Dear Editor,
I was appalled and taken back by the racist and divisive rhetoric from overseas-based Guyanese, Rickford Burke.
Burke conjured up the fictitious and fabricated story of the “PPP murdering 1500 black people or more” to justify his senseless appeal to Guyanese to break the law and engage in riotous acts.
I am glad that the Guyana Police Force is investigating this matter and has issued a wanted bulletin for him for crimes he committed here in breach of the law of Guyana.
I hope that serious consequences follow him for spewing that racist and divisive garbage about the so-called and alleged intimidation, discrimination, and racism that Guyanese of African descent face from the PPP Government. This allegation is false and meritless.
I want to urge the Police and Government to investigate Burke’s links to criminals in Guyana as his talk that the PPP might not survive the alleged war that they are allegedly starting is most troubling. He is now a fugitive from justice if he does not turn himself over to the Police here for further investigation. Does he honestly think that he should be allowed to sit from the comfort of his home in the US and incite violence and ethnic conflict in Guyana without facing the consequences?
The silence of the Opposition A Partnership for National Unity, and the Alliance for Change is deafening and it signals their support as by their own actions they too have sought to divide Guyanese along ethnic lines. If I am wrong, let Joseph Harmon and Khemraj Ramjattan condemn Burke’s statement and distance their parties from the violence and disorder preached by him. I challenge any other Opposition politician to say that they do not support Burke’s racist and divisive rhetoric. It does not suit the Opposition’s narrative against the PPP to do so at this point.
Burke’s statement is enough for the Government to look closely at all developments in the crime and security sector from this day onwards. Look at the remittances and aid from the CGID and Burke to Guyana to see if he is funding domestic terrorism against the State.
Finally, I want to say that right-thinking Guyanese, like me, who are up to date about political developments and what is happening in Guyana ought to reject and condemn this latest attempt to incite violence and divide us along ethnic lines by Rickford Burke.
Yours truly,
Alvin Hamilton
