Dear Editor,
How correct is Dr David Hinds that “some people have no shame” as written in the SN of September 20 (‘Nothing to do with ethnic fairness’)? He was responding to critics who questioned the likely naming by the AFC of Mr Moses Nagamootoo as a presidential candidate, bucking their race rotation principle.
It may conceivably have “Nothing to do with ethnic fairness” as the SN headlined the letter. Winning political power has always been the ultimate objective with free and fair democratic elections in Guyana. If Dr Hinds has metamorphosed he ought to be commended. He is in excellent company with both the AFC’s Mr Nigel Hughes and Mr Khemraj Ramjattan, who originally championed Mr Nagamootoo’s candidacy.
The opposition’s refreshing consideration of Mr Nagamootoo must pass the ultimate litmus test. Mr Nagamootoo should be named the presidential candidate to head an AFC-APNU coalition. APNU cannot be accused of any shamelessness. It has always agitated for a coalition with the AFC. Mr Nagamootoo realistically represents the best of the Jaganite PPP for which many in the opposition (and the PPP) have been yearning. He would completely emancipate the PNC from electing an Indian from within their ranks to be their leader.
Dr Hinds takes evident pleasure in giving his unnamed critics a full dose of their own medicine.
Admonishing his critics he, wrote: “Thanks, but no thanks. Although I don’t like the presidential thing, I know their rejection of Moses Nagamootoo as the AFC’s presidential candidate has nothing to do with ethnic fairness, when the PPP, in 1999, skipped the African who was next in line for the presidency and promoted an Indian to replace Mrs Jagan,” he reminded them all.
Somehow Dr Hinds can quickly reject those critics who urged him to denounce the AFC for bypassing an African to become President of Guyana. Somehow Dr Hinds and company still remain in disgust that the PPP/C bypassed the African Civic Prime Minister Sam Hinds to become the PPP’s standard bearer. Obviously what matters most is what kind of Indian or African is best to be president of Guyana. What best qualifies Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and Mr Nagamootoo as their kind of candidates?
Any dependency syndrome among the joint opposition can end when they ‘take one leap for man and a giant leap’ for Guyanese in making a difference in our racial politics. If an opposition electoral victory at the next elections is important to both the PNC and AFC they must set the example.
While Dr Hinds can easily dismiss the fact that Prime Minister Sam Hinds has served since 1992 as a Civic member in a PPP/C government doing the Africans no justice, what does he realistically offer as the better alternative? Must PPP stalwarts like Dr Roger Luncheon, Mr Clement Rohee, Mr Robert Persaud, Ms Gail Texiera and Dr Frank Anthony with party membership seniority be brushed aside? Mr Nagamootoo as president of any PNC coalition with the AFC could find himself summarily flushed away after they win political power, like the UF experienced in 1968.
This cocoon of total silence in which Mr Nagamootoo and the AFC have been incubating must end when they emerge from their womb to champion the racial balancing of Guyana’s armed forces. In the meantime Dr Hinds and company must urgently clarify their silence on federalism which constantly seeks two birds in the bush compared to what is now in hand.
Yours faithfully,
Sultan Mohamed
