caribny posted:VishMahabir posted:more so, especially if the PNC feel the numbers are not in their favor. The PNC and Blacks will make every attempt to retain power, largely because they are convinced that the PPP is the worst alternative. EVEN IF AFROS KNOW IN THEIR HEARTS THAT THE PNC HAS RIGGED OR RIGGED IN 2020 THEY WILL SEE IT AS A NECESSITY AND WILL TURN A BLIND EYE AND GIVE THE PNC A PASS.
While you might have family on both sides your bias is towards the Indian side and this is based on comments made by you over the few years that you have posted regularly. This isn't to say that you are hostile to blacks. Maybe you are closer to your Indian relatives or have been raised to think that the Indian side is "better".
If the Indian response to this situation is to become "radical" then we have 1964 again. Given that Guyanese are much more violent then they were then this is not something that sane people will want.
And yes you are correct that a SEGMENT of the black/mixed population might be tempted to want to hold on to power by any means necessary. This because either they are on a gravy train that they don't want to interrupt, or because they fear that whatever it is that they are undergoing now will be worse if a vengeful Jagdeo (of coolie party fame) comes back into power (and it doesn't matter if this is through a token.
This is why I urge an urgent discussion of racial issues. Guyanese get lazy and wail " we does get on except fuh to palitishun!" And then they continue to vote the same race insecurities that they have being doing for 61 years now.
So why do we fear each other? How can we make people feel more assuredly that they can expect fair treatment from BOTH the political and business elites? What can be done to reduce the extent that ethnicity determining factor in who governs Guyana and who manages it (private sector included).
A Portuguese businessman told me in confidence that he fears that the next election will be violent. His rationale is that Indians refuse to "live under blackman" and blacks will not want to go back to the semi slavery that they perceived that they endured "under collie rule".
I don't think that Guyanese hate each other. On an individual level we do get on, and we do participate in each other's cultural spheres of activity. So we do NOT need this "we are the world" approach to ethnic relations. Black Guyanese can feel very comfortable in interacting with Indians from India and Guyanese Indians can feel very comfortable in interacting with Caribbean, American and even African blacks. We derive this from our daily interactions with each other.
One day Guyanese will understand that the fact that we are a multi ethnic/cultural/religious society is an ASSET. It makes us more interesting, more innovative, more flexible, and more able to deal with a vast range of people under a vast range of conditions. Yes its a good thing to be able to deal with someone from Nigeria and from India. Even racist seignet is capable of this.
This is a cogent and intelligent response ...without the usual cuss down we see on this site too often.
I enjoy reading this ....interestingly I get knocked from both sides....too Afro and then too Indo....but of course Baseman will have his last say (he seems to live on this site) and accuse me of kow towing to the other side.
Carib, I think you will make a good politician in Guyana.
Arite, now I can get back to my homework.