Dear Editor,
It is interesting how much in common we have with our Caricom neighbours; things such as food, dress a colonial past and of course cricket. There is the passion for the game with all its ups and downs, highs and lows and the endless rumshop discussions where every boozed patron tries to make his point as to the way forward for the team, with no animosity or contempt, but all in the true spirit of the game. However, very many differences exist when one gets into the area of politics, and an acute contrast can be seen in the way we conduct ourselves here in Guyana as against the rest of Caricom.
I recently held a political discussion with a friend here in St Lucia who was privileged to have studied in Guyana, so he had a first-hand view of politics in his home territory as well as in Guyana. The first words that came from his lips were, “Bon Dieux Bon Dieux” an exclamation of God ‘that’s how them people behave in Guyana over politics.’ I responded, “Sure right, and you haven’t seen anything yet.” My friend could not believe his ears or his eyes with regard to the acrimony that is so visible here at election time. This is someone who is accustomed to electioneering being done in a friendly environment with statements (some out of context) being made by both sides of the political divide each castigating the other while trying their best to woo the voter over to their camp, and all of it done in an atmosphere of camaraderie. At the end of the day someone will win and life must go on. In St Lucia there are cases where a husband is known to support one political party and his wife another; when the results are in both parties pitch in with a celebration. As is commonly said here, we celebrate for the PIP, meaning party in power, and that’s the way of the St Lucian political world. Not so in Guyana; one has to be very, very careful of his or her political views, far less make public one’s political affiliation.
Yours faithfully,
Neil Adams
