KISSOON’S SOCIAL CONTRACT AND BLAMEGAME

Dec 21, 2012 Letters

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Dear Editor,
So Mr. Freddie Kissoon, now dishes out a “social contract” for our Guyanese taste buds, hoping that the spice of Western philosopher Thomas Hobbes would make it palatable. Amazingly he hopes that the PPP/C government, even in sniffing his dish, would straightway succumb to the Hobbesian spice and change the Guyana constitution.
Mr Kissoon wants to harness and affix this social contract to enhance the opposition powers in Parliament because, what else, “the PNC is desperately trying to survive”.
The PPP/C government may as well hang itself knowing who cooked the “social contract” dish. By any means this does not necessarily mean to excuse the PPP/C’s failings with all its unfulfilled promises as much as the PNC must also survive by all that is right and legal.
What exempts, in such a “social contract”, the opposition parties from their parliamentary responsibilities when they are actively involved in fomenting violence, arson, harassment of defenceless commuters, burning taxpayers’ buildings and targeting their fellow Indo Guyanese countrymen in racial hatred?
The AFC/APNU opposition must also abide, nay be exemplary, in compliance of  this same Kissoon unearthed Hobbes ‘social  contract” to treat all  Guyanese with equal rights including respect. They stand to gain more.
A “social contract” must not appear as another disguise to flaunt and flounce in opposition to the Guyana Government’s  sacred duty to preserve law and order. APNU’s  receptability will  in fact be judged  by how it disassociates its symbiosis to the AFC’s extremism and violence at Linden and Agricola.
A positive record substantially enhances  the PNC  chances to become  the next government for sure. In the meantime no one  can  expect  the PPP/C to cut its nose to spoil its face.
Clever  Mr Kisssoon  quietly forgets to tell us that  Englishman Hobbes also believed in “absolute” government.   Between the  current  freely elected PPP/C and  its previous rigging undemocratic PNC  predecessor  the choice can only be obvious. The PPP/C must however get its act together by seizing the bull by its horns.
Who  in Guyana has not grown up poor? Contrast Mr Kissoon now living a privileged life of luxury  with a big house in a gated community having even got a free university education in Canada. He suffered no hardships as a student as his bread has always been well buttered.
Me? I had to work two jobs in factories in the good old USA living in cockroach-rat  infested slums before completing my  post graduate university education to become a   teacher. In America we call this paying a heavy price.
Pitiful Kissoon. For someone promoting a new “social contract”,  Mr Kissoon  is the best living example of non compliance  especially since he has absolutely no  “social contract” with his ancestors and other descendants whose home is Guyana.
When Hindus recently observed Pitri Paksh ie the rememberance and homage to former ancestors it was totally lost on our Kissoons.  For our Kissoons  those same Guyanese who rescued and blossomed the sugar and rice industries can be easily denied their natural rights and  freedom from onslaughts to their security in their own country.
Apparently when they built roads, cleared canals, lived in sub human logies  nurtured the sugar cane and rice plants,growing food every day in the boiling sun  in muddy fields to feed the Caribbean,  it meant nothing to Mr Kissoon.
The “educated” Mr Kissson can boost his ego by quoting Hobbes but his “social contract” proclivities  are only triggered  after three Lindeners are unfortunately and mysteriously  killed due to  AFC  instigated arson, robbery and harassment of Lethem bound travellers now that Linden wants to avoid paying their fair share for electricity.
In the aftermath, violent thuggery and racism on mostly Indian commuters at Agricola becomes seemingly excusable and justifiable only because of Mr Kissoon’s  self admittance  that “I am ashamed to be an Indian”.
Can there be a more pathetic human psychological deficiency in  denying or acknowledging  something which  afforded  him  life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness but which is now despised  with open disdain?
Who would remind our Kissoons  of Plato’s admonition “Know thyself”!  This “social contract” that Mr Kissoon touts can only make  a mockery of Guyana’s sensitive reality not so much in its advocacy but who cooks and serves it.
Despite his visible Indianness, last name and cultural food habits he cannot be but a dichotomous living, walking monument of what must be overcome…someday. What he is he in fact only God knows. But he must not be hated regardless as we have also failed.  Regardless of the deficiencies which abound  I would  still be favourably disposed to be charitable, sharing with equal sacrifices even limiting  my share to give those more in need.
Moreso I am always predisposed to hearing and facilitating all sides because of my religion, origins, cultural beliefs, traditions and race.
It was Mahatma Gandhi who said, “I want the culture of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”
Most emphatically I resent being demonised because I am of Indian origin, religion or race, culture or my economic status. How can this Hobbes “social contract” which Mr Kissoon promotes be beneficial to us all remains to be seen.
Its significance would be reflected when Mr Kissoon  heals himself first.We know in whose court the missing ball resides.
Vassan Ramracha

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