No room for any type of discrimination
EXCEPT for glaring episodes, I have always advocated de-recognition of racism in the Guyanese psyche, because tendencies to racial profiling and racial discrimination is such an abomination to any sane and rational person that I thought that by refusing to acknowledge its existence it would automatically dissipate over time.


However, an absolutely ugly incident on Friday 4th July made me realize that I was being the proverbial ostrich, and that the extant racism within certain segments of the society – across the racial divides, needs airing and ventilation like a suppurating sore that needs excision and attention.


I have a track record for neglecting my personal needs until I reach a point of no-return, so when I accidentally smeared crazy glue on the lens of my spectacles and still continued to work with them, despite severely-reduced visibility, my family and associates harangued me until I agreed to visit the optician.


The very nice clerk at Len’s asked if don’t contribute to NIS and I replied that all my family members always pay their own way because of the horror stories we had heard about NIS and we try to avoid confrontational situations as much as possible. I only needed to pay for my lens because I already had a frame, so she advised me to pay the amount above the $10,000 that is refundable by NIS. She said that I would only need to take in the form and would then receive a voucher for the amount which I could take back to her.


My office is located on the West Coast of Demerara, so on my way to a meeting at GINA, at approximately 14:00 h, I stopped in at the NIS office at Pouderoyen for what I thought would have been a quick and painless procedure.


I was directed to the upper storey by a very polite clerk on the lower floor – and walked straight into hell.


The only person in the outer office was a young lady who was engaged in what was clearly a personal chat on a cellphone – probably a Digicel pay for three minutes for an hour’s call. I waited politely for an approximate half-hour for her to conclude her conversation, but the landline next to her rang and she kept the person on the cellphone on hold while she conducted another lengthy obviously personal call before returning to her cellphone.


Conscious that I had exceeded the time I had estimated to spend at that entity I asked for an excuse, whereupon I was subjected to a tirade on the subject of ‘…having no manners.’


When the young lady condescended to attend to me I handed her the form, whereupon she asked me if I had only paid ten thousand for the entire pair of spectacles. I replied in the negative and informed that I had supplied my own frame and that the $10,000 was the remaining amount due on the cost of the lens, which was clearly stated on the form.


I was then rudely informed that I could not understand English and that the $10,000 stated under ‘amount due’ was a clear indication that was the entire amount I was charged and the fact that I did not pay for the frame meant that I was not entitled to a refund.


I asked her if it was a policy of NIS not to pay refunds if the frame was not purchased at the office of the optical services from which the lens were obtained, whereupon I received a scathing lecture on ‘people like you not understanding the meaning of policy,’ and she proceeded to enlighten me. Her lecture left me even more confused, so I requested a young man who had just entered the office to explain the policy of NIS pertaining to the purchase of frames, because it seemed inconceivable that one had to unnecessarily expend $12,000 for a frame in order to obtain a $l0,000 refund on an amount that exceeded that sum many times over.


While I was explaining what had occurred to the young man, and telling him about the young lady’s arrogant and rude behaviour, one female with an accent came into the outer office and starting shouting at me to “cut it out and show the young lady respect.’


I tried to explain to her that I could not clarify what I needed to know unless I alluded to what the young woman had told me, whereupon I was subjected to a tirade of abuse from the two females, who had been joined by another female staffer, who called me a ‘liar.’


Until that moment I had tried to remain rational and calm, but this was the ultimate. At that point the provocation was unconscionable and unbearable, so I remarked that members of the public should not be held ransom to the stupidity of public officials who were arrogant in their ignorance.


A gentleman who identified himself as the manager, whose name was Dean, threatened that if I did not leave immediately he would have his guards eject me, which he proceeded to do.


The hatred in that office was palpable. I am an obvious Indo-Guyanese and every member of staff in that office was Afro-Guyanese, and I question the rationale behind the selection of such staffing composition in a predominantly Indo-Guyanese community by officials who are more sensible than I am in such matters.


If I, who am not easily cowed by officialdom, could be treated in such a manner because I was not obsequious enough to suit the egos of these arrogant officials and who demand answers to questions, then what of the treatment accorded to the simple farmers and other members of the public who are forced to accept this type of contemptuous, contemptible treatment by those who do not themselves know the answers to questions that may be posed to them?


When I reached GINA and related this incident to Mrs. Pearl Mackoon she informed me that a member of her staff has had similar experiences with members of staff of that particular office and that she has been kept running there for months because of the arrogant ignorance and racist behaviour of the personnel. Subsequent investigation provided many such horror stories by these officials.


I quietly visited the optician and paid the ‘amount due’ on my bill and vowed to never again enter into any NIS office. However, the ERC needs to take stock of the racial equation of staffing in public offices serving in the various communities of the country so that there can be no real or perceived racial discrimination in the service provided to the populace by public servants.


Whatever defence they may make, because they obviously would not confess to the truth, I have no need nor intention to make unfounded accusations against strangers and would not be responding to any vilification resulting from this letter.


Racists are ugly-souled people who besmirch the psyche of this nation with their filthy behaviour and attitudes, and all the decent people of the land need to stand up collectively and send a resounding message to them that would make them understand that we, the decent-minded people of Guyana – across all the divides, will not tolerate discrimination in any shape or form. As Martin Carter wrote: “All are involved, all are consumed!”
PARVATI PERSAUD-EDWARDS
http://www.guyanachronicle.com/letters.html
------------------------------------------------In Burnham’s days NIS was a network for black racists. They were given jobs for their outstanding racist activities, like stuffing ballot boxes and breaking up political meetings using violence.

Null

The question you should be asking the PPP is why after 16 years in power are offices like the NIS still 100% staffed exclusively by one race?

Isn't the West Coast also a PPP stronghold?

quote:

Originally posted by BLACKBEARD:
Null

The question you should be asking the PPP is why after 16 years in power are offices like the NIS still 100% staffed exclusively by one race?

Isn't the West Coast also a PPP stronghold?

BB, you know, they cant do thetype of work infdiand do, so they have to be "provided" and they the discriminate the people who is paying for their salaries. If this was the other way around, I could see Corbin and his henchmen like Caribj up in arms calling for protest, looting and burning in response.

But your point is well taken, the govt left everytning in the hands of these people who have no other mission but to discriminate against, and make life unbearable for the Indian masses.

baseman

If the Auditor General's Office is provided with adequate resources, the GOG would have legitimate reason to fire these leeches and reduce corruption. I can only speculate why this is not the case.

I agree with you GY has a mendicant culture. You hit the nail on its head in a post on another thread where you stated the "entire mind set" of this nation needs to be changed as a prerequisite for change.

quote:

Originally posted by BLACKBEARD:
baseman

If the Auditor General's Office is provided with adequate resources, the GOG would have legitimate reason to fire these leeches and reduce corruption. I can only speculate why this is not the case.

I agree with you GY has a mendicant culture. You hit the nail on its head in a post on another thread where you stated the "entire mind set" of this nation needs to be changed as a prerequisite for change.

What you doing up this hour, wife and yu had a fight?

quote:

Originally posted by baseman:

quote:

Originally posted by BLACKBEARD:
baseman

If the Auditor General's Office is provided with adequate resources, the GOG would have legitimate reason to fire these leeches and reduce corruption. I can only speculate why this is not the case.

I agree with you GY has a mendicant culture. You hit the nail on its head in a post on another thread where you stated the "entire mind set" of this nation needs to be changed as a prerequisite for change.

What you doing up this hour, wife and yu had a fight?

Check your PM.

I note that the author of the letter already concluded that his experience in the nis office was a result of race. I beg to differ, baseman who claims to be from india can clarify that the same attitude is experienced in that country from native indians. This is not a factor of race but a lack of accountability that comes from being underpaid, undertrained and disillusioned. The ppp has successfully carried on the mantra of past administrations by seeing no need to "fix" a broken public service system. Even in america we have the same attitudes from most public service sectors where both blacks and whites alike carry the same attitude.

quote:

Originally posted by Benford:
I note that the author of the letter already concluded that his experience in the nis office was a result of race. I beg to differ, baseman who claims to be from india can clarify that the same attitude is experienced in that country from native indians. This is not a factor of race but a lack of accountability that comes from being underpaid, undertrained and disillusioned. The ppp has successfully carried on the mantra of past administrations by seeing no need to "fix" a broken public service system. Even in america we have the same attitudes from most public service sectors where both blacks and whites alike carry the same attitude.

"Native Indians", who's that, that's all 1.2 bil of them. I dont know what you mean, they (Govt)are inefficient here, but not abusive, actually polite. Infact, sometimes they are embarrased at their own system inefficiency and try to help you out without breaking the rules. You talk crap.

There is nothing racial about that story. He is just a stuck up indian in denial who fail to follow the correct Guyanese protocol that both indians and blacks create and practise. I would have walk in there, look straight at her and go pssst, wrap G$1000 bill in the paperwork and hand it to her and within the next 20 minutes I would have been out with a check.

quote:

Originally posted by baseman:

quote:

Originally posted by Benford:
I note that the author of the letter already concluded that his experience in the nis office was a result of race. I beg to differ, baseman who claims to be from india can clarify that the same attitude is experienced in that country from native indians. This is not a factor of race but a lack of accountability that comes from being underpaid, undertrained and disillusioned. The ppp has successfully carried on the mantra of past administrations by seeing no need to "fix" a broken public service system. Even in america we have the same attitudes from most public service sectors where both blacks and whites alike carry the same attitude.

"Native Indians", who's that, that's all 1.2 bil of them. I dont know what you mean, they (Govt)are inefficient here, but not abusive, actually polite. Infact, sometimes they are embarrased at their own system inefficiency and try to help you out without breaking the rules. You talk crap.

I have to agree with benny on this, my cousin married an indian national and travel to india quite frequently and if she relate her experience there you would swear she is talking about Guyana. One of experience is when her mother-in-law died and her husband [Indian born] tried to get there on the next flight, without getting a visa thinking they [indian costoms] would let it slide because of the tragedy. Wrong.They sent him back all the way to England to get one.

quote:

Originally posted by sachin_05:

quote:

Originally posted by baseman:

quote:

Originally posted by Benford:
I note that the author of the letter already concluded that his experience in the nis office was a result of race. I beg to differ, baseman who claims to be from india can clarify that the same attitude is experienced in that country from native indians. This is not a factor of race but a lack of accountability that comes from being underpaid, undertrained and disillusioned. The ppp has successfully carried on the mantra of past administrations by seeing no need to "fix" a broken public service system. Even in america we have the same attitudes from most public service sectors where both blacks and whites alike carry the same attitude.

"Native Indians", who's that, that's all 1.2 bil of them. I dont know what you mean, they (Govt)are inefficient here, but not abusive, actually polite. Infact, sometimes they are embarrased at their own system inefficiency and try to help you out without breaking the rules. You talk crap.

I have to agree with benny on this, my cousin married an indian national and travel to india quite frequently and if she relate her experience there you would swear she is talking about Guyana. One of experience is when her mother-in-law died and her husband [Indian born] tried to get there on the next flight, without getting a visa thinking they [indian costoms] would let it slide because of the tragedy. Wrong.They sent him back all the way to England to get one.

Given the security situation, regardless of the circumstancen, one cannot expect to let it "slide" without the documentation. You are expecting the authorities to break a black and white rule. This is the type of attitude where everyone expects rules to bend and be broken for their own purposes. Try doing that in the US and see how far you get. If he needed an emergency visa, the correct way was to go to the consulate and let them issue, there is a process for that. It is there the flexibility needs to be applied, not you expect the immigration guy to turn a "blind eye" to an illegal entry. Give me a break, who told them to jump on a plane without the proper visa, I'm surprised they were allowed to board. They (immigration) did the correct thing.

quote:

Originally posted by BLACKBEARD:
Null

The question you should be asking the PPP is why after 16 years in power are offices like the NIS still 100% staffed exclusively by one race?

Isn't the West Coast also a PPP stronghold?

You want to remain poor all your life, then join the government.

This is where Indo_guyanese are smarter than afro_guyanese..

Indos opened their own business, work for private business or migrate to greener pastures.

I think you choose one of them..

quote:

Originally posted by sachin_05:
There is nothing racial about that story. He is just a stuck up indian in denial who fail to follow the correct Guyanese protocol that both indians and blacks create and practise. I would have walk in there, look straight at her and go pssst, wrap G$1000 bill in the paperwork and hand it to her and within the next 20 minutes I would have been out with a check.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this astute observation!!
When i went back to Gy, I observed similar circumstances. I kept my silence for the idealist in me said: no bribes; the pragmatist in me countered: so, you will be stuck here all day on bogus speeding charges, possibly busted upon in the lockups, your car found to be unfit for driving (bogus again)...or will you just pay the requested 10000 bribe and go about your bizness? Luckily, the accused was someone else who acted on his own....and we all proceeded on our merry journey.

quote:

Originally posted by BLACKBEARD:
Null

The question you should be asking the PPP is why after 16 years in power are offices like the NIS still 100% staffed exclusively by one race?

Isn't the West Coast also a PPP stronghold?

Bug..Batty(BB} Try to replace one of these goons and the world will come crashing down... That is the sad reality in Guyana; the government is stuck between a hard place and a pack of racist goons

Dave, Dat should not stop the Govt from taking stringent measures to end such practices.

quote:

the government is stuck between a hard place and a pack of racist goons

Seems like there are plenty of racist to go around.

quote:

Originally posted by Ramakant_p:

You want to remain poor all your life, then join the government.

This is where Indo_guyanese are smarter than afro_guyanese..

..

So.

1. Dont complain if govt offices are 100% black. According to you Indos are too rich to do such poorly paid work.

2. Clearly you admit that govt work is poorly paid.


BTW most Indians dont own businesses. They work for those who do. Blacks would also like to work in the private sector, but experience difficulties when they try to.


BTW I do not deny that black racism exists.

I challenge those who see 100% Indian offices in Georgetown (except for the black security guard or cashier) to deny the existence of Indian racism.

I also wonder if a black person going in there would have been treated any better.

quote:

Originally posted by baseman:

quote:

Originally posted by Benford:
I note that the author of the letter already concluded that his experience in the nis office was a result of race. I beg to differ, baseman who claims to be from india can clarify that the same attitude is experienced in that country from native indians. This is not a factor of race but a lack of accountability that comes from being underpaid, undertrained and disillusioned. The ppp has successfully carried on the mantra of past administrations by seeing no need to "fix" a broken public service system. Even in america we have the same attitudes from most public service sectors where both blacks and whites alike carry the same attitude.

"Native Indians", who's that, that's all 1.2 bil of them. I dont know what you mean, they (Govt)are inefficient here, but not abusive, actually polite. Infact, sometimes they are embarrased at their own system inefficiency and try to help you out without breaking the rules. You talk crap.

Interesting that you would not admit to what is widely known. The indian public service is a corrupt enterprise where the simplest of requests have to be sanctioned with a bribe. Denial is a river in africa.

quote:

Originally posted by Benford:

quote:

Originally posted by baseman:

quote:

Originally posted by Benford:
I note that the author of the letter already concluded that his experience in the nis office was a result of race. I beg to differ, baseman who claims to be from india can clarify that the same attitude is experienced in that country from native indians. This is not a factor of race but a lack of accountability that comes from being underpaid, undertrained and disillusioned. The ppp has successfully carried on the mantra of past administrations by seeing no need to "fix" a broken public service system. Even in america we have the same attitudes from most public service sectors where both blacks and whites alike carry the same attitude.

"Native Indians", who's that, that's all 1.2 bil of them. I dont know what you mean, they (Govt)are inefficient here, but not abusive, actually polite. Infact, sometimes they are embarrased at their own system inefficiency and try to help you out without breaking the rules. You talk crap.

Interesting that you would not admit to what is widely known. The indian public service is a corrupt enterprise where the simplest of requests have to be sanctioned with a bribe. Denial is a river in africa.

Actually, there is alot of corruption, that's true. The issue we were addressing was the incident in Guyana which was not one of asking for bribery but one of open racism. The other poster then agreed that the situation is the same in India by injecting some acquaintence experience who was not allowed to enter India without a proper visa (illegally). You tell me if the three things are the same. I just responded when you tried to draw parallel and the other poster threw in his irrelevant bit.

quote:

Originally posted by BLACKBEARD:
Null

The question you should be asking the PPP is why after 16 years in power are offices like the NIS still 100% staffed exclusively by one race?

Isn't the West Coast also a PPP stronghold?

Exactly. The PPP Govt. should engage in 'performance management' more vigorously to move these people from complacency to efficiency.

Laziness is a country-wide ailment that needs to be corrected.

quote:

Originally posted by baseman:

quote:

Originally posted by Benford:

quote:

Originally posted by baseman:

quote:

Originally posted by Benford:
I note that the author of the letter already concluded that his experience in the nis office was a result of race. I beg to differ, baseman who claims to be from india can clarify that the same attitude is experienced in that country from native indians. This is not a factor of race but a lack of accountability that comes from being underpaid, undertrained and disillusioned. The ppp has successfully carried on the mantra of past administrations by seeing no need to "fix" a broken public service system. Even in america we have the same attitudes from most public service sectors where both blacks and whites alike carry the same attitude.

"Native Indians", who's that, that's all 1.2 bil of them. I dont know what you mean, they (Govt)are inefficient here, but not abusive, actually polite. Infact, sometimes they are embarrased at their own system inefficiency and try to help you out without breaking the rules. You talk crap.

Interesting that you would not admit to what is widely known. The indian public service is a corrupt enterprise where the simplest of requests have to be sanctioned with a bribe. Denial is a river in africa.

Actually, there is alot of corruption, that's true. The issue we were addressing was the incident in Guyana which was not one of asking for bribery but one of open racism. The other poster then agreed that the situation is the same in India by injecting some acquaintence experience who was not allowed to enter India without a proper visa (illegally). You tell me if the three things are the same. I just responded when you tried to draw parallel and the other poster threw in his irrelevant bit.

Therefore I rest my case, the sloth and corrupt practices in public service is not as a result of race but rather other factors.