A leader’s obligation is to attempt to change the world despite the odds

Oct 09, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I refer to a letter in the Friday, Sep 30, edition of Kaieteur News, captioned, “Why Guyana is difficult to govern: A look at the Jagdeo presidency.”
Written by Kumar Doobay, I detect a certain level of masking. The writer wants to support the presidency of Mr. Jagdeo but resorts to diplomatic and subtle references. Reminds you of Mr. Harry Hergash of Canada who left Guyana over forty years ago and since then enjoys the democracy of one of the best countries of the world.
Then there is the abusive Ralph Seeram in Florida. I don’t know why this expatriate Guyanese thinks his Jagdeoite cussing down can intimidate me. Seeram, who is never coming, but sees Mr. Jagdeo as deeply committed to democracy. Maybe CN Sharma should pay a visit to Seeram in Florida
I am not going to reply to Harry Gill even though I see he mentions my name in his letters. I simply do not have any respect for the Harry Gills of this world. I consider it a self-insult to reply to such people. Mr. Kumar has a deeply flawed conceptualization on the role of leaders.
My description of this line-fault is covered in my arguments below. But it is important to note that we do not come into this world for it to smother us. The world doesn’t suffocate anyone. Humans have existentialist choices. We let the world drown us as a choice. Marx once observed that; “The philosophers have interpreted the world, the point is to change it.”
Mr. Doobay wants us to believe that a ruler that reigned for twelve years met a harsh country and it perplexed and drowned him. If that is so then Mr. Doobay is admitting that Mr. Jagdeo is a failure. And he is agreeing that Mr. Jagdeo did not seek to change Guyana but submitted himself to the harshness of trying to govern this land. I don’t know where Mr. Kumar gets the idea that Guyana is a formidable task to administer. Guyana is a beautiful land with wonderful people and immense wealth. It is under-populated having just above 700, 000 persons. It has space for a few more millions.
Guyana’s problem and only problem has been its rulers namely Burnham, the two Jagans and Mr. Jagdeo, plus their respective parties. Mr. Desmond Hoyte, given a few years more, may have engineered some positive changes.
Guyana is not difficult to govern. It has become a troubled nation because power-drunk leaders playing to ethnic constituencies continue to destroy it. I am unable to understand why in his analysis, Mr. Doobay would take Mr. Jagdeo out of the equation, and assess Guyana without laying any blame on Mr. Jagdeo. Does Mr. Doobay have any respect for his own analysis?
Such analysis is either dishonest or terribly limited. In the midst of an election campaign, we must reply to people like Doobay. Make no mistake; people like Doobay are controlled in the use of their language. Their words are diplomatic. But the support for the PPP and Mr. Jagdeo is there. You can see it clearly and for this reason we must confront their subtle deceptions
I want to be circumspect with Mr. Doobay but I can’t help feeling he is dishonest. He assigned a state of mind
to Burnham that Mr. Jagdeo is more guilty of. He observed that President Burnham put all types of uneducated people in high places. More than Mr. Jagdeo? Surely, Mr. Doobay, your slip is showing.
In comparing Burnham and Jagdeo in terms of appreciation of educational values, there is no comparison, period! I repeat; we need to reply to types like the Kumar Doobays because people like Doobay, using subtly, diplomatic styles can actually get innocent minds to believe him
What is most unacceptable about Doobay’s letter is his intention to portray Jagdeo as a victim.
First, he inherited a bad political culture left by Burnham and Jagan. Secondly, he inherited in his administration, some of mediocre standards. Thirdly, his rule was burdened by those who were out to get him. Fourthly, he inherited a country that is hard to govern.
Some quick distinctions between the male presidents that went before and Mr. Jagdeo. None would have committed those mistakes about their non-existent legal marriage. None would have publicly cussed down like Mr. Jagdeo.
None would have given away Guyana resources like Mr. Jagdeo. None would have allowed their subordinates to get away with the depravities we see in Guyana everyday. Please Mr. Doobay, just don’t write like this again. The dishonesty is too graphic to miss.
Frederick Kissoon

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