GEORGETOWN – A sharp war of words has erupted between political commentator and newly sworn-in MP Dr David Hinds and Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand, as the government’s recent walkabout in Tiger Bay continues to stir strong political reactions. What began as a routine community engagement has quickly escalated into a heated public exchange, with both sides trading accusations over the images and intentions behind the visit.
Hinds, speaking on his Monday night programme Politics 101, criticised photographs showing Manickchand interacting with children in the community, claiming the government was “making a poppy show of the poverty of our people.” He further argued that similar imagery would never be showcased in Indo-Guyanese areas, framing the visit as exploitative rather than developmental.
By Tuesday, Manickchand fired back with force, rejecting what she described as “old, backward, race-baiting politics” and accusing Hinds of trying to revive himself politically through division. “This abusive fossil is trying for some relevance,” she said in a statement posted to her Facebook page. “What did Hinds and Co ever do for Tiger Bay or people of African descent generally? EVER? Nothing.”
The Minister argued that under the APNU+AFC administration, communities like Tiger Bay were neglected, and thousands of young Afro-Guyanese were denied access to meaningful opportunities. “In their time in recent government, APNU/AFC did nothing to empower people and nothing at all to empower vulnerable communities or African Guyanese,” she said. “Not a single African Guyanese family, that wasn’t connected to the elite, was built up through being awarded civil works or higher education opportunities.”
Manickchand insisted that the government’s current work in the area is part of a broader commitment to renewal and community upliftment, not optics. She said Hinds’ criticism has nothing to do with genuine concern and everything to do with political opportunism. “The likes of David Hinds would like to see African people struggle and stumble… so he can exploit them using his old race baiting for his narrow political gains.”
Her comments grew even more pointed as she dismissed Hinds’ commentary entirely. “As you all know, we are picking up derelicts now and rubbishing them… where can I find Hinds?” she added, in what has become the most widely shared line from the exchange.
The dispute comes as government agencies continue to roll out their plans to transform Tiger Bay into one of Georgetown’s first “model neighbourhoods,” a project that aims to improve safety, create greener spaces and expand social services. Whether the political clash will overshadow the initiative remains to be seen, but for now, it has thrust the small community into the centre of a national debate on development, race and political relevance.
