See release from Opposition Parliamentarians, Ganesh Mahipaul, Natasha Singh-Lewis; Regional Chairman (Reg#4), Daniel Seeram; and Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine:
As political leaders and concerned citizens of Guyana, we listened via social media to a public meeting held by the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) at Buxton Line Top on March 9th, 2023. During the meeting, one of the speakers made statements that we found to be derogatory, distasteful, and hurtful to the East Indian community of Guyana.
Specifically, we wish to condemn the speaker’s remarks where it referred to East Indians coming from the slums of India and living in deplorable places like pipes. These remarks further insinuated that the alleged conditions under which East Indians lived in India made them undeserving of lands in Guyana.
We want to make it clear that we condemn and distance ourselves from any attack on any race in Guyana, including our African brothers and sisters. While we understand that the speaker may have made the comments out of hurt for what is happening in some Afro-Guyanese communities, we cannot allow such conduct to pass without being called out.
The policies of the PPP/C Government are crafted and intended to create different and inequitable Guyanas. The execution of such policies incite and inflame racial tensions.
It is disappointing that none of the other speakers at the meeting sought to address or clarify that speaker’s statements. We call on all political leaders and representatives to speak out against all forms of bigotry and discrimination and to work towards a more inclusive and tolerant society.
Guyana belongs to all its people regardless of which country our fore parents came from, and we deserve a Government that will make all our people happy and comfortable with each other. A Government that will focus on the equitable distribution of the nation’s resources and fair treatment of its people. It is essential that we work together to build each other up, empower each other, and live peacefully and comfortably with each other. As we move forward, we must remember that we are one people, one nation, and one destiny.
