Errol Arthur fought for free and fair elections

Sep 27, 2008 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
In response to Freddie Kissoon’s letter “Just another nameless letter writer” (Kaieteur News September, 21), Errol Arthur does exist.

I met him a couple of times during the late 1980s in New York (NY) at events related to the struggle for the restoration of democracy. I met him through Ravi Devin Queens; they enjoyed a working relationship with Dev leading the Guyana United Democratic Movement.

NY was the centre of Guyanese activities against the Burnham/Hoyte dictatorship and Errol would visit NY often for meetings on strategies in the struggle against the dictatorship or whenever towering personalities from Guyana visited the ‘Big Apple’. Errol Arthur was identified with the WPA support group.

I saw him in the company of other WPA figures in NY. Unless I am mistaken, I believe he came to a lecture delivered by either Rupert Roopnarine or Eusi Kwayana in NY sometime around 1990. I was a news reporter at that event and also assisted in its promotion.

I am also aware that several individuals from NY stayed at his home in the Washington area when they traveled to the State Department or Capitol Hill (US Congress) to make their case for free and fair elections.

A few other Guyanese in Washington also shared their homes to other NY freedom fighters who travelled to the capital to seek out policy makers at the Guyana Desk and we in NY are grateful for their hospitality and for the important role they played in the restoration of democracy to our homeland.

Freddie ought to know who is Errol Arthur and if he does not, all he had to do was inquire from Rupert Roopnarine or someone else familiar with those who struggled for Guyanese free and fair elections in America.

Anyone who seriously participated in the struggle for the restoration of democracy in Guyana, whether from Montreal, Toronto, Miami, Washington, London, or NY, would know most of the characters who were involved in the anti-dictatorial struggle.

I live in NY but know of the role of Joey Jagan in Montreal (and later in Brooklyn), Sash Sawh in Toronto, Barry Sukhram in London, etc. in the struggle for free and fair elections.

I advise Freddie not to demean the important roles played by a small number of overseas Guyanese in the struggle for Guyana’s freedom.

I don’t think Errol Arthur, or anyone else for that matter, needs to provide information on his (her) whereabouts, employment, marriage, wives, children, hairstyle, etc., in order to make a query or offer a serious comment on the writings of others unless the purpose of getting personal information is to pelt mud at the person like what was done to Ravi Dev.

Freddie Kissoon does not have to confirm whether someone exists in order to pen a response.
Now, he knows Errol Arthur exists.
Vishnu Bisram

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