Human rights activist Rickford Burke has launched a scathing critique of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government during a recent conversation with Professor David Hinds, accusing the administration of fostering discrimination against Afro-Guyanese and cultivating a dangerous political cult. In the exchange, Burke warned of an impending crisis if the current government is allowed to continue in power.
Burke expressed grave concerns about the exclusion and treatment of Afro-Guyanese, comparing the attitudes of PPP supporters to **xenophobic sentiments** seen in other parts of the world. “Soon they can tell us, ‘Go back where you come from,'” Burke said. “You will see PPP supporters telling Afro-Guyanese to go back where they come from. I guarantee you. Let’s wait and see.”
The activist further criticized the PPP for allegedly treating national resources as their own and offering jobs and grants as if they were acts of charity. “Do you get the feeling that the PPP and their supporters feel that Guyana’s resources belong to them, and that they are doing us a favor by giving us employment and these cash grants?” he questioned.
Burke didn’t hold back in denouncing what he sees as a systemic “cultivation of a cult” by the ruling party, urging citizens to vote the PPP out of power. “We have to throw them out of government, the people. We have to make sure there is change. Guyana cannot withstand four more years of this fascist, autocratic ethnocracy of the PPP,” Burke said.
He warned that the consequences of inaction could be devastating, particularly for Afro-Guyanese. “They’ll have a noose around the necks of black people soon, and they’ll use it to pull us like slaves and dogs. People think this is extreme language, but look and see what they’re doing.”
Burke also criticized the PPP’s use of cybercrime legislation to intimidate and arrest critics, including talk show hosts in Guyana. He emphasized that even though he and others are voicing their concerns from the United States, they are being framed and targeted. “We are talking over here, and they frame us from there and write the government here saying we commit crimes,” Burke explained, calling it “unbelievable.”
In response to allegations that his commentary has caused **”irreparable damage”** to the reputation of government officials, Burke remained defiant. “That’s the objective of my commentary. We must expose them. We must show the world what they are doing.”
Burke also vowed to continue holding officials accountable, especially in cases of racism and mistreatment against Afro-Guyanese. “Anil Nandlall can write all the letters he wants, but we will continue to hold him accountable,” Burke stated, referencing the Attorney General. “We will now unleash an avalanche against him. He must be held accountable for the atrocities against Afro-Guyanese and other Guyanese.”
Despite the challenges, Burke ended with a message of resilience, declaring that nothing would stop his activism unless a higher power signaled otherwise. “If God wants me to stop, God will send me a signal. But for now, He’s telling me to match the gas, and that’s exactly what I’ll do.”
Burke’s impassioned remarks highlight a growing divide in Guyana, with calls for greater accountability and resistance against what he describes as ethnocratic governance. His words underscore the deep frustration felt by some citizens and signal a growing demand for political change.
