propaganda press! freedom in Guyana

On May 27, Mr. Ricky Singh made a vitriolic attack on me in the Stabroek newspaper, in response to my letter criticizing the Editor-in-Chief/Publisher, Mr. David de Caires, and his newspaper, for pursuing an anti-black agenda. The baleful machinations behind the publication of my letter notwithstanding, I stand by my contentions and cede no ground to those who would pervert human nature in their exercise of prejudice.

Singh, an apologist for the PPP etchnocracy, penned a letter characterized by its pageantry of hate and hypocrisy, which conversely epitomizes his own circumstance. He claimed that I am racist for denouncing Stabroek’s anti-black posture; that I have an “enormous personal ego;” that I spew “rabid racism;” that I offered no evidence to support my criticism, and that he has personal knowledge that Mr. De Caires made no deal with the PPP government in exchange for the restoration of government ads to his newspaper - all a maze of hyperbolic hot-air.

Despite his loquaciousness, he did not address or contradict any of my assertions. Let me be clear, I condemned what I believed to be an anti-black agenda. I did not condemn Mr. de Caires, his race or him because of his race. I mentioned as a passing fact that, like my grandfather, he is Portuguese Guyanese. This constituted or intended no offence. Mr. de Caires knows that I have incessantly expressed concern over the agenda of Stabroek News.

I jocularly note Singh’s arrogant claim of a monopoly on the facts of Stabroek’s presumed dealings with the government. His rancor, in defense of a learned counselor at law, in Mr. de Caires; was a function of his compulsion to vilify. He has perennially disparaged Afro-Caribbean leaders.

His latest attack was plagiarized from President Bharrat Jagdeo and PPP talking points. Of intrigue, is his investment in another ethnic, cesspool attack on me, as well as his cabal’s obsession with me, to the point where the Chronicle routinely makes me the focal point of its partisan “phantom letter” dialogue.

But is this PPP epigastric distress not inexplicable? I have spoken out forcefully against discrimination and subjugation of Afro-Guyanese and others of all races. But specifically, the “eye-pass” of Blacks, by racists, intellectual liliputians and those of an insular posture, must stop!

Singh has long been a henchman in this campaign. A regional Head of government has described this self-styled “regional journalist” to me as “A little man with Napoleon’s complex, who is a disingenuous, scam journalist, that has been kicked out of several Caribbean courtries for preaching racial bigotry and engaging in political strife”

Ricky Singh has ascended a haughty, moral pedestal, from which he attempts to selectively lecture me on political morality, while he suffers the indignity of being allegedly scalded by the hot waters of crime. He must first clean out his own closet, lest his shaky morality erodes his clutch to the moral precipice from which he makes judgments about others.

I caution him to, before rushing further to do his masters proverbial bidding, reflect on the omnibus characterization of him by former Prime Ministers Tom Adams of Barbados and Dr. Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago. It would vanquish his supercilious diatribe.

Racism is the innate belief that one race is superior or inferior to another and the materialization of that belief in a social system in the form of separatism and segregation, and mistreatment or condemnation of an individual because of their race or ethnicity. The imposition of ethnocratic politics in a multiracial, multicultural society, like Guyana, is a most vile manifestation of racism. An individual who confirms to the latter philosophies is racists.

I challenge Ricky Singh to quote one word from me or aspect of my life, where I have condemned another race, practiced racism or promoted racial superiority. I have and will always reject racism. So I welcome a debate on racism, the emergence of a PPP ethnocracy, the various anti-black agendas, and the marginalization of the African Guyanese collective.

Any African Guyanese, who denounces PPP racism and the pursuance of anti-black agendas, is automatically branded a “racist.” Are we to remain silent in the face of this evil? This hypocrisy strengthens my resolve to fight this scourge. I am not afraid of labels. History will show that the African collective fought and died for its causes and beliefs. It is this indomitable will and resiliency that brought an end to slavery.

I am Guyanese of mixed ancestry; mainly African, Indian and Portuguese, who considers myself Black. If, by Ricky Singh’s standards, I am branded a racist for condemning racism and for rejecting an anti-black agenda, then so be it. Intolerance has always yielded a compulsion of denial, psychological role reversals and the diminution of its denunciation.

Former racist South African, apartheid President, P.W Botha, said Nelson Mandela, the ANC and others, who fought apartheid, were racists. Racists in America also claimed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, and other who fought for civil rights, were racists as well. Their label is a badge of honor in defeat of evil.

Of course I advocate for those whose “perspective” I share; the indigent and casualties of discrimination and injustice. I rise to defend the Chief Magistrate of Guyana, Ms. Juliet Holder-Allen, impenitently. She is my friend. Her removal from office was unjust and unlawful. The refusal of the Judiciary to allow her appeal to proceed is a national disgrace and a mockery of justice. I shudder to think that this senior judicial officer is being railroaded by the very court she serves, and by a colleague who swore an oath, alongside her, to uphold the constitution. It is a travesty of high order that can only happen in Guyana.

There is nothing inaccurate, Mr. Singh, about my representations that Stabroek News attempted to trivialize the press conference at which she accused the government of racial discrimination. What was inaccurate was the pathetic excuse by the editor who claimed that he did not cover the story initially because Ms. Holder-Allen said nothing new or newsworthy - a patent falsehood.

The Chief Magistrate proffered that her press conference was in pursuance of President Bharrat Jagdeo’s imputation on TV, that she had done something wrong. She was perfectly right to challenge President Jagdeo’s comments and veracity. It is disingenuous for Stabroek News to claim nothing new or news worthy was offered.

In my judgment, were she not an African-Guyanese woman, the story would have received wall to wall coverage. When the government pulled ads from Stabroek, they mounted a continuous campaign in protest because it was a grave injustice, which I condemned as well. So why then isn’t the unconstitutional removal of the Chief Magistrate and the denial of her due process rights, not worthy of continuous reporting?

Further, ever since the publication of the editor’s note to my letter on May 24, Ms. Holder-Allen has written the editor challenging his contentions and objecting to his condescension. However, Stabroek has again refused to publish her letter. Why is it that this newspaper cannot demonstrate the professional responsibility of publishing a letter by the Chief Magistrate which seeks to correct the record? It is disrespectful and negates the obligation to professional integrity.

Moreover, I stand by my contentions that the opposition march of May 15 was not covered by Stabroek. Instead, the paper obscurely reported that the PNC held an “unlawful procession despite no police approval.” Subsequently it published an editorial on May 18 that sought to criminalize the participants and denigrate the Afro-Guyanese constituency of the PNCR.

This editorial was harshly condemned by many Afro-Guyanese leaders. Ricky Singh or the Stabroek cannot tell the African Guyanese collective what should or should not offend it. They must know their place! The professional course for Stabroek was a rapprochement with this collectivity, not more arrogance.

With regard to the suspension of the license of Sharma TV Channel 6, I maintain that the story was diminished by Stabroek, apparently for political reasons. Its editorial on the matter, which came days later, was a fable, tortuous denunciation of President Jagdeo’s unlawful act.

Now that Singh has presumptively found his moral compass, he must comment on the revelation by a US Federal Judge that Roger Khan’s Phantom death squad has killed over 200 persons (might I add with PPP government complicity); the torture of individuals by three GDF Officers and President Jagdeo’s refusal to release the report; the crimes by members of President Jagdeo’s government, and allegations about the US 1.5 million corrupt Bell Helicopters organized crime deal.

He must also comment on the Buddies Hotel scandal involving a 178 million taxpayer dollar loan, the scandal surrounding the privatization of the Sanata Textile Mill Company, the infiltration of the drug cartel into the Police Force, the emerging scandal regarding the construction of the Marriot Hotel, the imprisonment of Mark Benschop for five years without a trial, the murder of journalist Ronald Waddell, etc.

Furthermore, Singh, in his letter, also asserted that I have in the past been “contemptuous and dismissive” of PNCR Leader, Robert Corbin, and had stated that I did not support Vincent Alexander’s bid for the leadership of the PNCR at the last Congress. He then attempted to lead readers into speculating about my political ambitions. This is another regurgitation of PPP talking points.

I am happy to note that I am independent minded enough to criticize any leader, of any race, across the political continuum; be it PPP, PNCR or AFC. But can Ricky Singh say the same?

His rising to Mr. Corbin’s defense is hilarious. As much as I have had serious disagreements with Mr. Corbin, his failures pale in comparison to the corrupt, PPP ethnocracy. So Singh’s attempt to be a wedge driver is pedestrian at best. As a common enemy, my message to him is - mind your own business!