The mentality of people like IK Cush and Ruel Johnson

Feb 12, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Warning; this will be a controversial letter and like IK Cush, I stand behind what is said, but unlike IK Cush, it will be something worth standing up for. Even though he did not mention a certain group, he is referring to it, but IK Cush does not represent the views of young or progressive Guyanese, instead he represents the mentality of people who like the Ruel Johnsons of the world, believe that everyone else is to be blamed for non-white suffering other than they themselves.
The only group that has been deliberately oppressed and that has not been able to represent their interest at the highest level of Guyanese politics are our Amerindian brothers and sisters. And to be fair, it is only under the PPP, we saw tangible representation of this group. Amerindians suffered because they were deemed not to belong to the melting pot
Certain sections ruled this country for decades, the same years Cush is referring to as those days, where everyone put their shoulders to the wheel to pave their own destiny. But he conveniently forgot that during that time, the people were deprived of democratic representation, something that he dislikes even now, because he is not mentally capable of existing in a truly democratic society with freedom of speech.
During this “great period” Cush is referring to, white mouth was a staple in people’s vocabulary and hunger was recognized along with rationed food lines while living in fear of speaking out. In those days, Walter Rodney was killed by the State forces for being a viable threat to the State. Guyana could not pay its foreign debt and owed more than it could produce.
I would dare to ask IK Cush some purely insensitive and pragmatic questions; where is the foundation from “those days” that should have been laid for the people today, so that we would not be in a state of economic vulnerability? Why past regimes did not protect my group by empowering us to protect our economic future? Why after these decades of controlling all the resources of Guyana, the people were not left in a position to withstand the shock of economic leveling during the PPP years? And I am not saying the PPP years were perfect, but it was progressive.
Every cultural group in Guyana has withstood the pressure of those decades and built themselves up so that they would not be oppressed; while the elite leaders under the PNC lived lavishly by exploiting their own Guyanese people and everyone else. Now the present elite and others stand again with power in their hands and are doing the same things that were done those decades ago. Overtaxing the people, taxing education, overpriced parking meters, depriving market vendors of their income and I can go on and on.
The future of Guyana will not be like those past years, it will not allow oppressive elites to deprive us of our freedom to express ourselves and we will protect our rights this time.
The future politicians will work together even if we do not agree or are on the same side. We will not take part in gang politics, ethnic politics and disastrous group think. The future politicians will look for common grounds that drive Guyana forward and not divide us and this starts with protests like the Movement Against Parking Meters. It must be okay to disagree without making enemies out of it.
Guyana is currently under too much economic strain to have parking meters in its capital and everyone agrees with that fact. We agree because even the average Guyanese owns a car, even if they can just get by with it and that is why the parking meters is the straw that’s breaking the peoples back. So as IK Cush stands there with his backward and toxic mouth, you must remember that it is not “those days” that made it possible for the average Guyanese to own cars today.
Those who voted like a boss will now feel what it’s like to live in those days IK Cush is referring to. I will continue to play my role in showing what voting like a boss should be like in a future Guyana we will all love and live for. Sometimes we forget that there are enough resources in Guyana for all to live well, only if we can manage it properly.
Malcolm Watkins

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The mentality of people like IK Cush and Ruel Johnson

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