Witter, Luncheon differ on PPPC's appeal to African Guyanese.
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Thursday, 13 October 2011 14:21
The President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Norris Witter on Wednesday night accused the governing Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) of being racist because of a direct appeal to African Guyanese.
“Any decent person, who holds himself or herself out…must speak to every single person as a person and convince them by way of their programme but not an appeal to race. If you appeal to race, you must be considered racist,” Witter told a Committee for Human Rights and Free and Fair Elections meeting at the Stabroek Market Square.
He urged the estimated 400 persons gathered to “deny” Dean of Health Sciences at the University of Guyana, Dr. Emmanuel Cummings and others who spoke at last Sunday’s PPPC rally in Kitty.
But PPP Executive Committee member, Roger Luncheon dismissed that assertion, saying that Cummings’ call to African Guyanese was specific to Region Four.
“I understood that his appeal had to do with region four, in gaining the control of the region four administrative regions. That would not be necessarily an appeal to black voters, it have to be an appeal to all the voters in region four to achieve what Dr. Cummings called for,” Dr. Luncheon told Demerara Waves Online News ( www.demwaves.com )
This is exactly what Cummings told the estimated 7,500 persons at the Kitty rally:
“I want to call on everyone in Region Four to ensure that the PPP/C wins Region Four because this is an important region, it’s a large region and I’m calling on my African brothers and sisters to vote solidly for the PPP/C on Election Day.”
Region Four has always been controlled by the main opposition Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) which draws the bulk of its support from among Afro-Guyanese. The PPPC has traditionally been supported by Guyanese of Indian descent.
Explaining his own position at the rally, Luncheon recalled focusing on how Afro-Guyanese, their families and friends have been treated to “all forms of indignities” if they openly associate with the PPPC.
“My contribution had more to do with the treatment that Afro-Guyanese and black members of the PPP, supporters of the PPP, have over decades been enduring at the hands of all and sundry for becoming openly identified with the PPP,” he recalled.
Prior to Juan Edghill’s status as an Ethnic Relations Commissioner had been called into question in the High Court, he had been waging a campaign, warning that if anyone appealed to race, they and their parties ran the risk of being barred from contesting elections.
IF THE PPP IS A NEUTRAL PARTY FOR ALL GUYANESE, WHY DO THEY HAVE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN INDO AND AFRO-GUYANESE VOTERS. WILL THEIR RACISM EVER DIE ?
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Thursday, 13 October 2011 14:21
The President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Norris Witter on Wednesday night accused the governing Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) of being racist because of a direct appeal to African Guyanese.
“Any decent person, who holds himself or herself out…must speak to every single person as a person and convince them by way of their programme but not an appeal to race. If you appeal to race, you must be considered racist,” Witter told a Committee for Human Rights and Free and Fair Elections meeting at the Stabroek Market Square.
He urged the estimated 400 persons gathered to “deny” Dean of Health Sciences at the University of Guyana, Dr. Emmanuel Cummings and others who spoke at last Sunday’s PPPC rally in Kitty.
But PPP Executive Committee member, Roger Luncheon dismissed that assertion, saying that Cummings’ call to African Guyanese was specific to Region Four.
“I understood that his appeal had to do with region four, in gaining the control of the region four administrative regions. That would not be necessarily an appeal to black voters, it have to be an appeal to all the voters in region four to achieve what Dr. Cummings called for,” Dr. Luncheon told Demerara Waves Online News ( www.demwaves.com )
This is exactly what Cummings told the estimated 7,500 persons at the Kitty rally:
“I want to call on everyone in Region Four to ensure that the PPP/C wins Region Four because this is an important region, it’s a large region and I’m calling on my African brothers and sisters to vote solidly for the PPP/C on Election Day.”
Region Four has always been controlled by the main opposition Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR) which draws the bulk of its support from among Afro-Guyanese. The PPPC has traditionally been supported by Guyanese of Indian descent.
Explaining his own position at the rally, Luncheon recalled focusing on how Afro-Guyanese, their families and friends have been treated to “all forms of indignities” if they openly associate with the PPPC.
“My contribution had more to do with the treatment that Afro-Guyanese and black members of the PPP, supporters of the PPP, have over decades been enduring at the hands of all and sundry for becoming openly identified with the PPP,” he recalled.
Prior to Juan Edghill’s status as an Ethnic Relations Commissioner had been called into question in the High Court, he had been waging a campaign, warning that if anyone appealed to race, they and their parties ran the risk of being barred from contesting elections.
IF THE PPP IS A NEUTRAL PARTY FOR ALL GUYANESE, WHY DO THEY HAVE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN INDO AND AFRO-GUYANESE VOTERS. WILL THEIR RACISM EVER DIE ?