GIVE PRAISE WHERE PRAISE IS DUE!

Sep 22, 2011 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Whenever the official state-sponsored farewell to President Bharrat Jagdeo takes place, the opposition parties should be invited. It is important that they be allowed to participate so as to set the stage for greater appreciation to be showed to the leaders of the country, including any opposition leader who may at sometime in the distant future become the next President of Guyana.
Every rope has an end. The PPP will not rule forever. They are most likely to rule for the next five years but the future is not something that is always easily predictable. Fortunes can change like the turn of a dice. Look at what has happened to some leaders who just a few years ago did not seem like losing power but now are out of power.
Just a few years ago, Barack Obama, was creating great excitement throughout the world. His election was a historic moment. He seemed destined for two terms, the limits that are allowed under the American constitution. But given the way things have turned out, it is doubtful now whether he will be re-elected.
Just a few years, Hugo Chavez seemed to be set to be a long -serving leader. But now dogged by illness, it is not certain whether he will retain the presidency next year.
The future is therefore not certain. What is certain is that leaders of a country do make greater personal scarifies for their nation and face tremendous responsibilities and choices. And for these alone they need to be honored.
Guyana has had a tradition of paying homage to its leaders. We have built a mausoleum to Forbes Burnham. A bust of Guyana’s first executive president was also sculpted. There is also a virtual life-size portrait of the man in parliament. The national airport is named after Cheddi Jagan.
Desmond Hoyte was a modest man. But it is not any longer for him to decide how he should be remembered and perhaps Guyana needs to commission an artist to paint a life-size portrait of him to be placed in the national museum. Something should also be done for Arthur Chung, Guyana’s first ever president, as also it should be for Janet Jagan who was recently and deservedly named one of the great rebels of the world.
She was an outstanding woman who was forced by the nasty politics of this country to have to make great personal sacrifices.
The concept of a day of appreciation seems new because Guyana has never faced the situation whereby a president could not contest for re-election. Hoyte never faced that, so too Burnham or Cheddi or Janet Jagan.
Term limits now means that no president can serve more than two five-year terms and in the case of President Jagdeo it is time for him to step out of political power.
But somebody has to step in and ten years from now, there will be a need for “thanks” to be said.
One day also, another party will hold the reins of power and when the leader of that party’s time comes to say farewell, what should the nation do? Tell him or her that they do not feel that a ceremony of appreciation is necessary?
A country which cannot show appreciation for its leaders, even while condemning their flaws and weaknesses, is a country that will go nowhere and the world will always look down on that country, and as we would say, continue to show “eye -pass”.
If a country cannot appreciate its own leaders why should other countries treat us any better?
It is also right that the government and the friends of the leader not monopolize appreciation ceremonies. The opposition parties should be allowed to be gracious and show their appreciation.
When the time comes therefore for the formal state ceremony bidding farewell to President Jagdeo, it is hoped that the opposition would be invited and given the option to express their sentiments of appreciation. As such, it would be best if this ceremony is held after the elections so that the opposition politicians would not be inhibited is showering praise where praise in due.

2 thoughts on “GIVE PRAISE WHERE PRAISE IS DUE!”

Sunshine2002 September 22, 2011 at 6:13 am

I admit that I am shocked that such a pieces will be published by such a one-side paper as KN.
Congratulations. Perhaps the change mentioned in the article is about to take place at KN.
saggacayman September 22, 2011 at 11:16 am

Based upon how things are it is not likely that Barrak Obama will be reelected to office however based upon your assumption the PPP will have at least another five years I wonder how you came up with such an analogy with all the scandals,corruption and evidence that on race is being enhanced economically over other races makes it likely that Guyanese are so stupid to return the same people to office peeping tom who ever you are get some better binoculars.

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