TWO CITIES - A GUYANESE TALE PART 2

 Two Cities, An Unfolding Guyanese Tale, Part 2.

Guyana's socio-political and economic landscape has always been beset with problems that emanate from its multicultural societal structure. These problems are heaved unto the front burner whenever there is a jostle for power. A nagging, irritating factor that confronts its leaders is the concept of Mutual Exclusivity, where one ethnic group cannot be pleased without displeasing other disparate groups.

The nation's political leaders are fully aware of this, and are constantly juggling policies and programs in such fashion and manner to strike an equilibrium of equality and peaceful coexistence. Cheddi Jagan, Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte, David Granger, Bharat Jagdeo, and I presume, Irfan Ali, are all cognizant of this fact. 

Irfan and his team are reaching out to the various groups with regular outreach programs, walking the streets, meeting residents, and even handing out goodies. This is not new. Cheddi and Hoyte did this. Both of them, unfortunately, discovered that it didn't work; the results at the elections didn't significantly reflect their efforts!

How will Irfan please his base which is made up of overwhelming support from Guyanese East Indians, without displeasing the Guyanese Africans. Many are quick to answer by proffering INCLUSIVITY. This seems to be a viable course of action but it can cause your ethnic base to distance itself from you and either create alternative party structures or even gravitate to the other major political party.  

I had a close call with INCLUSIVITY after Cheddi won at the polls in 1992. He embarked on this pathway, even though some of his own opposed him, and offered positions to a few from the Opposition. At a meeting in the Guyana Consulate in New York City, I was privy, by way of eavesdropping, to a conversation between a known Opposition member and one of Cheddi's 'Inclusivity' officials. They were discussing how to regain power in Guyana! The official whispered and said that he and others were working on it. Losing your support base in a multicultural society is very easy. Jagdeo learnt this when Nagamootoo and Ramjattan swiped significant blocks of voters from his party, who felt that they were not getting enough, and that they were being taken for granted. 

Irfan and his men are pivoting themselves on a tightrope, doing a balancing act, trying to please all, with the hope that  equal treatment will create the right platform to gain votes from the opposition, and, at the same time, still manage to hold on to their base.

He is also betting on something that was tried by Burnham - shattering Multiculturalism. Burnham created African villages within Indian communities, and also started National Service. Irfan is not going down that path; he is allocating house lots in new communities, alternating them between Indians and Africans. 

He has also embarked on a ONE GUYANA cultural show piece, which projects a stage - presence of cultural unity. Of course, all of this happens in a structured setting, and many of the performers are paid to display their artistic talents. If this is done to create an understanding and appreciation of ethnic differences and diversity, and which could also permeate the multicultural society, then there is a chance that it could help to foster brotherhood and unity. On the other hand, if it's only showmanship, then it is doomed for failure.

Multiculturalism is a power unto itself which  could be observed internationally. In a country like Guyana where the race for political control is determined by narrow margins of victory, based on the votes cast by the two major racial groups, multiculturalism could determine who wins,  and, consequently, precipitate agony and distress. 

In a multicultural society the major racial groups always campaign for political control and power in mutually exclusive parameters. With oil and wealth for the taking, the struggle will intensify.

The next elections in Guyana will be a testing ground and will either vindicate, or prove Irfan wrong.