RECENTLY, the public witnessed the vile, nasty, and objectionable nature of politics. The public tuned in to Wednesday’s edition of the social media show called ‘Ride Along’, which is supposed to be a Caribbean show with an international appeal.
The show was supposed to discuss Rickford Burke’s accusation against the ruling PPP/C administration, which, he said, “hired a hitman to kill me”. He was going to expose the PPP/C’s wrongdoing, and, of his own volition, use “facts” to do so. Retired Assistant Commissioner Paul Slowe was also scheduled to appear on the programme.
They did appear, as scheduled, but the public was treated to insufferable pain and agony, as events and stories told to the host, Junior George, by Burke and Slowe, took on a life of their own, as they sadly massacred the truth, and insulted the intelligence of their Guyanese audience. Burke and Slowe painted a grim picture of life in Guyana, as they batted for the political opposition, criticising the PPP/C. The public heard the racial undertones and statements which could only be considered racist against Guyanese, directed at every other race here except those who were of African ancestry or descent.
Burke called Guyanese who had a differing view of life “house slaves, slave catchers, and sell-outs”, to name a few of the slurs being thrown their way. At one point, the Minister within the Ministry in the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs and Information, Kwame McCoy called in to set the record straight, and to admonish listeners that they were being misled and fed lies. The back-and-forth went on Facebook, Live, with unbelievable things being thrown out that were far from the truth. Minister McCoy and a host of other Guyanese called in to try to take hold of the narrative, but Burke kept interrupting and shifting the goalpost. Then, PNC loyalist and MP, Nima Flue-Bess joined to back up Burke and Slowe.
The complete show was pure chaos, and turned into a verbal war, with viewers being angered and left frustrated because, in the trio’s haste to fire back at Minister McCoy’s points, they made statements which should never come from the lips of any local politician, or politician representing the interest of Guyanese in Guyana or elsewhere.
Minister McCoy might have not totally set the record straight, but he ruffled the trio’s feathers and clipped their wings. He demonstrated that all Guyanese are willing to stand up to racist and politically inaccurate statements being made by Burke, Flue-Bess, and Slowe.
Firstly, Burke and Flue-Bess were lying through their teeth; they were peddling the opposition PNC propaganda to mislead their viewers. They hoped they would rile the viewership up by making the allegation that the PPP/C administration is engaged in political and ethnic discrimination. Checks with the Ethnic Relations Commission would prove that neither Flue-Bess nor Burke has lodged any complaint with the Constitutional body. The same result was had from the Guyana Police Force. They’ve never reported a case, but want the public to trust them? Please, tell me they are not serious.
Regarding the alleged hitman who was supposed to kill Burke, the public was left hanging with more questions than answers. How come Burke was able to protest and rally in clear view in the past and recently? After all, that would mean the so-called hitman was not doing his job, because he is still standing, and criticising the government unduly.
It does not make sense. Who is Burke? What is his claim to fame? Who is he representing in Guyana and the Guyanese Diaspora, legitimately? Or maybe, the PPP/C and their operatives are allowing themselves to be sidetracked and distracted by Slowe and Burke, because, as far as the public records show, one is scared to return here and take the PPP on, and the other one is a disgraced senior policeman who is bitter.
The public is of the belief that Burke may have to get treated soon, because he is having difficulty existing between the real world or reality, and the fictional or imaginary world. His reality does not exist. Further, the facts that he offered up do not exist. Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo never definitively committed this government or any PPP government to an investigation of the murders and crimes that took a toll on society during the early 2000s to 2011 period. He offered ‘his opinion’ on what the parameters of such probes would likely be, if there were to be such an investigation. Burke is clearly twisting the truth and facts. Say it with authority; no one takes him seriously! Ask the Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, former president David Granger, former prime minister Moses Nagamootoo or any Guyanese with an objective mind.
Secondly, George allowed Burke and his playmates to make statements that are far from the truth. They were engaged in a senseless beatdown of East Indians, businessmen of East Indian descent, and East Indian contractors. African Guyanese were spared the insults and corruption allegations that Burke made via George’s show. It was disappointing, to say the least, to witness this so-called ‘journalist’ stand emotionless or indifferent to these attacks. At times, George’s posture made it seem as though he was co-signing the senseless attacks on the race, businesses and way of life of this group of Guyanese.
To think that a local PNC MP heard the garbage and attacks made by Burke on this platform and chose to ignore them is both telling and appalling. Flue-Bess must be condemned, and other MPs are duty-bound to haul her over the coals. There is no representative of Mocha in Parliament. She represents Guyanese and the whole of Guyana, so her conduct and verbiage need to go far past Mocha, if she is to make sense or have the public’s trust in the culture, youth and sports sectors. She must say if the views, surreptitiously advanced by Burke and Slowe, are her views as an MP and PNC/R Executive Member.
Thirdly, Burke, Slowe and Flue-Bess seem to be getting their political cards from the ole-PNC/R playbook. They are painting a picture of Guyana that is not true. Guyana will never be like South Africa. Guyana will never have a government that is rooted in the principles of Apartheid. Politicians who use the word when debating the situation in Guyana are doing the discourse and country an injustice. They sound foolish and uneducated.
The Guyanese of African Descent are not in chains; they are not mentally or physically weak. They do not need a shepherd or a martyr. They are politically and ethnically empowered to recognise justice around them, and if needs be will respond by using the system and legal means. Let them stand firmly on their own two feet, and make the case as every other race in Guyana is encouraged to do. That is freedom; that is the modern Guyana that all races are striving towards. Guyana is a melting pot of cultures and people who demonstrate high levels of peace and tolerance.
Burke and his cheerleaders are weak and dense if they think that Guyanese can’t see through their racist and outdated clarion call. Guyanese of African descent are tired of old opposition political vampires who use them, abuse them, and throw them by the wayside every time there is an election in sight.
Make no mistake; not one single voter that could change the course of this upcoming election was convinced by ignorance and lies told on George’s platform. They were entertained, but that is where it ended.
Finally, political parties and their representatives must start to talk about the issues that the Guyanese are concerned about in the lead-up to the polls. They must guard against racist rhetoric; they must rise to the occasion and have spirited discussions, debates and conversations. They must argue facts, and tell the truth as freely as they breathe the air. Speak the truth and shame the devil! Guyanese can never lie like Burke, Slowe and Flue-Bess did on George’s social platform! Do not be like these politicians; Guyanese must strive to be very truthful, very demure, and very factual!