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Call for greater diaspora activism in America to strengthen ties with Guyana

Jun 28, 2023 Letters

Dear Editor,

Last week, at several public meetings during a state visit, the large Indian diaspora that also included hundreds of thousands of Indian Guyanese in the USA was lauded by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the President of America Joe Biden for its very important role in helping to bring the two countries together. Since the 1970s, several Indian Guyanese and Trinidadians have joined nationals from India to lobby for closer ties between India and USA. The Guyanese Diaspora (of all ethnicities) in America, which is larger than the population of Guyana, has the capacity (numbers and resources) to play a similar meaningful role as the Indian diaspora in cementing ties between the US and Guyana. The diaspora can act as an effective player in impacting the dynamics of relations (trade, investment, development) between these two nations. Regrettably, successive administrations in Guyana have not maximized use of the diaspora to strengthen ties with the most powerful nation in the world.

The USA is indispensable when it comes to democracy and political change in Guyana. Guyanese must never forget that the US was responsible for the restoration of democracy in Guyana in 1992 after 26 years of authoritarian rule and again in 2020 when there was an unabashed effort to rig the counting of the votes. The US was also tied to change in administrations in 1953, 1964, and 2015. Thus, one must not discount the powerful role of the US in securing democracy or change in administrations in Guyana.

Opinion surveys conducted by this writer found that the Guyanese diaspora and Guyanese at home are/were very grateful for the role played by Washington in restoring democracy in 1992 and 2020.  The diaspora wants closer ties with America. But successive governments and some political parties in Guyana and their support groups in the US did not pay heed to popular opinion to bolster ties with Washington; they were more interested in closer ties with the East bloc (now defunct) and China. Had the political parties listened to pro-America activists since the 1970s, democracy would have been institutionalized and secured and protected by the US.

During the period of the dictatorship, particularly in the late 1970s and continuing thru 1992, a few of us, Guyanese and Trinis in America, lobbied Washington lawmakers and the Executive branch to help the struggle for the restoration of democratic governance in Guyana. We unsuccessfully sought the assistance of left wing or socialist or communist support groups affiliated with parties in Guyana to join us in lobbying Washington. We were rebuffed with some choicest words used to describe those of us who sought to engage Washington officials to restore democracy in our homeland. We were abused and called bourgeoisie, imperialists, lackeys, and tools of the American exploiters. Lobbying paid off. American lawmakers inclusive of Ted Kennedy, Stephen Solarz, Elliott Engel, joined by President Bush Sr., among others, issued statements calling for free and fair elections in Guyana. Had Washington not intervened, Guyana may well have remained an authoritarian state. Similarly, after the no confidence motion in December 2018 and continuing thru August 2020, a small group of us, yes some of the same imperialists, appealed to American lawmakers and the Trump Administration to protect democracy in Guyana. It worked. Without Washington intervention, the voters’ democratic choice would not have been honoured in 2020.

As observed in the case of the Indian diaspora, lobbying and soft power work to win allies in Washington and closer relations with India. Given the power of the US to secure democracy in Guyana and the role of the diaspora in appealing to US officials to protect democracy at home, is it not wise for any administration in Georgetown to bolster ties with Washington. Shouldn’t political parties and the government of Guyana encourage the diaspora for an active role in American political affairs, especially in winning over lawmakers and executive officials, with the goal of strengthening ties between our two nations? Closer ties will benefit both nations.

Yours sincerely,

Vishnu Bisram

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