Posted September 19th. 2003. - Special Feature by David Hinds

The Problem is not Racial Labels

Bishop Randolph George in a recent viewpoint published in the Guyana Chronicle took issue with the use the terms "Indo Guyanese" and "Afro Guyanese." Says Bishop George, " The current use of these terms deepens the divide and is a psychological barrier to the ' inclusivity' we seek. These repeated labels are roadblocks to national unity and my advice would be to ban them at all levels from our vocabulary. Let us read about Guyanese, think Guyanese and be Guyanese.Our failure to see ourselves as Guyanese is our main hindrance to cohesion and togetherness."

While I share the bishop's frustration with Guyana's persistent racial problems, I think he has identified the wrong causes. Blaming the use of racial labels for lack of Guyanese nationalism is somewhat off the mark. The terms Indo Guyanese and Afro Guyanese have to do with identity and culture. How does banning their use advance Guyanese nationalism? The Guyanese nation is something that is evolving, at least in theory. Guyaneseness cannot and should not be forced on people; it has to be allowed to grow. The Guyanese nation will emerge with much more force when it is supplemented by a state and a governance culture that reflect the security, aspirations and cultural integrity of all its peoples.

On the other hand, the Africaness and Indianess of Guyana's two major races are a historical and cultural fact. To deny them the opportunity to identify themselves as such is to strip them of a basic human right. African Guyanese were already stripped of their symbols of identification during slavery, and like African people elsewhere in the Diaspora they are in the process of reclaiming them.

Bishop George talks about 'road blocks' to national unity. Does he not know that the biggest roadblocks to national unity are racial fear and insecurity? The UN rapporteur found this out after a brief visit to Guyana. Does Bishop George not know that the winner-take-all political system that promotes political domination by the winning race is another big roadblock? Does he not know that the zero sum competition for this position of dominance between the major race/parties is another major roadblock?

No, Bishop George, the problem is not the racial labels; these are historically significant. The search for and the affirmation of racial pride and being are healthy and necessary. The problem for Guyana is that this necessary exercise is being carried out within the context of racial competition for political power, thus it takes on the negative overtones and undertones that the bishop seems to be complaining about. But unlike the bishop, I would go to the source of the problem and ban winner-take-all politics forthwith.

David Hinds lectures in Caribbean and Africana Studies at Arizona State University in the USA. He is also a political and social commentator who has written extensively on Guyana and Caribbean politics. More of his writings can be found on his GuyanaCaribbeanPolitics.com website.