By 
Guyana is a country rich in diversity with people of various ethnicities. However, racism in Guyana and other forms of discrimination continue to hinder human resource development and unity among the people yet few have the courage to confront it.
And one doesn’t need to be a politician or popular personality to be affected, in fact, it is glaringly crude and ugly among ordinary people. Sometimes, it could be that the other party has reasons other than racial prejudices for unfair treatment but one hardly ever gets to the root of the matter.
From my own experiences I’ve noted that people who preach about unity, actually have the authority to institute measures to foster unity or resolve disputes are the ones who widen the divide. They employ the ‘I don’t want to deal with it’ attitude or pretend that their involvement is not needed to allegations of discrimination between persons of different ethnicities primarily Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese. This sort of attitude worsens the situation by encouraging discrimination on one side and on the other, shows the complainant that he/she has no worth.
Historical racism
Long before I was born Guyana was scarred several times by ‘race riots’ (I found an informative article on this issue by Gaiutra Bahadur). Although Caribbean History is taught in schools, Guyanese History is not, especially the racial issues that continue to divide the nation. The problems were significant in the 1960s but many who were born after only know about it through their elders and independent reading and research. Only through reading ‘Letters to the Editor’ in the newspapers, I got to know about major disturbances and traumas on the nation such as the Wismar Massacre. The riots forced hundreds to flee from their homes, widespread injures and even deaths; and sexual assaults on women and girls. An article on the racial violence in Mackenzie was published in the New York Times in 1964 (two years before British Guiana gained independence).
Many older persons in my neighbourhood were born in Buxton, including my father and his relatives. They were forced to flee from the village during that period. At the time, unless persons emigrated, due to the economic conditions they tend to live their entire lives in the same village in extended family units. The problems within the country were so bad that massive internal migration in different parts of the country occurred.
At my former workplace, a colleague told me that Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese from his village were forced to exchanged houses so that the two ethnicities could live separated; a trench divides the area and each side is known by different village names. The stories are many and each side has its own grievances. Although the worst race riots occurred decades ago the psychic wounds and horrid memories persevere especially in those who may feel that they never received justice.
Present-day racism in Guyana
Present-day racism is more subtle however, the effect it has on those it scars cannot be easily dismissed especially in the areas of education and job opportunities. Not only is personal development stagnated but the development of the country when its citizens are held down and the divide widens both economically and racially.
Politics and racism are intertwined here and this has always been the reality. A lot of disturbances that devolve into racial targeting have been instigated by politicians like the most recent one that comes to mind. Two Afro-Guyanese boys were murdered and it was assumed (rumour most likely spread by people with their own malicious motives) that they were targeted because of their ethnicity. For days, persons bent on criminal mischief blocked the roads and attacked innocent persons (adults and children). I have not read of any arrest or prosecution linked to these incidents in Berbice. My opinion is that people need to take personal responsibility for their actions and face the consequences when they commit crimes, following politicians or the crowd should never give anyone a free pass.
(Video credit: Little Rock Studio)
Apathy and racial loyal
It is my opinion based on numerous personal experiences that the roadblocks to fostering (greater) racial harmony in Guyana are apathy and racial loyalty.
My experiences
I’ve faced racism in Guyana that has affected my personal growth. Sometimes, due to the nature of the situation, it’s not so easy to confront, by just leaving a review online or in print or choosing to no longer be a customer (business). For instance, in the workplace or educational institutions, discrimination can change the course of one’s life by limiting growth educationally and professionally.
The first time I encountered discrimination that impacted me significantly was as a 16-year-old University of Guyana student. A lecturer tried to fail me for an introductory English Language course by claiming that I didn’t show up for the final examination that carried 60% of the total marks. I’d just obtained a Grade 1 in English Language at CXC, and most of the topics for that course were revision material. Then again, English Language is one of the few subjects I can pass without doing any sort of revision so why would I have skipped the exam? In fact, I wrote the final exam and was among the first set of students who finished and left the room early. And I still had the attendance slip which the invigilator signed.
Although I produced the attendance slip when I complained to the faculty’s administrators no investigation was done to find out what happened to my exam script. I personally feel that the lecturer knew where it was because she’d tried to prevent me from taking the final exam earlier in the course by claiming that I failed the coursework! At the time, one had to pass the coursework assessments in order to write the final examination.
Also, during several tutorial sessions, she embarrassed me in front of my classmates by making snide comments about me. Until that course, I didn’t know of her existence and to date, I’m clueless as to why she treated me so differently. Regardless, the administrators instead of dealing with the issue decided to give me the ‘opportunity’ to take an ‘I’ Grade (incomplete grade) exam and at the time I was told that the highest grade I could obtain was a C, I don’t know if this has changed or if ‘I’ Grade exams are still being offered.
The next major incident in my life where discrimination affected me but to a greater extent was also in the area of higher education specifically, my pursuit of higher education was hindered by discrimination. I wrote about the matter on this blog and in the Kaieteur Newspapers.
Although I wrote publicly about my ordeal there haven’t been any efforts by the relevant authority to address what occurred to me. Basically, the Government of Guyana (GoG) breached the contract between me and it and engaged in blatant discrimination which I have proof of.
I lost a lot due to my ordeal. I resigned from my job when I was awarded the scholarship to study overseas and my only source of ‘income’ became a stipend from the GoG of 100 Canadian dollars per month (the amount was $50 for the first six months). When my scholarship was taken away without just cause I was left homeless, mentally traumatised, almost broke and having to start over from scratch 4 years later having gained nothing in those years except mental baggage and at a disadvantage professionally and personally.
Lots of persons believe I should just move on and forget but while I have moved on why should I forget? Why should I not feel angry that I was not given the same opportunities as other Guyanese although I was born in Guyana and have lived my entire life here; and why should I accept being treated as a second-class citizen? Classism is a major problem in Guyana, many believe that those without influence and affluence in the society are dispensable; that their problems carry no weight and do not matter.
Racism in Guyana hinders personal development, economic empowerment and contributes to gender inequality especially in the areas of education and work. Not only has discrimination affected me in the sphere of higher education but in the workplace also.
Racism in Guyana is an issue that has been covered extensively, and the tension is mainly between Indo-Guyanese, the largest ethnic group at approximately 39.8% of the population and Afro-Guyanese, the second largest (approx. 29.3%; figures obtained here). Indo-Guyanese dominate the private sector while approximately 90% (statistics are not up-to-date on the whole but this figure has been thrown around by politicians and commentators) of persons in the public sector are Afro-Guyanese.
Indo-Guyanese tend to be more involved in agricultural and small business pursuits while sectors such as the police force and army are mostly comprised of Afro-Guyanese. Many Guyanese intellectuals and influencers have written about this state of affairs and their articles can be easily found by doing a Google search. However, politics has heavily influenced the ethnic composition of the private and public sectors. The problem in Guyana is the lack of objective research and availability of findings to the general population as a means to confront and improve the situation. Discrimination while widespread is taboo at the same time.
Information is provided through hearsay (could be the truth or not) to younger generations. For instance, I was told that during Burham‘s reign in order to get a job in the public sector one had to carry a party card (PNC) and since the vast majority of Indo-Guyanese supported the opposition they were effectively barred from joining the public and civil services. This forced them to either flee the country (mostly illegally) or open small businesses.
As a public servant, I faced years of discrimination at my former workplace which the administrators refused to address. I wrote about some of what I faced here but I intend to write an in-depth blog post about my experience.
I prefer to write about things I have personally experienced and can provide evidence to support my position if needed rather than write about what others have told me and risk being dismissed as a fraud if those people deny speaking to me. In Guyana, many persons are afraid to speak up; fear is real in their minds regardless of whether this is justified or not.
So, I faced years of discrimination at my former workplace and the administrators did nothing, this is my position. And I will give one example to prove my point. I went to an administrator who was stationed in a building very far from my workplace to request a transfer. This administrator only visited my workplace a few times when invited for special functions or went on her own to the headteacher for management issues and spent maybe an hour at most.
The administrator wanted to know my reasons for the transfer although I was entitled to it as stated on my Appointment letter and having satisfied the condition of working for 4 continuous years. After telling her my reasons (problems at the school), she chose not to believe me without doing any sort of investigation or even calling the headteacher to ask about my allegations. The administrator decided to turn the focus on me and I was publicly humiliated. She said that my skirt was too tight although it was below the knees and nowhere on or in the building she worked was there a dress code. Plus I have never observed a dress code anywhere in Guyana which addresses the ‘tightness’ of one’s skirt.
The woman forced me to stand up and turn my back to her so she could observe my backside! Maybe, I was supposed to leave it at home…I was so humiliated especially given the fact that one of my former students was her secretary and a witness to what she was doing that I ended up in tears. And of course, nothing came of the matter: I was not given a transfer and was subjected to even worse victimisation and discrimination at my former workplace. The administrator told the headteacher of my visit and on my return to the school, I was confronted and verbally abused.
Apathy and racial loyalty promote racism in Guyana
In the matters I’ve described above the persons I complained about and the persons who ‘could have’ resolved the disputes by conducting objective investigations and listening to all parties were Afro-Guyanese. Given the racial tensions in Guyana, how do apathy and possibly racial loyalty help the situation and foster unity?
Maybe, in some instances, the problem wasn’t racism but something else. However, we never got to the root of the matter because they weren’t addressed in the first place. So, I was left feeling bitter at not getting a fair hearing and the persons I complained about were empowered by the inaction of the relevant authorities to continue with biased, unethical and unprofessional conduct.
This level of apathy and racial loyalty (on both sides) has been around for many decades before I was born and has added fuel to racism in Guyana. Many persons say the older generations are racists but can everyone be labelled the same? Yes, some are racists/prejudiced, some are indifferent, some are not but try to heal the wounds and some are bitter because they feel that they never got their fair hearing and justice for what they endured and that bitterness is passed down.
While I’ve highlighted my experiences, countless persons of different ethnicities have had their own experiences with racism in Guyana. As I mentioned, I prefer to write about things I’ve experienced and have proof of, but the plight of others with their own legitimate cases that have hindered their growth cannot be dismissed.
I believe we are born innocent and are not responsible for the crimes our foreparents committed. We are responsible for our own actions. Therefore, if someone who is alive and well treats me badly why can’t I get my fair hearing at this time so that I can heal and move on rather than carry around hurt? And of course, all complaints are allegations that may or may not be true therefore, unbiased investigations are needed so that people are not left feeling like their lives do not matter and the divide grows.
Racism in Guyana will spread unabated and poison future generations, stymying progress and development unless people do away with apathy and racial loyalty. We need to treat people the same regardless of ethnicity and we need to provide that support and fair hearing even when the ones being complained about are of the same ethnicity as us!
