The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) celebrates its Race Relations Committee 26th anniversary today. In a message to mark the event the Union’s President, Mr. Patrick Yarde, notes the formation of the committee was seen as a necessity due to rising tension between Afro and Indo Guyanese, the two major ethnic groups in society.
It is the Union’s considered opinion whilst there has been some progress to reduce strained relations among its membership, elements of racism, xenophobia and discrimination still prevail in the Public Service. At the same time, the Union expresses hope President Irfaan Ali would take the lead towards bridging the racial divide in society, which the Union sees as an essential requirement of national development.
The full text of the Union’s message follows: –
Message for Patrick Yarde, GPSU President/CEO
Another year has gone. The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Race Relations Committee is now twenty-six (26) years old and still vibrant in the struggle to deter acts of racism mainly in the Public Service and hopefully countrywide. Such action began on June 9, 1997, when this committee was seen as a necessity to the Union’s mandate, because of the rising tensions between the two largest ethnic groups that majorly comprised the Public Service in Guyana, namely Afro and Indo Guyanese.
Almost two years following the establishment of the GPSU Race Relations Committee, an eminent Guyanese born British Lord, Sir Herman Ouseley, who headed the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) in the United Kingdom (UK), discerned racial overtones among the political leadership while visiting Guyana. These findings were reported in the Stabroek News on Tuesday March 23, 1999, and have continuing relevance. According to Sir Herman Ouseley, on his arrival in Guyana in 1999 he discerned “from the political leadership” that the country had problems and concluded that “Guyanese people need and are entitled to good strong political leadership rooted in morality with a commitment to fairness, equality and justice for all Guyanese irrespective of their political, ethnic or religious origins.”
While explaining “… that a people often get the leaders they deserve”, Sir Herman pointed out that “… all societies need to have good strong political leadership with morality and strong commitment to equality and justice and for treating people, irrespective of their racial and social origins, fairly”. The immortalised views of the UK CRE Head echoed the beliefs that led to the formation of the GPSU Race Relations Committee, including its mantra that Guyana can only achieve the realities of its National Motto “One People, One Nation, One Destiny” if its political leadership prepare the way, and set the tone, for the unity the nation so desperately craves.
Even though the Government formulated the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) on March 8, 2002, to date racial tensions within communities still persists. This begs the question about the effectiveness of the ERC. The GPSU is aware that the ERC has undertaken an amount of groundwork and have made several recommendations, some of which is punitive. This in the estimation of the GPSU will not solve the Country’s ailment, until there is the astute involvement of the Leadership of the Country, at all levels. It’s the basis of setting the example, showing the commitment to Unity and realistically driving the process forward. That is what is meant by “… good strong political leadership rooted in morality with a commitment to fairness, equality and justice for all Guyanese irrespective of their political, ethnic or religious origins.”
When President Ali was quoted in a Guyana Chronicle report of February 21, 2023, as uttering the following words during an engagement with Guyanese in The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, viz.
“And that is what I’ve been working on; creating this ‘One Guyana’ in which we build a system that delivers prosperity for every single Guyanese and every single Guyanese family.”
“This, for me, is the important project, changing the mindset, changing the way we relate to each other, community by community, household by household. And I assure you I will not rest until this country is unified.”
The GPSU’s interests in national unity, as a necessary basis of national development and the harmonious existence of Guyanese with each other, was aroused and there was some recognition that President Ali would take the lead towards bridging the racial divide. This caused the GPSU to dispatch a letter to President Ali on March 2, 2023 indicating its willingness to partner with him “… on the journey towards the achievement of National Unity.” However, to date a response to the letter has not yet been received. The GPSU is still hopeful that one would be forthcoming.
The twenty-six years since the formation of the GPSU Race Relations Committee, there has been some progress to reduce the strained relation among the membership but elements of racism, xenophobia and discrimination still prevail in the Public Service. Nationally, the fact that now there seems to be the intention that our political leaders now have the desire to achieve true ethnic unity, as a strategy for the future, is most welcome and heartwarming. GPSU would, in the circumstances, like to challenge all Guyanese to join the vanguard against racism, xenophobia, discrimination, etc. that threaten the development of our beloved County, Guyana.
