Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, has strongly condemned the opposition and its surrogates for intensifying the vile, racist attacks on young and brilliant Afro-Guyanese who have chosen to publicly align themselves with the governing PPP/C.
Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Dr Jagdeo said these “racist tactics” and attempts to sow division have long been employed by the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), particularly during elections.
As the country marks Emancipation Day on August 1, he recalled the unity of the 1950s when Guyanese stood together in the fight for independence, stressing that the PPP/C remains committed to returning the country to that level of unity.
“For many, many years, the PNC stayed in office through rigged elections. And to do that, they had to keep…the people divided as Walter Rodney pointed out. And they used race to perpetuate that division,” he reminded the press conference.
He said, “That was the biggest tool that they used for decades upon decades to keep our people divided…and we suffered greatly as a country.”
Now, the PPP/C under the leadership of President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali is paving the way for thousands of Guyanese, regardless of their race, to secure a better future for themselves through various programmes and initiatives.
And the party has made significant progress in this regard, with more Afro-Guyanese, particularly young people, making political choices based on performance and facts rather than falling prey to outdated stereotypes and racial narratives.
This, Dr Jagdeo reasoned, is deeply troubling for the opposition, and that is why this vile behaviour has intensified in recent weeks, with him saying, “They believe they can beat people into submission.”
He believes the APNU and its allies are increasingly becoming desperate ahead of the September polls, because of their sordid track record from 2015 to 2020, with even sections of the mainstream media helping to fuel division by giving prominence to divisive rhetoric.
“They are back at it again,” he told reporters, explaining that this party thrives on division because a united Guyana holds them accountable, “But today, young Afro-Guyanese are dismantling that groupthink and making decisions for themselves.
As the party’s general secretary, he praised the courage and resilience of Afro-Guyanese who, despite facing intimidation and vile attacks, have openly expressed their support for the PPP/C.
Reiterating that the PPP/C stands on a philosophy of unity and progress, the party leader said it will continue to focus on breaking down barriers and delivering tangible results for every Guyanese, regardless of race or background.
To this end, he warned supporters and the broader population to be aware of the many lies and racist rhetoric which will become even more prevalent as the elections draw closer.
