Dear Editor,
I remember a Guyana of shared shoulders. I remember the palpable spirit in the air as our nation marched toward independence—a spirit woven not from one thread, but from six. It was in the determined stride of the Afro-Guyanese stevedore, the calloused hands of the Indo-Guyanese rice farmer, the deep-rooted knowledge of the Indigenous Amerindian, and the contributions of our Chinese, Portuguese, and European brothers and sisters, all standing together under the same hopeful sun. Our struggle was common, our purpose singular: to build a nation where our differences were not divisions but the very source of our strength. That collective breath, that unified heartbeat, is the true soul of Guyana.
A disturbing shift is underway in our national discourse, one that demands our collective attention and courage. Beyond the healthy disagreements of a vibrant democracy, a more sinister transformation is taking root. I have observed, with profound alarm, the adoption of a virulent, foreign-born political rhetoric—specifically the divisive tactics and ethos of the American “MAGA” movement—within our Guyanese landscape. This is not merely political rivalry; it is the importation of a politics of chaos, identity-based hostility, and cult-like loyalty that threatens the very fabric of our multi-ethnic society.
The parallels are chilling. Just as it began on foreign talk radio and social media, targeting communities feeling left behind, we now see the same playbook enacted here. Certain partisan media outlets and online influencers are peddling a doctrine of “us versus them,” empowering followers to embrace anger over reason and tribal allegiance over national interest. It is fueling and ever-widening divide between the entitled, empowered and connected and the forgotten and down-trodden This ideology flourishes in a vacuum. It exploits real, internal vulnerabilities—unaddressed prejudices, economic anxieties, and at times a fragile sense of shared Guyanese identity—by offering a seductive but poisonous sense of belonging and purpose.
We must be clear-eyed about the pros and cons of this moment. The benefit of raising this alarm is the preservation of our sovereign, pluralist spirit. It is a call to defend fact-based debate, institutional integrity, and the neighbourly respect that has long been our aspiration, if not always our perfect achievement. The risk, however, is that in sounding the alarm, we mimic the divisiveness we condemn. To broadly vilify fellow Guyanese is to fall into the trap. The goal is not to win a rhetorical war but to protect our home.
Therefore, we must adopt a fair, balanced, and profoundly Guyanese response. Our strategy must be one of conscious construction.
First, we must reframe the narrative. This is not about left or right, but about Guyana versus a politics of disintegration. Let us actively champion a positive identity rooted in our resilience, our rich cultural mosaic, and our capacity for dialogue. Let us spotlight community leaders, elders, and voices who bridge divides.
Second, we must address the vacuum. This ideology is a symptom. We must treat the cause by intensifying non-partisan civic education, creating forums for genuine inter-community exchange, and relentlessly focusing on shared national projects that uplift all.
Third, we must disarm with precision. Challenge the destructive tactics—the falsehoods, the personal attacks, the incitement to distrust—without dismissing the humanity of those momentarily swayed. Promote robust media literacy, encourage the voice of dissent by engaging it in constructive dialogue, reject fear mongering, to help our citizens, especially our youth, dissect manipulation.
Silence is complicity. While some may fear backlash, for this ideology thrives on intimidating critics into silence, we have a responsibility to speak. Our duty is not to export a foreign political battle but to defend the unique, complex, and beautiful experiment that is Guyana. Let us respond to this imported discord by building a more authentic, unified, and resilient home—one conversation, one community, and one conscious act of citizenship at a time.