Take the beam out of thy own eye

Jul 05, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
I refer to a letter published on page 4 of Friday July 3, issue of Kaieteur News under the caption, “Self-inflicted “blackeye” by PNCR”, by one Donald Ainsworth.
As a long standing and active member of the PNCR, I am not deceived by the diatribe written by Mr. Ainsworth, who was missing in action for more than 20 years, but now seeks to impress the public of his deep concern for the PNCR.
His letter reminded me of the well known song by Dave Martin’s Trade winds, “Who Civilised and who is the Snake”.

In that song the songwriter analyses and compares the behaviour of man in comparison to animals. So the real question for Mr. Ainsworth is who is really inflicting a “blackeye” on the PNCR?
I welcome Mr. Ainsworth back to the PNCR fold, (I hope he does not claim he was active in Washington DC or Maryland while MIA?).
He should, however, properly informed himself of the views of members of the PNCR as well as the performance of those we elected to serve, before assuming the right to publicly advise PNCR members and insult those we elected.
One expects Mr. Ainsworth to form opinions based on facts rather than propaganda peddled by persons who have their own agenda to satisfy, or as he correctly puts it, “those elements who seek to destroy it in pursuit of their own personal selfish agendas”.

By his uninformed and misleading statements, such as the one about 20,000 phantom members, perhaps, it is Mr. Ainsworth who would like to inflict another “blackeye” on the PNCR.
I, however, agree with some points made by Mr. Ainsworth in his letter especially the view that, “no amount of spinning could erase the public’s perception of the conduct of our Party.” He fails to recognise that it is uninformed and untruthful letters, like his, that contribute to this situation.
For example, on what basis and on what facts could he state that the election of Volda Lawrence was “a vulgar attempt to hijack the leadership of the Party” and then call upon her to resign.
Does he know of the track record of performance of Ms. Lawrence as a PNCR Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister of Human Services?
Does he know of the performance of Ms. Lawrence as Party Director of Human Services?
Or of her efforts through our PNCR Uniform Voucher Scheme that has provided uniforms and books to many children of the poor all over Guyana?

Or, of the work done by her among the aged and needy?
Does he know of her militancy during our protests against extra judicial killings and the phantom squads?
Who is Danny Ainsworth to malign a party member with such a record of performance?
Yet, Mr. Ainsworth states that he agrees with Aubrey, who he ought to know, as Georgetown District Chairman, despite several directions from the General Council of the Party, failed to summon a District Conference that was long overdue constitutionally.
In this context the highjacking of Leadership seemed to have occurred for four years in the Georgetown District.

I would like to advise Mr. Ainsworth that the sterling performance of Ms. Volda Lawrence as a Member of Parliament and that as Party Director of Human Services far overshadows any that I can recall of Mr. Ainsworth when he served as a Parliamentary Secretary of the PNC Government. Or, does Mr. Ainsworth believe that, because some 20–plus years have passed, party members have forgotten.
I conclude by agreeing with Mr. Ainsworth in remembering the admonition of Founder Leader Burnham, that, Party Members, “Like Caesar’s wife should be beyond suspicion.”

I agree too, that Forbes Burnham must be turning in his grave, but over the indiscipline and factionalism that he warned so much about in several of his addresses to the Party Congresses.
However, Mr. Ainsworth should be the last person to remind us of “Caesar’s wife”, unless he thinks that we have forgotten his performance and why Desmond Hoyte was forced to act.
The more appropriate quotation for Mr. Ainsworth is that found in the Holy Bible, Matthew 7:5, “ thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
Howard Benn

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Take the beam out of thy own eye

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