Dear Editor,
IN the SN of 9-1-23 PNC strongman Mr Hamilton Green a former General Secretary of the PNC who was expelled in 1992 from that party wrote a letter titled “Odious to compare slavery with indentureship”
I am in total agreement with you Mr Green, that slavery for over 400 years was no Disneyland and before the arrival of Indians African slaves had cleared the forest leaving the sugar plantations for Indians, Portuguese and Chinese.. But you must agree sir that it was Indians who cleared the lands to grow rice. You must also admit Mr Green that rice production contributes significantly and consistently to the GDP of our country and by itself avoids starvation in Guyana.
Editor, the Indians had to endure the same hardship as the slaves except they were not bought and sold. Indians were rather beaten,raped and held in a perpetual servitude to their Colonial masters.
Its true that at the time of Indian (Portuguese and Chinese) arrival in Guyana Blacks were well European trained in nursing, education and various , trade skills such as carpentry, masonry, bakery, blacksmith etc
that befitted and trickled down to other Black people. In reminding Professor Dr Randy Persaud of the benefits Indians received from slavery Mr Green wrote “. On the contrary, he failed to note that it was the very teachers and nurses of African descent who willingly and lovingly taught Indo Guyanese and brought them into the mainstream of a western white cultural environment and allowed them using their industry, sense of purpose and determination to rise to the top”
Mr Green couldn’t be more right. In fact Florida Governor Mr Ron Desantis who is a leading candidate for the Republican President of the USA is of the same opinion as Mr Green. Governor Desantis declared in a news article that Blacks benefited from slavery as they were blacksmiths and used this trade skill to advance themselves after emancipation in later life.
https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/desantis-says-black-people-benefited-from-slavery-by-learning-skills-like-being-a-blacksmith/articleshow/102061423.cms
Incidentally Florida’s Department is to implement in its educational curriculum that Black people benefited from
slavery by acquisition of trade skills.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/07/22/desantis-slavery-curriculum/
iBlack people were way way ahead of the indentured immigrants in their acquisition of trade skills. This was to change with PNC coming to power (1964-1992).
Nevertheless we Indians are grateful for African help and services from 1834. But, Mr. Green Indians cannot help to have distaste for you and your PNC (1964-1992) government for the wrong done to Indians similar to the wrongs inflicted by the slave masters. Every rigged election Indian women are raped in the streets, and there is rioting and violence and arson so typical of the PNC.
Some 3000 Indians had to flee the Wismar massacre of 26th May 1864 where many were killed, hundreds were miamed and injured and many women raped. The 1960s PPP government did not compensate Indians for this horror.
Mr. Green it’s never too late to apologize to Indians
for the harm of the PNC era. For example the Indian Immigration Fund was seized by the PNC and one cultural center was built in Georgetown which benefits people more so in the city rather than the rural areas where Indians predominate.
Another point Mr. Green it’s not Indians who are always comparing slavery and indentured ships. It is the African who is doing so to establish a superiority of their suffering. It’s you who are trying to show that the indentured experience is not equal to that of the African. Only Mr Eusi Kwayana has advocated that both the Indian and the African “suffered equally!”
Why then is it so wrong that Indians are seeking reparations for the ordeal they suffered? Good luck Mr. Green if you get reparations too.
At the same time I think the best reparation for Indians and Africans is for us to pursue our separate destinies. Federalism is an excellent way for the African to separately pursue his worth to unhindered development.
Mr Green must admit that Blacks were far advanced in European education in various skills for 80 plus years yet fell behind Indians today and the cause is Mr.Green’s PNC welfare government.(1964-1992)The PNC stocked the public service with its supporters and they lost their advantage and superiority in skills that they had over Indians.
In conclusion, Mr . Green let the Africans / Indians pursue their own path for reparations. Neither Indians nor Portuguese nor the Chinese people historically did anything wrong to the African.
Respectfully
Vassan Ramracha MA