Dear Editor,
I was reluctant to engage the current controversy over utterances about the mental laziness of the Guyanese masses in politics made by APNU+ AFC Member of Parliament Ms. Amanza Walton-Desir, on Dr. David Hinds’ programme Politics101, aired on Mr. Kidackie Amsterdam on KAMS TV. My reason for this reluctance are (1) I see this concerted attack on Ms. Walton by the PPP/C, the Indian Arrival Committee ( IAC) and their propaganda agents as not simply an attack on Walton but instead as calculated to intimidate the younger generation of politicians that emerged in the APNU+ AFC ranks. This is a test of their political steel, and I was keenly interested to see how they stand up to this assault. (2) Given the present disposition of newspaper editors I am certain that the heavy hand of owners and editors will not allow the same uninhibited access they will give my detractors once I enter this polemic. My changed position is due to my satisfaction that MP Walton and her comrades have demonstrated the will to fight, and in so doing earned my solidarity and encouragement. MP Walton and her comrades have been initiated in the politics of “racial blackmail” something which we, the older political activists, have become immune to.
I have not had the opportunity to listen to the programme that birthed this controversy, nor can’t I claim to have read all the letters, articles, columns, and social media writings by those critical of Walton. But from those that I read there is a noticeable and consistent approach by these writers not to quote the exact text relevant to the controversy, that is, no quotations of the exact words used by MP Walton. What we have instead are these writers’ interpretations of what they want readers to infer. This is political propagandising and importantly no newspaper saw the need for an Editor’s note alerting readers to this fact. In my opinion this was essential bearing in mind the sensitivity of the subject and the potential for aggravating race relations in the country.
I have relied on MP Walton’s explanation in the media about what she said, and for objectivity, I have chosen to quote from the Sunday, May 2.2021 edition of the Village Voice article captioned, “Nowhere did I say Indo-Guyanese are mentally lazy” which carried Walton’s explanation. She said, “During the course of the discussion, I made the point that the maintenance of true freedom requires that each citizen must be willing to assume the responsibility and the work that comes with being truly free. I said that in this regard we have mentally lazy people and the PPP/C understand this very well, counts on it, and continue to capitalize on it. At no time did I say Indo-Guyanese are mentally lazy”.
If this is an accurate articulation of what was said the context is unambiguously clear. I will go further to contend that our national politics represents this very “mental laziness” – the leadership and the masses are mentally asleep. So much for the digression. If this was a true controversy of what was said it would quickly end, not based on the demand of a well-known columnist for Walton’s admission of guilt, but instead, her critics and detractors providing evidence from the text of the programme contradicting her claim of innocence. To date, this has not been done. Why? The simple fact is that they can’t prove their case and they know this is not about truth, but are instead inciting race hate in the society.
Having written the above I had the opportunity of reading a recent article by Denis Chabrol in the Tuesday, 4th May 2021 edition, of Demerara Waves, captioned, “APNU+AFC’s Walton-Desir, Roshan Khan quarrel that she must be “marked” for “mentally lazy people remark”. This is the first article that purported to offer the words used by MP Walton. She is quoted as saying, “They are a bunch of mentally lazy people and so the PPP understand this very well, very well and they capitalise on it”. For objective debate, this is exactly what MP Walton claimed she said as reported in the Village Voice article. As it stands the evidence is that the words “Indo-Guyanese are mentally lazy” are not the words used by MP Walton. As I stated above if this controversy was about establishing the truth of what was said, it should end now, given that the Demerara Waves article supports the MP’s position. The corroborative evidence is there for all to see: it validates the claim by Walton that her words were deliberately twisted to invoke racial tension and to politically lynch her.
In this matter Mr. Roshan Khan, former Ethnic Relations Commissioner (ERC) and an Indian Rights activist has once again demonstrated his usual recklessness. He enters the fray with his poisonous racist propaganda. Among his utterances, he describes Walton as the “evil one of hate”. Now faced with possible action he has done a “metamorphosis” of becoming civil. But it is not a genuine attempt at reconciliation, rather intended to save his skin. Khan now states, “I stretch my hands in dignity and respect”. How hypocritical! Based on the evidence it is Khan who should apologise to MP Walton in recognising his error/mistake and move on. Unfortunately, Mr. Khan seems incapable of civilised public discourse on race issues in the country. There are two other observations I wish to make on this controversy and previous polemics related to our race reality.
My final observation is that this approach while attractive to Indian economic and political leadership, given its relative success in the USA, will not work in Guyana for obvious reasons. There is no need for me to elaborate. I will conclude by contending that Guyanese are not ready for objective and civil discourse on our race reality in the country. The internal contradictions have not matured sufficiently to make such discussions a national imperative. I say to the younger generation of politicians on all sides of the political divide you have your work cut out. I wish you success.
Sincerely,
Tacuma Ogunseye
