Dear Editor,
The controversy surrounding former President Jagdeo’s comments at the funeral of Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud rages in a place where ethnic division is always held over our heads as a kind of quality which will define us forever.
Pandit Persaud was a public offiicial and it is sad if his funeral is going to be remembered for the comments made by former President Jagdeo and endorsed by President Ramotar and the PPP.
What is perhaps not stated, is that it seems many people felt that the ‘best speaker at the funeral’ was Mr Corbin. Most of those persons are not supporters of Mr Corbin or his party. I do not have any other evidence, and opinions are just opinions.
Mr Corbin is a public figure and perhaps he might be a good person at this time to reflect on his relationship with Pandit Persaud and link that relationship to what he thought of former President Jagdeo’s comments, and what he thinks of ethnic discrimination in Guyana and how his party could build the institutions which exist to deal with the discrimination.
There might be other persons who publicly engage in adversarial politics but who privately engage with each other who might also want to ensure that the ‘ethnic divide’ is not further waved as a national banner.
Things could then be put into place so the next time former President Jagdeo speaks, he will celebrate that there is no ethnic discrimination or sentiments.
Yours faithfully,
Vidyaratha Kissoon
