The UGGS President has made light of this student’s nasty racist rant

Nov 10, 2019 Letters

Dear Editor,

In last Thursday’s issue of the Kaieteur News, you published a letter in which the President of the University of Guyana Students’ Society(UGSS), Jafar Gibbons made this plaintive refrain: “How can we effectively and aggressively combat the issue of racism?”
Mr. Gibbons was responding to the quite nasty racist rant, on social media, by a young UG student, (with a silly grin on his face, as if he were delivering the world’s funniest joke) against African Guyanese.
According to Mr. Gibbons, “It was very disturbing and unsettling to see and hear how the Africans are depicted by an Indian student on an Instagram post. I became angry instantly, even worked up. Is this what someone of another ethnicity thinks of mine?”
He continues: “Is this what he thinks of me? Most of the administrators of the University of Guyana are of African descent, is this how he views them? Why? His apology saved him not, if anything, it made matters worse!”
I was expecting Mr. Gibbons to state that condign action would be taken; that he would issue a report to the UG hierarchy, and some disciplinary action would be recommended, and taken, against this student.
But alas! Gibbons then waxed philosophical: “As we continue to force this young man into isolation and ridicule him, making threats to his family, have we thought about using the opportunity to spread unity through these same social institution mentioned above? We all have erred in the past, can we not forgive him for his actions, using this as a platform to edify the fellow Guyanese, hence eradicating any such thoughts that may remain?
We may never get the chance to eradicate racism, but at all opportunities, we must be willing and able to educate our populace, which will then enable us to “judge not a man by his color but by the contents of his character.”
I was aghast: Was that it? Here was a UG student, no less, spouting these vile thoughts on social media, in this elections season of all times, and all we get is this tepid response from the Representative of students?
Nothing demanding a REAL APOLOGY, perhaps to the African students and his AFRICAN TUTORS? Nothing about disciplinary action, such as suspension, or possibly expulsion?
Will the African students on campus and African lecturers let this pass without a protest, while uttering the sheepish Guyanese refrain “Is wha yuh gun do?”
Should the African lecturers who are helping to educate this “student”, refuse to teach him? Or are they to “turn the other cheek, smile, and go on as if nothing happened?
So, to answer Mr. Gibbon’s question: “How can we effectively and aggressively combat the issue of racism?”
My answer: By not brushing then off, as Mr. Gibbons and others seem to have done, but by strongly expressing our intolerance to racists such as this ‘student’, in thought, word and DEED!
Awaiting your response, Mr. Gibbons.
Yours Sincerely
Mark A Lewis

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