Dear Editor,
On a previous occasion, I responded to the PPP/C’s vilification of GECOM, in relation to its preparedness to conduct local government elections, by indicating that ‘time would tell’. Time has since vindicated GECOM. It conducted 71 local elections with a passing mark of at least 8/10.
I recalled that occurrence because my comment then (time will tell) is equally applicable to the hysteria that the PPP/C sought to generate in relation to the conduct of the national grade 6 examinations. Since, the impact of their pronouncements can be detrimental to national cohesion, I have found it necessary to respond and expose those pronouncements for what they really are and for the divisive impact they are intended to foster.
In doing so, I restrained myself from adding to the hysteria and trauma by delaying my comment to allow for the passing of the examination; and will refer to Donald Ramotar’s letter of April 25, 2016 (Guyana Times).
- Ramotar is a complete stranger to the truth in his contention that no explanation was given for the need for names to be written on the grade 6 examination scripts, albeit on a perforated attachment that will not be available to the markers. Both the Minister of Education and the Chief Education Officer have made public statements on the question, not to mention the frequently aired public announcement on the matter. The motive for Ramotar’s accusation is therefore questionable, since his contention is crass misinformation.
- The issue of objectivity on the basis of the candidate’s name being written-in does not arise. Paper one will be electronically marked, hence eliminating any scope for human manipulation of the candidate’s individual score, more so based on ethnicity as Ramotar would want the public to believe. Paper two will have the perforated part, with the names written-in, detached. Those names will not be available to the markers.
This is all public information, yet Ramotar proceeds to misinform and misguide the public with the intent of establishing that Indians, in particular, will be the victims of discrimination. It takes a mind like Ramotar’s to envisage such a grand scheme of targeting Indians although their names, the possible source of their identity, will be unavailable to the markers. And even if they were to be available, it would still require a schemer of Ramotar’s imagination to design a system in which diverse markers will identify Indians for discrimination as they mark the over 14,000 papers of each subject.
While Ramotar seeks to point his finger at the regime, he is in fact besmirching the name of each and every marker in the system, or is it a particular ethnic group that will perpetrate this act? Is he saying that Olato Sam, a PPP/C appointee and Ms Kadir, another such appointee, both of whom have been retained by the current Government, and are ultimately responsible for the conduct of the grade 6 examinations, are not to be trusted?
- Ramotar seeks to build his case on antecedents: rampant dismissal of Indians; former National Service as a tool to purge UG of Indians and discrimination against Indians in every sphere of activity in Guyana.
This has long been the subliminal and sometimes overt polity of the PPP in its campaign to retain ethnic votes.
For all of its ills National Service’s greatest benefit was providing Guyanese with a Guyanese geographic and demographic/multi-ethnic exposure that resulted in love for country and appreciation of fellow Guyanese. That is the National Service that the PPP opposed, even after Burnham, in unity talks with Jagan, proposed to make National Service optional for all female university students. The Pioneer Corps, which was the greater number of service men and women, over 90%, was always voluntary. I have heard many testimonies of Indo-Guyanese who attested to the invaluable role that National Service played in imbuing love for country and respect for their fellow Guyanese. That is what the PPP opposed.
- Could Ramotar in his blanket assertion of discrimination against Indians, identify one Indian who has been fired from the Education Sector. Yet that is one basis for him being suspicious of the sector in its attitude to Indians.
- Ramotar’s outburst is distasteful, disrespectful and unappreciative of the hundreds of Afro-Guyanese in the Education Sector, who have over the decades nurtured the Nation’s children, including Indo-Guyanese children.
The only motive that can be attributed to Ramotar’s assertion is continued ethnic division as the basis for his party maintaining its ethnic support.
It’s a shame that someone who was supposedly the President of all Guyana can stoop so low.
Yours faithfully,
Vincent Alexander
