PPP STATEMENT
LET'S ALL JOIN IN FIGHTING RACISM
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s remarks at the funeral service of the late distinguished Guyanese and PPP leader Reepu Daman Persaud have attracted some criticism from the Opposition media, including the “Kaieteur News” and the “Stabroek News”.
Indeed the Stabroek News even had a long editorial on Monday, April 15, 2013 in which it sought to malign Mr. Jagdeo. The fact is that the Former President was speaking from the premise of equal opportunity for all. It is a principle the PPP has always stood for.
Indeed he even mentioned that throughout his life in the PPP he never heard any remarks in the Party premised on capitalising on race. The PPP is against any form of Discrimination of people because of Race, Religion, Gender or Disability.
What we are surprised at is the fact that Jagdeo’s remarks in condemning the previous colonial discrimination of Indians and its seeming re-emergence, as he showed, should have been so offensive to the Stabroek News. That Newspaper, as indeed the Kaieteur News, never raised a critical voice against those who day after day try to invent racism.
These media entities also never exposed the continuing situation where political messages are tailored to the geography and ethnic make-up of the specific areas by the Opposition, particularly the AFC.
As Former President Jagdeo mentioned, the whole atmosphere that the opposition media is trying to create is to show that Indians in the public service did not get there by merit, but because the PPP discriminated against others. This is regardless of the fact that Indians are in the minority in the Public Service.
The Stabroek News perpetuates this in its editorial by repeating a half truth when it said that. . .“What Mr Jagdeo wants to cover is the growing questions that have arisen over his decision to select certain groups to the detriment of others. The decision in the last days of his Presidency to hand out licences and frequencies to certain individuals … remains a prime unresolved matter.” . . . Implicit here is that only Indians got Radio licences, when the reality is that four Indians were granted, four Afro-Guyanese and one Portuguese.
What is the motive of only naming the Indians who received Radio Licences? Why are they not naming the five non-Indians who got their licence? Is this not an attempt, on the part of the Stabroek News and the Kaieteur News to ferment negative feelings against Indo-Guyanese?
The media have a duty to be responsible.
We wish to urge all to join with the PPP in fighting against all forms of racism in Guyana and further a-field and for equal opportunities for all.
LET'S ALL JOIN IN FIGHTING RACISM
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo’s remarks at the funeral service of the late distinguished Guyanese and PPP leader Reepu Daman Persaud have attracted some criticism from the Opposition media, including the “Kaieteur News” and the “Stabroek News”.
Indeed the Stabroek News even had a long editorial on Monday, April 15, 2013 in which it sought to malign Mr. Jagdeo. The fact is that the Former President was speaking from the premise of equal opportunity for all. It is a principle the PPP has always stood for.
Indeed he even mentioned that throughout his life in the PPP he never heard any remarks in the Party premised on capitalising on race. The PPP is against any form of Discrimination of people because of Race, Religion, Gender or Disability.
What we are surprised at is the fact that Jagdeo’s remarks in condemning the previous colonial discrimination of Indians and its seeming re-emergence, as he showed, should have been so offensive to the Stabroek News. That Newspaper, as indeed the Kaieteur News, never raised a critical voice against those who day after day try to invent racism.
These media entities also never exposed the continuing situation where political messages are tailored to the geography and ethnic make-up of the specific areas by the Opposition, particularly the AFC.
As Former President Jagdeo mentioned, the whole atmosphere that the opposition media is trying to create is to show that Indians in the public service did not get there by merit, but because the PPP discriminated against others. This is regardless of the fact that Indians are in the minority in the Public Service.
The Stabroek News perpetuates this in its editorial by repeating a half truth when it said that. . .“What Mr Jagdeo wants to cover is the growing questions that have arisen over his decision to select certain groups to the detriment of others. The decision in the last days of his Presidency to hand out licences and frequencies to certain individuals … remains a prime unresolved matter.” . . . Implicit here is that only Indians got Radio licences, when the reality is that four Indians were granted, four Afro-Guyanese and one Portuguese.
What is the motive of only naming the Indians who received Radio Licences? Why are they not naming the five non-Indians who got their licence? Is this not an attempt, on the part of the Stabroek News and the Kaieteur News to ferment negative feelings against Indo-Guyanese?
The media have a duty to be responsible.
We wish to urge all to join with the PPP in fighting against all forms of racism in Guyana and further a-field and for equal opportunities for all.