Dear Editor,

The ethno-political consciousness of the Guyanese masses has been evolving on schedule.  It took African Guyanese about a quarter of a century to realize that putting an African Guyanese government in power does not guarantee that African Guyanese will enjoy prosperous and peaceful lives. In fact, the real experience of African Guyanese under the governance of a kinship adminis-tration was hardship, control, and repression.

Now, it is the Indian-Guyanese turn.  Prior to the current administration’s accession to power, the majority of Indian Guyanese were no doubt convinced that a government made up of people from their race would guarantee their prosperity, peace, and safety.  They possibly dreamt of living in a just society with fairness and transparency, where the rule of law was equally applied. Quiet, and sometimes loud, dissenting and dissatisfied voices from among the supporters of the present government are now being heard.  This development is informing us that Indian Guyanese have now realized that installing an Indian government has failed to produce the results they expected. So, like the African-Guyanese, the Indian-Guyanese have also now become painfully aware that electing a government where the sole criterion used is race or ethnicity is no guarantee that life under that government will be filled with desirable outcomes.

And so, today, the Guyanese people are sadder and wiser.  Years that could have been spent melding a united and vibrantly productive nation were wasted in puerile racial conflicts.  As we contemplate another election, we have to make a decision: Will we again make race and ethnic loyalty the sole criterion of a team’s fitness to successfully administer the affairs of the nation of Guyana? Have we matured? Have we learned the tough lessons of experience?

I am hopeful that the next time around, Guyanese are smart enough to make race and ethnicity irrelevant in their choice of the next Guyana government. Deep down inside, Guyanese know which of Guyana’s sons and daughters possess the required qualities of leadership, ability, and dynamism to steer the ship of state safely through the waters of local and international turbulence.  In the past, we ignored the inner truth we knew. We willingly allowed racial hatred and prejudice to cast our votes for us.  Today, we have matured.  Let us do the right thing.

Yours faithfully,
Jamal Ali