Dear Editor,
Last Friday (July 12), the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ordered President David Granger and his Cabinet in Guyana to resign immediately from Government and call elections within three (3) months.
This now seven-month elections’ delay has clearly brought out the political and ethnic biases of academics in Guyana such as Dr David Hinds who is also a member of the ruling coalition Government. It seems that the two Davids think alike in their insistence that the illegal government should remain in power.
At a history conference in Guyana two weeks ago which I attended, Hinds again showed his ethnic biases. He gave the feature address on the topic of Dr Walter Rodney, whom he described glowingly as a “black nationalist” and “a Pan Africanist.”
Hinds pointed out the marginalisation of certain groups such as Rastafarians in the Caribbean but did not utter a word about the alienation or tokenism of (East) Indians in regional institutions like the very CCJ, CARICOM, the Caribbean Reparations Commission, etc.
During the Questions and Answers (Q and A) session, I asked Hinds why he spoke about trade union leaders such as Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler and not mention even once the name of Bhadase Sagan Maraj, Adrian Kola Rienzi (Krishna Deonarine) or Basdeo Panday.
I also asked Hinds why he spoke about Guyanese and Trinidadian icons such as CLR James, Makandal Dagga, Eusi Kwayana and George Padmore and not even once mentioned the name of Cheddi Jagan or VS Naipaul, the only Nobel Prize laureate from Trinidad and Tobago.
I also asked Hinds why did he talk about cultural creations in the Caribbean such as calypso, steelpan and ska and made no reference to chutney music as well as “doubles” street food or the curried “sour” sauce and “puri” roti from Guyana.
Hinds replied about not having enough time to mention everybody [Indians particularly] in his hour-long address. Pity these people who claim to be objective academics and political scientists in the Caribbean.
Dr Kumar Mahabir
San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago
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