Reject being called ‘scrape head’, ‘dunce thug’- AFC’s Nigel Hughes

Last Updated on Monday, 28 July 2025, 18:24 by Writer

– promises free house-lots to Guyanese 18+, warns against falling prey to election drain cleaning contracts

Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Nigel Hughes on Sunday advised youths to reject being called ‘scrape head’ and ‘dunce thug’, warning that such names could lead to criminal behaviour.

“The most important thing in your life is that you should never allow anybody to describe you and define you because what they are doing is that when they tell you you’re a dunce thug, you feel like you’re a bad man and then you feel like you have to behave like a dunce thug to justify the behaviour that they gave to you,” he told attendees at a public meeting in Front Circle, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown. He said those who call persons ‘scrape heads’ and ‘dunce thugs’ were effectively making them outcasts and discriminated against in receiving benefits.

With many youths leaving school without a proper education, the AFC Leader said they could later find themselves running afoul of the law to satisfy personal responsibilities. He said authorities automatically describe them as ‘scrape head’ and ‘dunce thug’ and kill or brutalise them.

Retired Deputy Police Commissioner, Dr Paul Williams earlier this month told A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) rally at Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara that he disagreed with youths being called such names.

He said the naming of children is symbolic of their biblical character and integrity. “You are allowing yourself to be called scrapes, Escobar, killer, whatever name, and, to me…Why are you allowing yourselves to be called by names other than yours?…Let them call you by your right name,” he said.

Mr Williams said there were those who felt good because they were being rewarded but that was allowing themselves to be manipulated. At a public meeting in Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, Dr Williams added that it was “terrible” that youths were accepting nicknames,

Referring to criminology, he said labeling theory states that the internalisation of labels tends to come out in their behaviour. “When you start to behave in a certain manner, it is just in keeping with the agenda of the persons who gave you that name – killer, scrapes or whatever name they give you,” he said.

In reference to the incumbent People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC), whose primary symbolic colour is red, he voiced concern that it was only as the September 1 general and regional elections is drawing near that the government began handing out GY$4 million in cleaning contracts in apparent exchange for political support. “The red only come to you in the last year to tell you about contract and they giving you the lowest of the lowest contracts to clean up the drains and the stench,” he said.

Mr Hughes said while Guyana began commercial oil production in 2020 and earning GY$1.5 billion daily, living conditions and infrastructure such as roads, drainage and housing had not improved.

Turning his attention to the rising price of houses, he said wealthy people were already buying up lands across Georgetown. That, he said, would force many people to buy cheaper lands away from Georgetown. If the AFC wins the upcoming polls, he pledged that all Guyanese on becoming 18 years old would receive a free house lot. “If you don’t get this break now, you will never-  especially if you come from East Ruimveldt – ever be able to afford a piece of land in Georgetown,” he said. He stressed that residents of places like East Ruimveldt were equally entitled to proceeds from oil reserves as do top officials of the governing PPPC who are “hustling your future.”