Dear Editor,
I refer to the letter captioned "Awaiting publication of the
Cuban awardee list" by Ms. Debbie Backer, a PNC Member of Parliament and party
spokesperson (SN 21/9/02).
Ms. Backer looking at a photo carried in the Stabroek News came to the
conclusion that the majority of awardees for Cuban scholarships were Indo-Guyanese and this
alarmed her as well as several irate citizens who spoke with her. She and the
irate citizens felt that Afro-Guyanese were being marginalized and discriminated
against. Well, the Stabroek News
pointed out that there were as many Black as Indian awardees.
A few days before Ms. Backer's letter, SN
carried a story of the award of five prestigious and expensive British awards.
And all the awardees were Black. I am sure Ms. Backer and the irate
citizens will show their alarm at 100%
of those awardees being Black with no Indian.This kind of attitude
which was made part of the political life of the nation by political parties
like the PNC/R is certainly not in the interest of PNC supporters or anyone
else.
A survey of the scholarship and training awardees for the last 50 years, and especially during the time of Messrs Burnham and Hoyte will tell a very embarrassing story, making many more citizens irate.
Yours faithfully,
Herman
Gomes
