Mark will not make his ‘Mark’

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Dear Editor,

The Prime Minister, Mark Phillips, is becoming an increasingly disappointing and embarrassing figure.

When Mark Phillips decided that he would submit his name to be placed on the Ballot as the PPP/C’s Prime Ministerial Candidate many Afro Guyanese were disappointed.

Most Afro Guyanese could not help feeling disgusted. It was felt that Mark would reduce himself to become a simple ‘window dresser’. The behaviour of Roger Luncheon and Sam Hinds, two African professionals, working in the PPP Administration served as examples of the level of subservience required. Each person has the right to support the political Party they prefer, however to allow oneself to be used to frustrate the legitimate aspiration of others is a different matter.

For example Roger Luncheon was sent to defend the obnoxious and vindictive racial biases of the PPP under the Jagdeo Administration and he Luncheon sounded most stupid when he had to state in public that Africans were not qualified to be in the Foreign Service.

Now to Mark, people knew that he was unlikely to change the behavior of the PPP and rather than looking like a fool he should stay away.

However, he has decided otherwise and the level of disrespect, disgust and disdain from a cross section of Guyana just keep rising.

Mark claims that there is no evidence of racial discrimination.

We want to ask him what percentage of the government procurement contracts are obtained by Afro-Guyanese. In the distribution of cash grants why so many Afro- Guyanese complaints are gone unanswered? Why not a single African village has a properly developed market place? What is the Level of Afro-Guyanese participation in the oil and gas sector? I can go on. In every single category Afro Guyanese are denied fair opportunity.

We are painfully aware that Mr. Phillips knows but will not confess since his bosses cannot handle the truth.

Many non-African see Mark as powerless and a rubber stamp. Africans see him as a man of no moral courage, weak and selfish.

Mark is used as the mouthpiece for the PPP whenever they need to counter an African attack on their most racist behaviour. Many in society see Mark as self-serving and far from being sensible. If Mark were to simply tell the truth, the country might be better governed, but with this level of incomprehensible cowardice, the country could go over a cliff and he would continue to find excuses. If Mark is at all interested in how future generations would see him he should begin to act courageously and stand for the truth. However, he might not, so Mark is unlikely to change, hence our conclusion, “Mark will not make his “mark.”

Yours truly,

Aubrey Heath-Retemyer

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