There is need for national and racial unity

Dear Editor,

The defence by the AFC leadership for not sending Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan to the rally organised by the APNU is sheer hogwash and cannot stand the test of our time. Anybody living in Guyana and others living outside, who follow the twists and turns of our political situation, can see that the excuses made by the AFC leadership are very silly.

Let us recall that it was our good friend and comrade, Moses Nagamootoo, who initiated the motion of no-confidence against the PPP regime, and his absence is seen as a dereliction of his leadership role, not only in the AFC, but in respect of APNU and Guyanese citizens.

The APNU leadership was caught by surprise but could not back down from the challenge posed by the AFC. There were huge debates inside APNU and among its supporters whether to support this unprecedented move by the AFC.

The APNU was (and is) more interested in holding local government elections and deepening the processes of democracy and long-term economic development and stability in Guyana. The AFC is intent on striking a severe blow against the PPP regime, largely coming from sections of the AFC leadership who are hungry for power rather than building a national unity government that will capitalise on the good will of all our people.

Moses Nagamootoo will have to take over the leadership of the AFC if that entity is going to play a meaningful role in the politics of Guyana. The APNU ready-made rally was the best opportunity to show national and racial unity and not to hide behind the spurious argument put forward by Ramjattan about what the PPP will say if he is seen speaking on the same platform with the APNU.

Everyone knows that the AFC has been working overtime in the National Assembly with APNU against the PPP regime. They have openly collaborated with the APNU on the all the Budget allocations and estimates in the National Assembly, gaining the salute of the majority of Guyanese.

I have travelled around Guyana speaking to farmers, who are mainly of Indian descent, and have not heard any criticisms from any of these oppressed and exploited Guyanese, who are the majority of our population, about the AFC joint action with the APNU.

Every right-thinking Guyanese in Guyana and abroad, and surprisingly, some in the PPP government agree that the excesses by sections of the government have got to be stopped and that we need a new beginning. National unity must be at the top of our agenda, but racial unity must come first. It cannot be placed under the carpet. It must become a big national conversation.

Over the last weekend after the APNU rally, I went up to Linden, the mining town with a population of predominantly African Guyanese. I openly engaged with hundreds of people on the streets, most of them youths, who were very friendly and open. Ramjattan needs to go to the Indian communities and discuss with them about the need for national and racial unity.

Yours faithfully,
M Jinnah Rahman