The ongoing attempt to justify discrimination and exclusion, targeting certain groups while privileging others, must come to an end

Oct 22, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

I respond to the letter carried, “Lewis’ accusation that the PPP/C government is indifferent to worker suffering cannot withstand scrutiny” by Dr. Walter H. Persaud (SN, 20th October, 2025), and let me state clearly that the writer who sought to respond to me has failed miserably to address the core concern raised in my correspondence.

I am left to wonder whether the authenticity of the concerns I raised about the high cost of living, the need for a “living wage,” and the Jagdeo/Ali regime’s refusal to confront these burning issues has offended him.

In this oil-rich economy, the world’s fastest-growing and richest, more than half the population lives in poverty.

Wages and salaries cannot keep pace with market prices for necessities, and he has the audacity to pen this reckless letter that my concerns cannot withstand scrutiny, when every man, woman, and child who are not among the privileged few know that times are rough. People are catching hell and are forced daily to make tough decisions—whether to forgo a meal to pay their light or water bill.

These ought to be cause for concerns to any caring person, privileged or not. Shame on Persaud for seeking to dismiss the seriousness of the situation and the urgency with which these matters must be addressed.

Lest he forgets, the people I speak for are Guyanese, no less deserving of justice, dignity, and equal treatment than those in government who are hell-bent on dividing this country into two societies—one of privilege and the other of oppression. True to form, the writer resorted to the customary political playbook of attack, deflection, and demonisation. But let it be known, the people are not fooled.

Let me remind him and the government he seeks to defend that the Constitution of Guyana enshrines the following rights:

Freedom of expression (Article 146)
Freedom of association (Article 147)
Protection from discrimination on the basis of association, race, etc. (Article 149)
Participation in decision-making and management processes that affect one’s well-being (Articles 13 and 149C)

On the strength of these constitutional protections, I have consistently and unapologetically voiced the concerns of workers – past, present, and future. This is the message Persaud must take back to his masters. Let them understand, too, that this ongoing attempt to justify discrimination and exclusion, targeting certain groups while privileging others, must come to an end.

And let them be assured, as long as there is breath in my body, I shall carry out my civic and trade union duty to speak my mind. None will escape accountability; I will not be silenced.

Regards,
Lincoln Lewis

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discrimination, Exclusion, Freedom of association, freedom of expression, Letters, Lincoln Lewis

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