I WAS watching Mr. Eddy Grant's visit with Channel 9 host Dr. Grantley Waldron last Sunday night, September 2, 2001. I discovered that the current generation of African Guyanese is planning to put their hands out for financial reparations for the horrors that their ancestors suffered during slavery.

Interesting. If that is so, then the Indian Guyanese community must start to compile their bill for reparations also for victimisation, robberies, burnings of property, rapes, beatings, murders and psychological trauma.

The Africans will have to go back centuries to make their case. The Indians' is very much alive and it will not be difficult to do the research and quantify the loss. The trauma of murder, rape and general violence will be more difficult to quantify but perhaps our African brothers can educate us as to the yardstick they will use to measure the sufferings of their ancestors so that we can do as good a job when we prepare our bill.

Who do we send it to? The PNC/Reform? It is the PNC which, since its birth, has instigated and encouraged racism. Or will ACDA deal with this payment?

Mr. Grant said that his next song would be about reparation. Maybe Indians shall also learn from his lyrics how we should view the reparations due us.

This new Pied Piper of African Guyanese also said that no one has ever asked Africans and Indians if they wish to live together! What progressive thinking! Mr. Grant must have given this some thought since he was well pleased with himself for making the statement. It is the first time I have heard an African place partition on the table as a solution. It was the Indians who have spoken of it before since they had just cause to not wish to live with African Guyanese.

However, I am sure that when Pied Piper Grant picks up his pipe and pipes his tune, many Africans will follow him to start life anew on their chosen piece of our 83,000 square miles.

What a solution!

DEO HARDAT