The columnist who is as negative as one gets

Jun 01, 2011 Letters

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Dear editor,
After reading the letter, “Freddie Kissoon replies to Mr. Bhagwan”, (KN 29-05-11), can you believe Mr. Frederick Kissoon?  Is this columnist for real?  The virtuous element about the reply was that it was typical Kissoon – twisting the truth, avoiding the hard facts and cuss down a character that is not liked.
The Kissoon column is sensational and colourful partly because of the diatribes, hatred, and misinformation, as described in a previous KN letter. However, though not the first, the seminal letter on Mr. Kissoon’s lies and exaggerations are found in Errol R. Arthur’s letter, “Kissoon’s writings demonstrate that he lacks the character to engage in civil discourse”, (KN, 27-09-08)
Mr. Kissoon gave a thorough sermon on the need for apology and refuses to apologise to me or to his readers when his claims were shown to be unfounded. The columnist (repeatedly) claimed that for the past four years, all my letters to the KN were those criticizing him but a search online by readers glaringly showed otherwise!
What was incredulous was that the columnist did not apologise, but wrote (in his reply) about an apology that was needed from Joey Jagan!  This is the same writer who lectured on the propriety and wisdom of an apology by public figures about two weeks ago, but did not offer one word or phrase of apology to Stella in his column on 07-04-11, “An apology to Stella”.
Nor did he apologise for his glaring gigantic faux pas or less significant snafus.  I think I am either going to choke or puke if I see another line of Freddie expecting someone to apologize.
More than three-quarters of Mr. Kissoon’s letter was devoted to my “friends” – Joey Jagan, and Vishnu Bisram.  For Mr. Kissoon’s info, these individuals are my friends as much as Freddie Kissoon is.
I met Joey Jagan once, and the meeting lasted for about  15 seconds; I met him when I was one of the thousands paying last respects to his late father, on the day of his funeral.  Joey was in line shaking people’s hands, and still intermittently sobbing.  After I met him, I uttered these words, “My sympathy to you”.
He looked at me in the eye, nodded his acceptance and appreciation, and gave me a warm, firm handshake.  I also met Vishnu Bisram once, but the encounter lasted a bit longer than 15 seconds!
The only bond that the three of us have is that we are “mere footnotes” in Mr. Kissoon’s eyes.  The columnist is a university lecturer, so he should know that footnotes are important, and could serve as significant points of references!
It is truly unbelievable how low Freddie Kissoon will stoop to cuss down people – by attacking them personally.   He refers to Joey Jagan “extremely dark sunshades that hides his perennial red eyes”.
This is the same writer that is so colour conscious that he could tell the difference between magenta and red in the dark!
All things being equal, I have no hesitation to say that I would rather listen or read what Joey Jagan has to say as opposed to Kissoon.  Mr. Jagan has pragmatic ideas for the economic and political development of this country.  Frederick Kissoon, on the other hand, is limited by obscure/abstract political and philosophical ideas.  His themes are less than substantial, and are worn out.
For him, Guyana is stuck in a quagmire and is jinxed; I repeat – “jinxed“!
One almost knows the theme of what the columnist would be speaking on: “the elected dictatorship in
Guyana”, “Jagdeo – the worst leader in the Caribbean”, “the 18 years of the PPP are worst than the 28 years of the PNC”, and so on.
Though these themes may (or may not) be true, there is hardly ever a constructive criticism, or ideas for a progressive Guyana.
Mr. Kissoon is mad at Mr. Bisram because “all [of Bisram’s] polls put the PPP and Jagdeo on top”.  I really would like Mr. Kissoon to conduct a poll of his own and he can tell us who is on top.
However, looking at the track record, I would much rather trust Mr. Bisram’s polls than Mr. Kissoon‘s.  For the latter, it would seem, if the results of the poll are in his favour, then it is a “good‘ poll.
In addition, I certainly do not trust Mr. Kissoon’s research skills and statistical knowledge, as pointed out in a previous KN letter, ‘How could Mr. Kissoon come to such a conclusion?”
A pivotal question in Mr. Kissoon‘s reply – which occurs in many of the writer’s harangue – is, ‘why pick on poor Freddie Kissoon and ignore President Jagdeo and his cronies?“.  I do not close my eyes to Mr. Jagdeo‘s faults and those of his government.  However, I pick on Mr. Kissoon because the way the man parades himself, you‘d think he is the model/unblemished Guyanese that is above intellectual reproach.
The man puts out approximately 365 missives per year in the media, and almost all of are pejorative.  He religiously potificates on this and that area and subject – you‘d think he is the pope, with direct word from the One above.
I ‘pick‘ on Mr. Kissoon to remind him and others that the man‘s frequent words are not of a pontiff; they are of one who bends his words to get his own way – and to deceive.
Readers may recall that I never stated that Mr. Kissoon and I have known each other; those are his concocted words.  However, I am convinced (99.9% sure) that Mr. Kissoon knew who I am – because of our close mutual friend, and because he watched my TV programme, Jeewan Jyoti.
I still hope to meet Mr. Kissoon someday.  That would be a meeting of epic proportion – footnote meeting headnote!
Devanand Bhagwan

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