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Jun 28, 2018 Letters
DEAR EDITOR,
The recently published “GECOM Hypothesis” by Mr Rashleigh E Jackson is simply unconstructive and heartless. I am shocked that such an insensitive letter was written by a former Minister, and I urge readers to Google it.
Mr Jackson had needed to rest his hypothesis on a background which reasons why Mr Vishnu Persaud, an Indo-Guyanese who is a top-ranked candidate for the position of the Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), was rejected in favour of an Afro-Guyanese candidate with a lower assessment score.
Mr Jackson should have taken an impartial stance to accurately explain the situation in mending fences to move this country forward. Predictably, he did not.
In my opinion, Mr Persaud is a victim of racial bias at GECOM. He was denied of the job as the DCEO because he is Indo-Guyanese. What else? The PNC is tearing down Guyana for political power, and I can’t like that party for its cruelty.
Inhumanity by the PNC is widespread, glaring and nothing new. Similar to the Forbes Burnham era, most Indo-Guyanese have been driven out of the workforce. Those marginalized are prevented from providing for their families. Such meanness is too much to witness.
History has a way of repeating itself. And clear signals emerging from across the country, including at GECOM, heighten fears that our elections will be tainted by the PNC, and this is reminiscent of the repeated rigged elections for 28 years under its leadership.
Indo-Guyanese were muffled under the Forbes Burnham PNC regime and our country has been destroyed up to this day. The PNC has been conditioned to mistreat Indo-Guyanese. The effects of those fraudulent elections rattled this nation, with families forced to go separate ways in search of economic opportunities, and many of them unable to reunite in their lifetime.
Unarguably, the high level of alcoholism, the abnormal suicide rate, and gross dysfunction among a sea of problems which plague this country are heavy price tags of those fraudulent elections.
The PNC needs to show decency. The party thrives in a corrupt medium, exhibits raw dysfunction, and can’t be trusted. Obviously, these are the very reasons why the PNC fails to largely attract Indo-Guyanese voters. It has done nasty things to this nation. It is in dire need of education to shape its behaviours so that they align with the norms of society. It shortsightedly foments division to achieve its goals.
In this vein, Mr Jackson published his hypothesis. And in spite of pervasive racism by the PNC, it has the gall to deceitfully act like a champion of social cohesion. How can these people ever be trusted? And they can’t be role models. Also, do we ever wonder why raw dysfunction perpetuates in this country?
Mr Jackson needs to know that the Afro-Guyanese dominance at GECOM can only come about because of corruption and ignorance by the PNC. It is clear that the PNC is working on a dishonest strategy which relies on using and disrespecting Afro-Guyanese to rake in favourable election results. This is a brainless and destructive strategy. It is uncivilized.
Of course, the PNC desperately wants to remain in power because it is sweetened by our finances.
Mr Jackson clearly waded into a convoluted mess when he presented such a hypothesis – that there was no racial bias against Mr Persaud. Fortunately, the people of this country know not to believe such far-fetched assumptions. I reiterate, Mr Persaud is a victim of discriminatory practices.
Mr Granger came to power by capitalizing on benefits from a democracy. Today that democracy is being trampled upon to retain power. The PNC needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms, and to know that the people of this country will not tolerate any attempt at rigged elections.
To this end, I urge every right-minded Guyanese to stand with the Opposition to fight for democracy, and this means that at the very least, the ethnic imbalance at GECOM has to be corrected so that every citizen gets a fair chance and our elections are free and fair, allowing our country to develop. At this time, the PNC remains lawless, and it should not be left to rule a democracy.
Sincerely,
Annie Baliram
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