November 28 ,2021

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The Alliance For Change has joined several other groups and individuals in criticizing Culture Minister, Charles Ramson jr for saying African Guyanese have no role models while elevating a shadowy, fly-by-night company owned by the Hits and Jams and the Kashif and Shanghai owners as an example of good entrepreneurial pursuits.

The company with no track record of building construction was handed a $346M contract to build a primary school at Bamia, Region 10. The award has been condemned by a number of organisations.

Below is the full statement by the AFC

Minister Ramson’s recent interview revealed what is the PPP Government’s agenda. It is to create wealth amongst its “fellowship”, namely, its friends, followers and family. This certainly is not good governance, nor democracy by any measure. How are the masses of black people, or even brown people, empowered here by generating wealth for one elite black company formed the other day – St8ment Investment Inc?
The awarding of this contract, incidentally, has been critiqued by many commentators as not in accordance with procurement requirements. The Minister seems most annoyed that the Opposition brought this issue to the public attention in the first place. The scandal behind what the Minister is saying though is what ought to be poured over. It is that the Coalition government is wrong for representing all Guyanese and equalizing the opportunity for all Guyanese to benefit, when they were office. What the Minister insidiously suggests is that the Coalition should have represented only its, Coalition, “fellowship”. Where is the principled position of political morality and ethics when dealing with this sensitive question of equality of opportunity in a plural society? And to use the same company to sponsor airtime for such an interview?

The interview reveals a deliberate intention to create strife in an already polarized society, and a desire to turn Coalition supporters against its leadership. The latter will fail. As regards the former, time will tell where we will be carried by this dirty politics of division. All right thinking Guyanese are aware of what the Coalition Government did on equalizing the opportunity for all Guyanese to a better standard of living. Undoubtedly this project was uncompleted. But it correctly commenced. It spanned the spheres of health, security, infrastructure, ITC, education and foreign affairs.
The effects were felt in the most remote of villages and depressed communities. These efforts empowered young people through programmes such as the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme which trained over 2500 young people with technical skills. Another such effort was to raise the salaries of public servants’ minimum from $39,000 to $70,000 whilst lowering VAT by 2%. It was showing love for sugar workers by the Coalition that these workers were paid for three years (2015 to 2018) by spending $36 B, when not one cent of the European’s Funding of the sector to the tune of $110 M from 2004 to 2014 was spent on sugar by Jagdeo Incorporated. Of course even the sugar workers realised that this subsidy could not go on forever and that there was need for rightsizing the industry.

Such measures are what equalize opportunity for all. It is not done through a perverted, exaggerated analysis upon the grant of one contract to one black company when we know where the wealth is concentrated. And it cannot be done by an elongated subsidisation and allocation of continuing billions into the reverted sugar industry without appreciating the need for diversification and breaking the intergenerational transmission of poverty through skills and education for value added ventures. That will mean an enslavement to sugar!
The Minister’s approach, apart from other detriments, will be a worsening of the difference between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’. The consequence of this will be a rising crime rate. But more dangerously, there will be an onset of tremendous resentment.
This Minister needs a crash course in policy and governance. This is the view of even his close comrades who have loudly whispered thus in the corridors of power. His attention should be directed, for example, to the APNU+AFC comprehensive Manifesto re: Conditional Cash Transfer. Just to state for him even if he feels shy to go by there, here are some gems:
• Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) based on a feasibility or pilot study including, but not limited to, Nutritional Support; Housing Support; Public Transport and a Single-Parent Support Programme; vouchers for day-care and elder-care services and adult remedial classes and training; increased stipends for students attending Technical Institutes, Nursing Schools, School of Home Economics, Guyana School of Agriculture;
• Cash transfers through the Public Education Assistance Service (PEAS) and,
• Cash Transfers for the purchase of essential items.

This is a redistribution policy for equalizing opportunity – that an extra dollar of income means more to the poor (better welfare, increases utility) than for the rich. In effect, an extra dollar of income is worth more to a poor person than a rich person through redistribution policies such as social safety nets including conditional cash transfers that could reduce inequality. If we value democracy and we value social welfare, we will place a heavy value on equality which correlates with the decrease in crime, increase health and happiness in a population.

This cash transfer policy the Minister should know was tested in Brazil, just next door, and proved successful via the Bolsa Fam´ılia Social Protection Program. These policies the Minister must know find expression in the APNU AFC Manifesto re Conditional Cash Transfer that is needed for generating income and wealth for the masses, not this one farcically trumpeted contract to an elite black company.
Finally, Ramson’s PPP Government cash grants, like the recent Covid and Flood Relief grants, especially when so corruptly constructed are not income generating either. Just like the recently awarded construction contracts, these cash grants are payback with big kickbacks. These handouts, which has nothing but vote-buying as their attribute, will not address structural problems.

Things that need to be said ...

Ramson is a young, spoiled twit. the black community should tar and  feather him

—warns Hits and Jams that supporting oppressors comes at a heavy cost

Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon has urged African Guyanese to mount an intense campaign against Culture Minister Charles Ramson jr for remarks he made denigrating black Guyanese saying on Saturday said that they lack role models.
“I think that in the black community, young black kids also need lots of examples of success because they have to be able to see that there is a pathway in order for them to live that successful life. And it bothers me a lot when I hear people who just came out of government, who spent 1.4 trillion dollars in this country and failed the black community and still are walking around the people as if they were capable of giving the leadership to help to create wealth in the country and in the black community”, Ramson said.
Reacting to the views expressed by Ramson Harmon in a statement Sunday said a number of Guyanese took to their facebook social media platforms, to call out the very disturbing act by Minister Ramson Jr. He noted that Ramson appeared on the popular 94.1 Boom Fm radio station and decided that he had the moral right to offer the African Guyanese community a lecture. “His lecture was one that was biased, prejudicial and laced with racial undertones,” Harmon stated.

“As leader of the Opposition, I strongly condemn Ramson’s verbal lientery. The belief by Ramson that he has the authority to speak on such matters in the manner in which he did is not limited to him but rather this mindset is pervasive in the PPP. It is a paradigm that stems from the belief that they are better than African Guyanese and somehow they have credentials which afford them the right to denigrate the African Guyanese community in Guyana,” Harmon said.
Harmon said likewise “I strongly condemn 94.1 Radio Station for allowing a Minister of Government to use their platform to incite racial tension with his vile prejudice of the African Guyanese community. Sad to say that this is what we can continue to expect from the PPP. We have always said that the PPP is racist by nature and the guise of having a few African and Indigenous Guyanese as ministers will not erase that central aspect of its nature,” Harmon asserted.
“I will not be asking that Ramson or HJ apologise to the African Guyanese Community, rather I am calling on the African Guyanese community and all who are appalled by Ramson’s sentiments to unite and push back against those who seek to define the African Guyanese reality within a nanoscopic and inglorious context. I call for us to take action, file petitions, seek Ramson’s resignation or removal from office, they will ignore it but let our disapproval be heard and felt in more ways than one. Let the world see the PPP for who they really are,” the opposition Leader said.
Harmon said too that 94.1 Radio Station must take note of the views of the majority of Guyanese who listen to their station daily. “This disrespect to a large section of our Guyanese community will not and should not be tolerated. Supporting those who are emboldened to suppress and oppress others comes at a grave cost and no one should be willing to be used in such a manner.”

Stoking divisiveness

Meanwhile, In a Facebook Post, Professor Vibert Cambridge said that “It is most unfortunate when Guyana’s Minister responsible for the nation’s cultural development is consistent in stoking divisiveness and not promoting or encouraging solidarity. At one time I excused the behaviour as exuberance and inexperience. Now it appears as unacceptable patterned and deliberate behaviour,” Professor Cambridge said.

Shadow Minister of Culture, MP Jermaine Figueira said in a letter that the minister’s very condescending and berating views of the African Guyanese community and its leadership were not even recognised sadly, by Kerwin Bollers- who was hosting the programme/ free talk. In fact Bollers shook his head in agreement with Ramson, who has been frequenting the radio station since becoming minister.
Figueira said Ramson’s attempt to lecture the black community with his ill-informed and very disrespectful rhetoric, has certainly come from a place that is foreign to his very sheltered and privileged life. A life bestowed to him from the politics of the PPP that is still in practice even more glaring today, speaks volume. “Anyone listening to his empty rants without having background knowledge of the PPP’S 23 years of discriminatory and intentional economic marginalization of the black community; would probably try to make sense of his charlatan views,” the Region 10 MP stated. He added that the Minister posited several points of view that are not only confusing, but what many of his colleagues and supporters of the PPP would strongly disagree with.
Firstly “politics don’t create wealth for people” , secondly, being a leader in the political sphere you “encourage people to create wealth for themselves”, and thirdly, “there is a difference between land that is land and land that is an asset”
“Clearly, this guy is not only confused but is far from reality and doesn’t know what he is talking about

This guy is the son of one of Guyana’s former minister and Attorney General who was exempted from paying taxes on his salary, over two million dollars a month, unlike the many underprivileged hard working Guyanese public servants who work twice as hard to make ends meet while paying their taxes.”
Figueira continued: “Many of us are still trying to grapple with his government’s imposed 7% after not receiving anything in the last two budgets and have to deal with this ridiculously high cost of living.
This little boy’s failure to realise that many of the political doings and wealth garnered, were on the backs of many tax payers. Some of those actions done by the PPP for wealth creation were not garnered from encouraging words young Ramson, it was from politics and the political decisions, be it good and bad, legal or otherwise and policies/ attitudes of the ruling cabal that created such an environment.”

Another Member of Parliament, Amanza Walton-Desir said Ramson needs to stop trying to lecture Guyanese. “Charles is a chap who was literally born with a gold spoon in his mouth. He took his first minibus ride at aged 30 and had to have a film crew on hand to capture it. He doesn’t have a clue about the struggle of hardworking Guyanese, nor does he care. To him Guyanese are mere pawns in his rich-boy game of chess. So, to hear him speaking in a most condescending manner about the lack of role models for, as he put it the “black community” is unacceptable and he must be called out by all and sundry.”
According to Walton-Desir: “For your information Charlie Boy, I grew up with role models all around, in my family and in my community. My mother Joy Walton was a teacher for over 40 years and shaped the lives of thousands of Guyanese from all walks of life. From her I learnt compassion and the value of hard and honest labour. My father Ovid Walton was a military officer and served this country with distinction. He instilled in me the importance of integrity, love of country and love for the Guyanese people, irrespective of race or creed. They both have left a rich legacy that I wake up to every day and proudly walk in. So, no, you do not get to diminish them, because they were not financially wealthy, nor do you get to diminish any of the hardworking Guyanese who get up every day to work to keep this country going for that matter. You do not get to pretend that you care about bettering the lives of the ordinary Guyanese. You will not lecture to us, nor will your weak attempt at manipulating us to divide us, succeed.

And while it appears that in your books, the attainment of wealth is the foremost criteria to be met for one to be considered a role model, and since you like to strut around pretending to be “roots”, I will remind you of the words of the immortal Bob Marley who said “some people are so poor all they have is money”.

There needs to be a complete ban on East Indian politicians of Guyana mentioning the word black. There is no relevance or relationship to East Indians of Guyana and their experience.

Oh rass when "black"out hit dem boys cyant talk bout it.

Not only black but all East Indian politicians of Guyana should also refrain from using the words Africa and African. These words should not exist in the vocabulary of all East Indian politicians of Guyana.

How about Darkness, da aright fo dem say?

@Ali Khan Azad posted:

Not only black but all East Indian politicians of Guyana should also refrain from using the words Africa and African. These words should not exist in the vocabulary of all East Indian politicians of Guyana.

In Guyana today, it is difficult to know a persons race by mere names. Black people (ops) has Indian names and some Indians have anglo names. For identification purposes all Black People (ops) should take on West African names.

On the serious side, I personally do not think that Black People is doing much for their community.

All dem elitist Afro-Guyanese who commented are all educated and praised their parents. A survey can show if the Black community is provided with excellent mentorship.

A serious issue in Guyana is that Black People in high places do not want non-blacks to comment on Afro-Guyanese.

Even on here, Blacks take offence to it.

If a Black person from the PNC had said the same thing that Ramson said there would be no contention.  The PNC and their stooge partner, the AFC are playing the race card on any and everything. 

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports clarifies his "Role Model" comment.

Ashton Chase is Dougla.

@cain posted:

How about Darkness, da aright fo dem say?

Cain it is better to use lights out instead of black out and darkness, blood pudding instead of black pudding and Rum cake instead of black cake in Guyana.  Even Ali Khan Azad was told in Guyana by a West African Guyanese to never use the word Africa but to use the word India. Even though Ali Khan Azad has genes from three West African countries in him. East Indians are racist that is why the black man has to find comfort in the arms of the white woman while she empties his pockets of his money. It all has to do with racism of East Indians against black people.

One of my bikes is flat black even down to the spokes, so tell me professor flutesnoot, what should I use as a better word?

You think black sage should be changed too?

I got to figure that out brother Cain.

Doan hurt yo head, take your time. I feel like having me a small piece of Black Forest cake before retiring to bed