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In recent times, the PPP has found itself on the defensive, facing a barrage of accusations of racial discrimination both at home and on the international stage. To anyone paying even cursory attention, these allegations ring true. It’s hard to ignore the glaring overrepresentation of East Indian Guyanese faces as beneficiaries of major contracts, deals, and projects. It’s an affront to reason to suggest that East Indian Guyanese possess some inherent business acumen that African Guyanese lack. Engage in a simple conversation with an average Afro-Guyanese, and you’ll be regaled with tales of bureaucratic inertia, pilfered proposals, land theft, denied bank loans, and unequal access to contracts – all under the PPP’s watch.
Given this backdrop, we urge the select African Guyanese individuals who find themselves in the PPP’s good graces to tread with caution. While it’s heartening to see members of the Afro-Guyanese community succeed, it’s crucial to recognize the broader context. Being showcased as the face of the PPP’s ‘inclusive’ governance does not, and should not, equate to speaking for the collective experiences and challenges of the Afro-Guyanese community.
Recent whispers have linked Jagdeo’s name to a potentially lucrative deal involving a group of Afro-Guyanese. While individual success stories are always welcome, any attempt by the PPP to use these isolated instances as a smokescreen for their broader policies will be met with vocal and public opposition.
To those who find themselves benefiting from such deals, a word of caution: history has shown that Jagdeo’s involvement often comes with strings attached. His track record is littered with projects that started with promise but ended in disappointment. Loyalty to him is fickle; today’s golden child can quickly become tomorrow’s pariah if perceived as not being sufficiently deferential.
The call for equal access to opportunities is a collective one. While we recognize and celebrate individual successes, even those facilitated by the PPP, we urge these beneficiaries to remember the broader struggle for justice and equality. It’s a movement that many have dedicated their lives to, and it’s a cause that transcends individual success stories.
