WE HAVE FAILED OUR FIRST LADIES

Jan 25, 2009 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

I have read the full text of the former First Lady’s statement to the media. I have also studied the response of the President of Guyana.

I believe that there are many issues involved in controversy, and here I will deal mainly with the human side to this story since from my take on what the First Lady wrote she was not condemning the President’s overall character but only what she perceived as his attitude towards her.

As I read the statement, there is no doubt that what she was expressing was her hurt and disappointment at the financial and personal predicament in which she finds herself. It is true that she did ask for there to be no interference in the work of Kids First Fund, but the substantive concern is about her inability to personally sustain herself and the implications this will have for the work of her charity.

I understand her plight. Here is a young woman, accustomed to a good lifestyle in England from whence she came to marry our then dashing and dynamic, young Minister of Finance, Bharrat Jagdeo.

This is a young lady who has dedicated the best years of her life to serving as this country’s First Lady. This is a young woman who would have, because of being the First Lady, been accustomed to being chauffeured and to the high standards that such a position holds.

Here is young woman who symbolized what Guyana was to both its citizens here and abroad. She was adored locally and many persons looked up to her and respected her. She was beautiful and this added to her the captivation that all Guyanese had in their hearts.

Who can forget that night when she walked side by side with her husband into the National Park to celebrate Guyana’s 40th Independence Anniversary? Who can forget the roar of the crowd and how elated and proud they felt at seeing the First Couple together? She meant something and still means something to the people of this country.

How heartbreaking it must be now for her to find herself, in her own words, having regressed to the point where she has to depend on her parents for her survival. How sad it has been to hear her plea for a vehicle to move around and do her work.

How difficult it must be for her to face the humiliations of losing those standards of material comfort which she ought to enjoy having served as First Lady of Guyana for ten years
I can understand also the position of our President.

Many of the demands that the First Lady is now making, many of the entitlements for which she is pleading cannot be lawfully provided by the government. If she is separated from the President, she can no longer be entitled to diplomatic courtesies and to duty free concessions or to the use of a government vehicle because unfortunately this is not provided for in our law.

So I understand his dilemma. If he grants these things, he would be in violation of the law and would be criticized for so doing. It would also be unfair to him to grant special privileges to the Kids First Fund simply because of these circumstances. The President in keeping an arm’s length relationship with Kids First Fund has acted commendably and ethically.

The issue of the separation package is an issue to be negotiated between both parties. But it is separate from the real substantive issue of how a country takes care of its First Ladies.

We have to take care of our First Ladies. We – all of us- have failed this First Lady and other First Ladies by not taking the necessary steps to create a statutory office of First Lady and thus allowing for them during their tenure to receive a salary and the other benefits befitting persons who are the wives of our Presidents.

We have failed as a country to provide adequately not only for Varshnie, but also for all other First Ladies.
If we wish to project ourselves as a proud nation, we have to immediately take steps to reverse this situation. We have to immediately pass legislation or whatever else is needed to allow for the creation of a statutory office of First Lady and to ensure that emoluments and benefits flow to this office.

We have to also ensure that when a First Lady would have ceased being a First Lady that she is not left to an undignified existence or to face the humiliations which Miss Singh now faces. We have to provide a suitable retirement package so that they can enjoy standards of living befitting their former standing.