Black faces in Ali’s administration are contemptible as house servants
Dear Editor,
I read media coverage of President Ali speaking about the unity of this country in the face of his border debate, and in light of the ICJ’s ruling on jurisdiction. On this business of unity, the president does not glow, but deviates rather indignantly, because he comes across as a forerunner of the always great Great Pretender, Tony Williams, and his infamous Platters.
The first thing that His Excellency needs to be real about in this country is that there is not much unity. Political fall aside, he must be honest and admit to that truth, which he may not be capable of, given his own strengths and tendencies. Cotton Tree revealed the raging deprivation punctuating all associated hypocrisy and deceit over any spectacular claims of unity. To be frank, presidential self-congratulation for unity over border arguing is a bag of junk, and the president knows this all too well to be allowed to escape with that patented piece of propaganda. It has no foundation, no merit, no standing, no progression.
This has long historical and cultural roots, and is also directly due to the still-crunching elections and the hatreds and toxins that flourished to such an extent from that cultural weariness. Those go nowhere, only intensify in a quieter and underground fashion. The president may be happy to deceive himself, which is his business. But he is respectfully advised to refrain from putting that nonsense out in front of a sharply divided Guyana public.
The cause of unity, and the assertion of unity, was further weakened and diluted by the long-standing treatment of so-called ‘political appointees’ in subsequent high elections. This latter was undoubtedly the worst illness and insanity before and after the elections that have visited here for a long time. It does not matter that ‘political appointments’ are the subject of such an offensive send-off after every election. What is important is that the handling of this last batch is exhausting and motivated for the benefit, and is freshest in the mind. It doesn’t matter who did what to whom before. This is what counts today, when interpreted as racist firing and believing ethnic cleansing. The opposition and its supporters were not going to allow the PPP government to escape unharmed what it did. From my point of view, some (but not all) of the fires were justified; while I happen to approve some of the opposition’s views that racial dredging has taken place. This is Guyana’s toxic chain that no group seems ready to detox, but delights in private, pretending to be otherwise in the public space. All of this is quite transparent and contributes greatly not to unity but deep freedom.
I go even further and point out the grim treatment given by the new PPP government to the new opposition in a number of areas. Although opposition machinations contributed to a number of questions and concerns about its presence, validity, and purpose, the group collected an almost equal share of the votes cast in Dantean’s last election nightmare, and for that matter it is only due recognition and not condemnation of the periphery. I say this even as I think of his silence and impotence on many burning issues during Guyanese day, and his current viability. Despite all this, his supporters look forward and listen and sound how the opposition is not treated as a political group, but how they (the voter and the citizen) are respected and respected dismissal. This does not suit much of anything related to unity that President Ali talks so tirelessly about. That is, unless he is talking about the village along the East Coast.
While the Ali Administration may boast a bunch of black names and faces who have just been put in positions, or recalled, the reality is that they are respected as house servants or worse still Uncle. This means nothing and does not qualify for inclusion in the unity column. As much as I would like to join His Excellency in saying that there is unity in this society, unfortunately, I cannot.
Truly,
Lall GHK