OPINION: When will Mr. Hughes offer apology to Guyanese of Indian descent?

Last Updated on Sunday, 5 January 2025, 15:02 by Writer

By Dr. Randy Persaud, Professor Emeritus

Some 947 years ago, the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV, saw it fit to apologize to Pope Gregory VII for “church-state conflicts.” To fully and unequivocally demonstrate his penance, Henry stood barefoot in the snow for three days. History is full of men (and women, too) like Henry IV, those who knew how important it is to put aside ego and, instead, pay homage to truth, ethics, morality, and just plain old human decency. Based on the available evidence, Mr. Nigel Hughes, the leader of the AFC, is yet to appreciate this most fundamental ground rule of good governance, not to mention of personal responsibility.

The occasion for these observations concerns Mr. Hughes’ repost of Terrence Campbell’s racist reduction of Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s governance to “genetic predisposition.” The implication is one of genetic defect. If Terrence Campbell does not know better, then certainly Mr. Hughes should have known better.

More than one hundred years ago Du Bois warned that “The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.” We are now in the 21^st century, but some men still have not got the message. For Mr. Hughes to have reposted racist hogwash, namely on Jagdeo’s supposed “genetic predisposition” is disrespectful not only to the General Secretary of the PPP, but to a long line of distinguished scholars and activists who fought gallantly against the flawed racial theories of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Professor Narayan Persaud addressed this contradiction with great aplomb a few days ago. Mr. Hughes should take note.

Two weeks ago I requested that Mr. Nigel Hughes apologize to Guyanese of Indian descent for the deeply offensive message he reposted. To date no such apology has been offered. I am now moving from a request to a demand. Hughes and his handlers must know the difference between a request and a demand.

For those who do not know, let me explain. While a request is within the ambit of civic engagement, a demand is decidedly political. In the first instance, I granted that Mr. Hughes may have been overzealous and did the repost without much thinking—a kind of knee-jerk, feel-good fling to please the comrades. It is for this reason I offered him a respectable way out. But having now shown that he thinks he can get away with insulting hundreds of thousands of Guyanese of Indian descent with that rancid repost, he must know that thousands of those offended will vote in 2025. Through their vote, they will register their disgust.

As it stands, the AFC and Mr. Hughes are already in deep trouble. Their record is a sad tale of betrayal, attempted electoral banditry, and economic incompetence.

The AFC had solemnly sworn that they would never partner with the PNC, given the latter’s sordid history of political theft and economic mismanagement. They told their supporters one thing, but did the opposite. Then in 2020, without a hint of shame or recompense, they directly participated in a transparent attempt to rig the elections. Every independent observer, foreign and local, came to this conclusion.

On the economic scene, as we know, it was an AFC man who signed the flawed contract with the oil major and its partners. Rather than make amends, they have spent the past five years criticizing the same contract they signed. This is nothing short of abusive.

Mr. Nigel Hughes is again called upon to unequivocally denounce the post under consideration here, and to offer a clear and unconditional apology to Guyanese of Indian descent for reposting a message that employed the long discredited pseudo-science and bigoted cultural anthropology of “genetic predisposition” to explain political behavior.

In closing I draw the attention of racial entrepreneurs to the words of W.E.B. Du Bois who noted that “The most important thing to remember is this: to be ready at any moment to give up what you are for what you might become.” As for Mr. Hughes, no need to stand barefoot anywhere. Just apologize.

Dr. Randy Persaud is Adviser in the Office of the President.