Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali’s recent visit to Brooklyn, NY, a borough often considered a source of hope for Afro-Guyanese at home, turned out to be nothing short of an opportunity for Ali’s administration to post multiple images parading Afro-Guyanese in his circus. Despite the suffering of many family members back home due to discrimination under his watch, Ali’s circus-like spectacle, including riding a bike down Brooklyn streets à la Forbes Burnham, was met with a disturbing lack of scrutiny from the Afro-Guyanese community members he met.
Former minister Simona Brooms, however, has emerged refreshingly, as a voice of dissent, delivering a spirited response to the diaspora’s complacency. She rightfully pointed out the glaring issues of discrimination and oppression faced by Afro-Guyanese under Ali’s leadership. Brooms’s impassioned push for accountability fell on deaf ears as the community failed to challenge Ali on crucial issues of racism and inequality back home.
“It is evident that some believe that doors may open when one becomes an apologist for seemingly powerful oppressors”, Brooms went on to eloquently highlight the dire situation facing many in Guyana under Ali’s rule, where families are torn apart, homes are destroyed, and basic necessities like water and healthcare remain elusive.
Broom’s disappointment stems not just from Ali’s lack of accountability but also from the Brooklyn community’s failure to demand answers. Despite the supposed freedom of expression in the United States, “Afro-Guyanese in Brooklyn chose to fawn over Ali rather than hold him accountable for his actions”, Broom said. “His goal was to divide us in Brooklyn, the way they try to divide us in Guyana and we cannot allow him to succeed”
Brooms’s powerful words echoed the sentiment of many who feel betrayed by both their leader and the Brooklyn community’s silence, although it should be rightly noted that Ali’s visit was not announced, he basically sneaked into Brooklyn to avoid protests from the masses. Brooms rightly called out the dictator-like behavior of Ali, who rather than sit down and work out issues with the African community at home, prefers to put on a clown-show for the UN and other international bodies seemingly to say, “See? Black people love me”
The visit to Brooklyn was a missed opportunity for the diaspora to demand justice and change. Instead of challenging Ali on his record of oppression, they chose to dance to his tune, enabling his authoritarian rule to continue unchallenged. Simona Brooms should be lauded for standing firm in the face of adversity, and refusing to bow down to oppression. She reminded the diaspora that true freedom comes from speaking truth to power, even if it means facing backlash.
The time for complacency is over. It is time to ask the tough questions and hold Ali accountable for his actions. Anything less would be a betrayal of the values Brooklyn evvel stood for.