New York’s new Mayor and Guyanese

Jan 03, 2026 Letters

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Dear Editor,

New York City has a new mayor, Zoran Kwame Mamdani, a leftist, who was sworn in on New Year’s Day in the presence of thousands from all ethnic groups from all walks of life, including many Guyanese, African, Indian, and others. Several Guyanese campaigned for him and over half voted for him. More Brooklynite Guyanese than Queensites voted for him. Mamdani campaigned all over the city, making several stops among Black Guyanese and other West Indians in Brooklyn and Indians in Queens and winning their hearts. The minority votes, supported by progressive democrats, handed him the victory.

Mamdani has made global news for being the first Muslim and first South Asian (Indian) elected as mayor of the world’s most famous city, the  global capital of the world. Global media followed the election campaign for mayor in which Mamdani, an underdog long shot, upset the favored white Italian candidate Andrew Cuomo in the primary for the Democratic Party nomination in April and again in the general election; Cuomo ran as an independent in the general and was trounced by this young upstart. Mamdani, 34, is the youngest mayor in over a hundred years.

Mamdani was vehemently opposed by President Trump and established figures in both the Republican and Democratic parties. Trump called him a communist, and he called Trump a fascist. Prominent Democrats did not endorse him although he won the Democratic nomination. But he persevered and prevailed in the general election last November. President Trump invited him to the White House after his victory. Although Trump makes his home in Miami, he is a New Yorker. He was born in and grew up as a child in Jamaica Estates where thousands of Indo Guyanese now reside. His family owned businesses in Woodhaven where thousands of Indo Guyanese also make their home. And he owns businesses in Greater Richmond Hill where thousands of Indo Guyanese also reside. Hundreds of Guyanese of all ethnicities are employed at his senior health center in Jamaica. And several are also employed at his hotels in Manhattan. The President cares about the wellbeing of New Yorkers and the city where he owns business properties including hotels valued at hundreds of millions and where his children were born and raised. Trump has committed to working with Mayor Mandani in the interests of the city.

Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda in 1991 and moved with his parents to USA in 1998. Tens of thousands of Indians were taken to Uganda in the late 1800s by the British to build railways and help govern the colony. Their properties and cash were confiscated, and they were expelled by the racist dictator Idi Amin in the 1970s. They migrated to UK, USA, Canada, and other developed nations where they have continued their cultural tradition, entrepreneurial spirit, and education. After Amin was driven from power in the 1980s, Indians were urged to return to Uganda to invest in their former homeland. Many returned with the Uganda government returning some properties but not the seized cash of tens of millions of dollars. Mamdani family chose to migrate to USA and became citizens. His father, a Muslim, was a Professor at Columbia University and his mother, a Hindu, a well known film maker of Mississippi Masala fame starring Denzel Washington. Mamdani adopted the faith of his father.

Mamdani accepted American citizenship in 2018. He got elected to NY State Assembly four years ago from Astoria, a district with thousands of Indo Guyanese, and re-elected twice, one of the youngest member of the legislature.

He was sworn in as Mayor with the Koran, the first by a mayor of the city. His speech after swearing in did not disappoint. He appealed to all groups — Whites, Jews, Black Americans and West Indians, South Asians, Africans, Hindus, Muslims, Christians.He mentioned mandir, temple, church, synagogue, masjid in his speech. During the campaign, he visited Synagogues, Mandirs, Mosques, and Churches and joined prayers in all faiths.

His mayoral speech was one of the finest, offering hope. Mamdani is a gifted, soaring orator in the mold of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. He delivered a brilliant, heart warming, persuasive, and inspirational speech, of unity and inclusiveness. He connected with his large diverse audience, speaking simple easy-to-understand language that won cheers and admiration. He spoke of his commitment New Yorkers telling them they can trust him. And he also pledged to protecting their interests. He stated he is a mayor of all and in so doing has gained wild cheers. He spoke of hope and change, pledging to labor on their behalf. He promised to reduce economic inequality and to consult with the public on governance. He also pledged not to fail to try to improve their lives or to undertake difficult policies. He promised to bring down the cost of living and to assist the poor.

He said he ran as democratic socialist and will govern as one. He came across as a true, genuine, sincere, caring, compassionate leftist ruler reminiscent of Cheddi Jagan unlike the fake communists in Guyana and elsewhere who exploit working class for self enrichment.

On the poor and media coverage of festivities on New Year, the broadcast media around the globe centered on the lavish parties and fireworks welcoming the New Year in developed country after country, the wealthy capital and other cities. There were no coverages of the kind of low key celebrations that the  poor or working or lower class had.  Even in Guyana, coverages of New Year’s were on the big cities of the rich countries not on local celebrations. Also, in developing countries like Guyana, the poor are neglected or excluded from their ordinary festivities during New Year’s celebrations as the emphasis was on lavish parties and expensive event of the rich and famous. The poor hardly got coverage on television on New Year’s Eve of the kind of celebrations they had.

The poor and working class can’t afford the huge amounts (a month’s salary) to attend a lavish party where the rich tend to engage in debauchery and capture media attention. Exclusive, extravagant parties or special dinners at restaurants cost hundreds of American dollars, making them inaccessible to the poor and the working class and low-income individuals. Which politicians spent a few minutes with poor and the working class. Even the communists blanked the working class and the poor.

A small percentage of population in every country, including Guyana, tend to enjoy material abundance while the poor had to make do with their limitations, staying in their corner, recognizing they can’t imitate the rich. They are socially isolated due to their financial circumstances, anxious about how they would pay for necessities—such rent or mortgage, food, utilities, medicine,  and gifts for children instead of pay for extravagant parties. The rich don’t worry about rent, food, utilities, medical benefits; those are assured. But the poor have to think about the daily struggle for survival.

The rich has every right to enjoy their wealth, spending it however they feel comfortable. The poor in every country is responsible for their own neglect and conditions. They don’t hold their governments or the rich accountable. The poor outnumber the wealthy or rich nine to one; and the poor generally work to enrich the rich or wealthy. Yet the poor experience difficulties in meeting basic needs. Even the communists don’t show much compassion or care about or for the poor. Almost everyone, the bourgeois and the wealthy, the ruling class, uses the poor to empower themselves. The poor allow themselves to be used and exploited. In short, the poor vote for the wealthy to abuse them. But being poor should not be the reason for limited coverage of their lifestyle at end of year season and for their overall economic neglect.

Mamdani may be the ruler to uplift the lives of the downtrodden, including poor Guyanese New Yorkers.

Yours truly,
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

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