Dear Editor,
I write with renewed urgency after reading the recent article quoting former PPP/C minister, now APNU supporter, Dr. Henry Jeffrey, declaring that “voting based on race is OK” and portraying the PPP as merely “solidifying their own Indian base.” Such rhetoric, normalising ethnically motivated political engagement, runs counter to the very democratic ideals Dr. Jeffrey once claimed to champion and undermines the unity Guyana so desperately needs.
It is worth recalling Dr. Jeffrey’s long and complicated journey in Guyanese politics. In his early years, he rose to prominence during the PNC era, earning a reputation as a Burnhamite ideologue. As a political science lecturer, he defended “cooperative socialism” and even spearheaded ideological training at Kuru Kuru under Forbes Burnham’s guidance. Later, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Guyana was in the throes of a push for free and fair elections, he worked with NGOs and civic groups advocating for democratic reform. This civic engagement helped pave the way for the birth of the “civic arm”, a movement aimed at restoring legitimacy in the country after decades of division. Dr. Jeffrey himself went on to serve as a member of Jagan’s cabinet, and later in subsequent PPP/C administrations, holding portfolios that reflected the very inclusivity and democratic ethos he now so casually dismisses.
Given this academic and civic background, it is perplexing to encounter a statement that reflects a lack of awareness, particularly when it invites a response from someone who could have potentially been his student. To hear a former teacher of political science endorse race-based voting not only contradicts the spirit of democratic reform but also risks normalising a mindset that generations of students were taught to question and resist. It is therefore deeply ironic, and indeed tragic, that the same Dr. Jeffrey now uses his platform to justify race-based politics. His current stance betrays the very democratic ethos he once supported. To encourage Guyanese to vote based on skin colour or ethnic identity is to undo the sacrifices of those reform years. It undermines:
● Faith in institutions, like fair
elections and independent
commissions.
● Citizen empowerment, where
individuals should vote by con
science and policy rather than
racial loyalty tests.
● National reconciliation, which
requires us to rise above an
extremely divided past.
Cheddi Jagan’s vision, anchored in democratic governance, peace, and inclusion, was designed to move Guyana beyond precisely this kind of politics. Dr. Jeffrey’s comments drag us backwards, reviving divisions that Guyana can no longer afford. By contrast, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has consistently demonstrated inclusivity in both governance and vision. Over the past five years, the PPP/C has advanced policies that benefit Guyanese of every background. Their 2025–2030 manifesto, shaped through national consultations, commits to economic stability, business growth, and household prosperity. Their record includes expanding access to housing, increasing employment opportunities, awarding tens of thousands of scholarships, and reinvesting in health and education, policies that cut across racial and geographic lines. This is not empty talk, it is governance aimed at all Guyanese.
The damage of race-based politics is not only institutional but also personal. When citizens are told that their political choice makes them “traitors” to their race, it breeds guilt, fear, and resentment. Families are divided, communities are fractured, and citizens are robbed of their democratic freedom to vote their conscience. Such toxic politics do not strengthen democracy, they corrode it from within. We stand mere days away from the September 1st General and Regional Elections, a moment that demands unity, courage, and vision. Leaders who encourage race-based voting fail this test of leadership. Guyana must reject the politics of division and instead embrace a path of inclusion, fairness, and shared prosperity.
Let us be clear, the choice before us is not between one race and another. It is between regression and progress, between division and unity, between a politics of fear and a politics of hope. The PPP/C has shown that it is possible to govern inclusively, and we must hold all leaders to that standard. At this decisive moment, let us commit to the politics of inclusion, not separation. And let us ensure that no Guyanese is ever made to feel guilt or shame for exercising their right to vote as a free citizen, guided by their values, conscience, and vision for our country’s future.