The controversial words of a controversial President

Apr 07, 2009 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

I was not there but it was reported in the press, then I saw it on television that in his opening remarks at the official launching of the Guyana Times, President Jagdeo remarked; “I know I am controversial but at this stage of my life I don’t care.”
Mr. Jagdeo’s sentiments, no doubt, were caused by strong feelings of frustration. Even if you dislike the PPP, its Government and the President, all three have their justifications for being annoyed at Guyanese at some time or the other.
This is an amazingly hypocritical society. One can just imagine what goes on inside the mind of Mr. Jagdeo when those who do not play by the rules and have little regard or none at all for the rules of the game, criticize him. I suspect such deep anger was behind his outburst at the Guyana Times ceremony.
In this context, Eusi Kwayana stands tall. He stands above all other Guyanese that this nation has produced. You can condemn Kwayana in the worst possible terms but he will defend your right if that right is being assaulted. This is an expression in political culture that I learnt from Kwayana. In quite a number of these essays, I wrote that the PPP Government would show intransigence if their critics practice double standards.
One of the worst manifestations of society’s double standards was when President Jagdeo used existing legislation to compulsorily purchase land for the Water Street pavement vendors. The City Council was hounding them down like dogs. It was a terrible sight to see.
The late Dr. Kenneth King then demanded that government find land for these people so they could build their stalls. The government did. Then the hypocrisy flowed. The private media, the PNC, the very Dr. King, and some in the private sector lambasted the President for taking away the land, never mind it was bought for $350 million and from one of the most controversial families in the history of business anywhere in the world.
Mr. Jagdeo has a short memory (not that I care what Mr. Jagdeo thinks or does not think of me— like him, I am controversial and I don’t care) but I was perhaps the only Guyanese citizen who publicly endorsed the purchase and unapologetically so. And I believe it was a great policy of the President and the Government of Guyana for which they should be given credit.
Lacking political finesse of course, Mr. Jagdeo undid this fine piece of politics by abandoning the vendors after the land was bought for them. The state of that place is unfit for any kind of retailing. It is a national disgrace and so pronounced by no other than a prodigious, servile supporter of President Jagdeo, Captain (does he still fly; of course he is flying in another sense –look at Duke Street) Gerry Gouveia.
If we in society continue to live in glass houses while pelting stones at the Presidency and Freedom House, these rulers will never attenuate their authoritarian instincts and we will not get them to mollify their semi-fascist fury and of course they will continue to be in the words of President Jagdeo, “controversial without bothering to care if they are.”
I have seen enough hypocrisy among people in this society who castigate and condemn the Government of Guyana that should have driven me to support the PPP Government. You just say to yourself’ “what the hell, they are no good guys.” But my tradition and philosophical training would not allow me to go in that direction. I honestly feel that the overall deportment of the government since the death of Cheddi Jagan is semi-fascist. I wouldn’t even say that it borders on semi-fascism. It is semi-fascist period!
So we all hate the government while other actors continue to violate the fundamental rules of morality and we shut our mouths. We are afraid to criticize the opposition, the business sector, the private media, the judiciary, certain eminent names in civil society and other stakeholders. We are silent out of fear that we won’t have friends any longer in the society or that we, in turn, will be on the receiving end of the wrath of these stakeholders.
So we concentrate our anger on the government only. Looked at from any angle that is unmitigated hypocrisy and nauseating double standards. I got some information for you on the wrongs that are being committed by people in this country other than the rulers. Writing on these things will make me more controversial but at this stage in my life, like President Jagdeo, I don’t care.

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The controversial words of a controversial President

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