What is it that Kissoon wants?

Mar 13, 2010 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
Having read your columnist, Freddie Kissoon’s article, “Lady Jags, the colour of Guyana, the colour of tragedy”, in your March 06, 2010 edition, I was unable to resist the feeling of sadness that overcame me and which compelled this reply. My intention is not to delve into the semantics of Sociology or Cultural History which Kissoon used as “red herrings” to unsubtly make his dangerous point that African existence is not guaranteed.
Having read the said article, it’s extremely difficult not to conclude that Kissoon deliberately (not for the first time) links his absurdity to the current administration.
While I hold no brief for the administration, I am Guyanese and would not hesitate to debunk this type of dangerous utterances peddled by a mischievous individual.
It would be remiss of me if I did not hold your newspaper responsible in some way for publishing such writings which, in my opinion, are considered inciting.
Guyana is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society. Apart from the indigenous peoples, all other ethnic groups were brought here by the labour-hungry plantocracy. Since the many decades following the abolition of slavery and indentureship, these various groups, which today comprise Guyana’s ethnic diversity, have progressed and have carved their niche.
Kissoon is a scholar who frequently reminds us of his academic achievements. It seems that his cerebrum is saturated with such related self-twisted data that simple commonsense cannot penetrate his Freudian mental faculty. He should be reminded that since the inception of life, whether being a creationist or evolutionist; disparities and extremities have dominated.
The Chinese have captured this in their simplistic, and I dare say universal, “yin and yang” adage. Simply put, the world is rife with opposites. As a matter of fact, the world as we know it may not exist were it not for opposites as proven in numerous scientific theories. As such and in keeping with Kissoon’s field of study, social opposites will exist until the end of time depending upon your belief on Armageddon’s format.
Rich and poor, both in terms of individuals and nations, will only cease with Armageddon. Life, as we all know, is filled with challenges and no one in any country is prevented from trying to change his/her status from poor to rich. Further, changes, both physical and social, occur every day.
The world today is vastly different from what it was a decade ago; the same for Guyana. These changes will result in shifts; paradigm and demographic are just a few. A shift in representation is pellucid with regards to what Kissoon’s article alluded to.
He should be reminded that poverty is universal and is not confined to a particular ethnic group. Any attempt to so stigmatise one ethnic group in Guyana, is mischievous.
As a Guyanese, I am proud to reside in a multi-ethnic nation that is stable and which may be the envy of similar states.
At no point in my lifetime was I segregated based on my ethnicity. Myself and all other Guyanese I am familiar with have co-existed harmoniously. I have always seen my compatriots for their nationality and as a fellow human, as opposed to their ethnicity. Guyanese are Guyanese, regardless of their ethnicity. So if a particular team is representing Guyana and they happen to be of one ethnicity, they will have the support of other Guyanese and me.
For Kissoon to single out the female national football team and use its ethnic composition to conclude that African existence is threatened, is extremely dangerous and inflammatory. To allude that the ethnic composition of the said team is a tragedy, borders on sedition. To state that the demise of President Forbes Burnham has led to the non-guarantee of African existence, is tantamount to ethnic divisiveness.
What is it that Kissoon wants? He asked in the said article: where are the Africans? Is it that his preference for the team is to be totally of African extraction? Why are such articulations being made in a respectable newspaper? Haven’t Kissoon and the Kaieteur News learnt from the fatal consequences of such dangerous ethnic utterances as seen in parts of Africa? This is Guyana, and as far as possible, sporting teams playing under the Golden Arrowhead must strive to be multi-ethnic like the Lady Jags.
Sportsmen and Sportswomen must be selected on merit and not ethnicity. If a Guyanese team happens to be of one ethnicity, then so be it; it’s still a Guyanese team. When Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Narsingh Deonarine made their way to the pitch during the recent ODIs between West Indies and Zimbabwe at Providence, all Guyanese, despite of their ethnicity, cheered them on with thunderous applause.
When our past world-rated boxers, Terrence Alli, Andrew “Six-Head” Lewis, Vivian Harris, Wayne “Big-Truck” Braithwaite won, all Guyanese, despite their ethnicity, celebrated and were proud.Before them, all celebrated the exploits of Lennox Blackmoore, Patrick Forde, Michael Parris, Rohan Kanhai, Alvin Kallicharran, Clive Lloyd, Roy Fredericks, Joe Solomon, Basil Butcher and others. Today, we all proud of the achievements of Nicolette Fernandes.
Who will not be proud of a Guyanese, regardless of his/her ethnicity who may in the future win an Olympic gold? Apparently, given Kissoon’s position, he will be the only “unproud” one.
It is extremely unfortunate that such a learned person like Kissoon would stoop to such depths in his writings. Mr. Devanand Bhagwah noted in his reply on March 10, 2010, Kissoon is off colour with regards to the said article. Is it a coincidence that he is deemed off colour having confessed of being ashamed of his ethnicity?
The Kaieteur News an important task to ensure that such writings which can undermine the fabric of the society are not published. While I cannot dictate what you publish in this free society, I can only caution and appeal to your sense of responsibility.
E. D’Andrade

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