based on ethnic considerations as happened under the PNC dictatorship as African liberation fighters had condemned.  If Freddie feels otherwise, let him provide it to the public, not just make general statements.
Vishnu Bisram

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