It was a multi-racial coalition victory, Dr. Hinds

May 20, 2015 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
There is nothing inherently racist about Dr. David Hinds expressing pride in his identity or saluting his ethnic group for uniting to vote out the PPP. I applaud Prof. Hinds for his missive “I salute the African Guyanese Sisterin and Brethren” (KN May 19) in which he rightly recognized and glorified the work of his “African brothers and sisters” for their gallant campaign in unison for the APNU+AFC coalition enabling it “to win” the elections.
It is a fact as Dr. Hinds noted, without the unswerving loyalty and fealty of the “African sisterin and brethren”, it would have been almost impossible to defeat to the PPP. Without the commitment, religious dedication, unity, and hard work of the sisterin and brethren, getting out every African vote, in what was perhaps the highest turnout of Africans since 1964, the coalition may have able to oust the PPP.
However, the African votes alone did not bring about the victory, as it would not have been possible without the votes of the bulk of the mixed races and a fair inclusion of Amerindians and Indians. The opposition victory was owed in large measure to the multi-racial coalition (put together by two statesmen David Granger and Moses Nagamootoo) albeit largely comprising Africans (not dissimilar to the PPP’s support comprising primarily of Indians).
The coming together of the two former political adversaries helped to bring disparate people together – attracted to a vision of racial unity. Also, many Indian volunteers worked the ground for the coalition in the Indian villages that bore fruits giving APNU (PNC) the needed votes to take it over the 50% mark.
Hinds came across as racially triumphalist, though I do not think that was his intention. Without the Indian votes, the coalition could not have won. Thus, while commending his sisterin and brethren for uniting to vote out the PPP, Prof. Hinds should also have saluted the many Indians who forsook racial loyalty to campaign for the coalition.  And he should have also acknowledged the courage of those Indians who broke ranks from their race and voted against the PPP; those who voted against the PPP were seen as disloyal to the race and are referred to as snakes and traitors. Thus, their acts should also be considered as equally heroic if not greater than Hinds’ sisterin and brethren.
The volunteers from the diaspora worked the ground convincing Indians to vote the coalition. On volunteerism, many Indians from the Guyanese diaspora flew down (on their own expense) to campaign for the alliance. They were attracted to Nagamootoo and the idea of multi-racial governance, turned off by the hubris of the PPP and its poor governance.
Among those who went down were gentlemen I worked with during the democratic revolution such as Joe Ragnauth and Leyland Roopnarine. They should also be saluted for their contributions to the democratic revolution and for helping to usher in a coalition victory. Some others from the diaspora included Joe Persaud and his wife, Derek Basdeo, and Trevor Roopnarain.
I was approached to join them on the campaign as I was also asked by friends from APNU, AFC and URP. In fact, two weeks before the election, a leading member of the AFC (a man of integrity) asked me to come on board and endorse the coalition, assuring me of an opposition victory. My response was the same I gave to my friends in APNU, AFC, PPP and URP and those in the diaspora – As a pollster, reporter, and political analyst, I could not join any of the campaigns. I have preferred to remain an objective commentator.
Of those who fought the PNC dictatorship within Guyana and abroad, hardly anyone was ever recognized by the PPP government for their heroism. Neither Dr. Hinds nor the coalition should repeat that blunder of the PPP. Thus, I wish to salute Ragnauth (head of the defunct DLM Support Group) and Leyland and others who played key roles in our struggle against the dictatorship during the 1970s thru the 1990s, as well as those who contributed to the coalition victory during the campaign.
Ragnauth and Leyland bravely fought against the oppression of the PNC.  I walked many a picket line with Ragnauth in NY and at times we reminisce about the struggle during rare occasions when we meet. Leyland, a stalwart for the URP, was brutalized by thugs and arrested several times for his democratic activism. I joined him on the picket lines a few times in Guyana when I visited during my teaching holidays. Leyland was among the most courageous and militant individuals I met in Guyana fighting for free and fair elections; he earned the wrath of House of Israel thugs. And the PPP and Indians aren’t pleased that he campaigned for the coalition.
Singling out the campaign contributions of only the sisterin and brethren is bound to create ethnic fears. Last week’s was a people victory, not an ethnic victory, to celebrate. No one group should get the credit for unseating the PPP. All of those who worked tirelessly to defeat the PPP deserve special praises and recognition. It is a victory for and of the nation.
Vishnu Bisram

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