Jagan justifies his employment at OP

Dec 14, 2012 Letters

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Dear Editor,
This serves as my official response to a letter published in Kaieteur News on Wednesday, December 12, 2012, under the name “Disgusted Guyanese,” attempting, albeit unproductively, to call into question my qualifications. Although I would have loved the opportunity to address the actual author, it seems that this person is so lacking in mettle that he/she decided to remain anonymous—I wonder why! I shall thus address this response to the “Disgusting Guyanese” who wrote it.
First and foremost, it is easily verifiable that at no time have I ever held myself out to be fully licensed and certified to practise law in Guyana or the United States. This fact can be attested to by anyone with whom I have communicated in professional, business, social or friendly contexts and settings. I have always made this clear to anyone and so, “Disgusting Guyanese,” your recital of the obvious is indeed frivolous and serves only to illustrate your own lack of fulfillment with your meager “qualifications.”
Next, with regards to my signing of newspaper letters with the suffix “Esq.” and your questioning thereof; it is obvious you have not thoroughly researched U.S. case law on this point. Specifically, the use of the term “Esq.” by those who have graduated as an attorney but have not been fully licensed to practice law is not, in and of itself, sufficient grounds to hold such person as engaging in the unauthorized practice of law, without a more overt act of holding themselves out to be fully licensed to practice law or representing a client in legal matters—overt actions which I have never performed.
So, “Disgusting Guyanese,” your weak attempt to attach any such unauthorized practice of law to me by my signing of “Esq.” is futile, groundless and reflective of jealousy, which is a weak emotion you must yourself overcome.
“Disgusting Guyanese” even points out that in an online discussion on Stabroek News that I myself stated that I am not fully licensed to practise law. So my fellow Guyanese, on the one hand, “Disgusting Guyanese” recites clear evidence that I have previously stated I am not fully licensed to practise law, however, on the other hand, he/she continuously states that I have held myself out to be fully licensed. How can this contradiction stand? Is it any wonder that this “person” did not state his or her true identity?
I must now take an opportunity to pause and reflect briefly upon the demonstrated apparent obsession that “Disgusting Guyanese” has with me. To be honest, I think it’s rather cute, even lovable, that “Disgusting Guyanese” thinks about me so often, to the point where it entirely consumes his/her every fabric of being.
I must thank you for so diligently keeping abreast with my achievements; after all, every idol must indeed have his/her worshippers! Yes, “Disgusting Guyanese,” it was rather unfortunate that I did not pass the February 2012 New York Bar Exam, but, Cheddi Berret Jagan II came back harder and stronger than ever, passing what is regarded by every rational scholar, as the hardest examination in the entire world—without taking a preparatory class and while working a full-time job!
While you are correct, “Disgusting Guyanese,” that passing the NY Bar Exam does not make me a fully licensed attorney, I should remind you that “merely” passing, outweighs every single thing you have ever accomplished in your life, even on a cumulative basis. You should understand, that my achievements and qualifications speak for themselves and are worthy of substantial envious salivation from juniors such as yourself—your feelings, sentiments and thoughts on my indisputable qualifications do not affect my self-worth whatsoever—I know what I have achieved and I am confident, given your anonymity, that it vastly dwarfs your own “feats.”
Upon graduating as an attorney, albeit not fully licensed, from Florida International University in the U.S. and achieving my Juris Doctor Degree, I immediately returned home to Guyana to carry on the work of the greatest Guyanese that ever lived, Dr. and Mrs. Cheddi Berret Jagan. I always planned on returning to the U.S. to take the final steps of becoming fully licensed—steps which, as you point out, I have been pursuing.
My fellow Guyanese, “Disgusting Guyanese” stated that “one finds that [my] academic and professional qualifications cannot possibly justify [my] employment at the Office of the President.” How can this be so? While “Disgusting Guyanese” ‘adjusts the facts’, here are ‘just the facts’ : (1) I graduated in the top 10 of a U.S. American Bar Association accredited law school; (2) I was selected to the Law Dean’s List three times for exceptional performance (3) I received the highly coveted, most prestigious law degree offered in the U.S. (J.D.); (4) I studied law in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Barbados; (4) I was selected to the mock trial Board of Advocates by way of competition among nearly 50 fellow law students; and most importantly, (5) I passed the NY Bar Exam.
We live at a time when many of our bright Guyanese go abroad, become highly specialized and educated, and then never return home to Guyana. And when, as I, a vastly qualified individual returns home to share his knowledge, training and expertise in expectant culmination of making Guyana a better place, ingrates, maggots and mental-midgets baselessly attempt to call into question such qualifications.

I ask you “Disgusting Guyanese,” to please point out anyone who has amassed such esteemed and respected qualifications that would be better suited to be employed within the Office of the President. Are there any other U.S. trained Juris Doctors in Guyana that I don’t know about? Moreover, what are your own “qualifications” which would justify your right to judge or assess me?
I wish to leave “Disgusting Guyanese” with something to ponder, especially in the context of his multiple references to my salary. “Disgusting Guyanese,” I am a U.S. trained attorney who has just passed the NY Bar Exam—do you honestly believe that if money was my foremost interest, I would have ever returned to Guyana? Do you not realize that the salary I am paid at Office of the President is a mere fraction of what I could earn in the U.S. right now without being a fully licensed attorney?
Come on “Disgusting Guyanese”—Get Real and while you’re at it, get a life! I returned home to carry on my grandparents’ work and to assist the Government of Guyana in making our nation better for all of our Guyanese brothers and sisters—clearly money was never what brought me home.
So, “Disgusting Guyanese,” I implore you to continue “googling” my name and looking out for the many more subsequent achievements that are coming my way. Enjoy—I know I will.
Cheddi Berret Jagan II, Esq.

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