Who the BLUE cap fit, let them wear it

Jun 03, 2014 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Here are the lyrics from one of my favourite Bob Marley songs. I dedicate it to a new quasi political organization named Blue Caps and headed by Clinton Urling. Hope these cap wearers (interestingly, the leader of the Blue Caps is famous for making soups and once the word soup appears in a politician’s tirade or commentator’s repertoire, immediately the term soup drinker appears) do not see any personal insult here.
But as a long standing participant in Guyanese society, a little bit of cynicism must creep in.
Man to man is so unjust, children
You don’t know who to trust
Your worst enemy could be your best friend
And your best friend your worst enemy
Some will eat and drink with you
Then behind them su-su ‘pon you
Only your friend know your secrets
So only he could reveal it
And who the cap fit, let them wear it
Said I throw me corn, me no call no fowl
Some will hate you, pretend they love you now
Then behind they try to eliminate you
But who Jah bless, no one curse.
Thank God we’re past the worse
Hypocrites and parasites
Will come up and take a bite
And if your night should turn to day
A lot of people would run away
And who the cap fit let them wear it
Interestingly, little attention has been paid to the Blue Caps by analysts, commentators, our political parties and the media. Is it because they see the group as just “one of those things” that come and will go like the morning sun? Or because its leader finds himself wearing a hat he borrowed from Henry Jeffrey, who lent it to Ralph Ramkaran and who in turn has passed it on to the known soup maker?
For those not familiar with my reference to soup, Mr. Urling is the owner of German’s Restaurant known in Georgetown for its historic cow-heel, split peas soup. While I was on the campaign trail in the 2011 elections, I did say on the platform at the Stabroek Market Square that I was boycotting the soup shop. Late in 2012 I ended my boycott. But I was surprised when last month I took my friend from the media to have a soup at German’s and was told that he doesn’t want to go there anymore. I will still go.
Last Wednesday, there was a programme at Moray House titled, “Eusi Kwayana and Father Malcolm Rodrigues in Conversation.” The BLUE CAPS leader, Clinton Urling was the first person in the audience to ask a question.
He wanted the panelists to answer why in today’s Guyana the young people are so apathetic about pressing issues. Miles Fitzpatrick attempted an answer by saying they pattern themselves after what they see their parents say and do. That comment will form the basis on another column so I will not comment at this stage. I sat next to Tacuma Ogunseye and posed my own question to him which will form part of that forthcoming column.
Yes, I was amused at Urling. Because, Urling is a young man in this country who is urging young people to be vocal, I find his hypocrisy to be irritating. He reminds me of Ralph Ramkarran and Henry Jeffrey. President Jagdeo removed Minister Jeffrey from the Cabinet after his service of 18 years.
He was offered the position of Ambassador to Suriname. Jeffrey requested some additional resources for the post and Jagdeo refused. Jeffrey then left. Had Jagdeo agreed, then we would never have seen from the pen of Jeffrey all the wrongs he is now accusing the PPP Government of. Jeffrey would have been part of that same government in June 2014.
Ralph Ramkarran is speaking out on the mistakes of the PPP Government, even though he served the PPP for over fifty years including twenty one years of the PPP in government from 1992. Social activist Malcolm Harripaul is not amused at this Damascus Road thing about Ramkarran. Harripaul has accused Ramkarran of being one of the hardliners who helped to turn the PPP into the Frankenstein it is perceived to be today.
I did a Google search of Clinton Urling when he was Chairman of the Guyana Manufacturers’ Association and executive of the Private Sector Commission. I found not one statement from Urling in condemnation of authoritarian government in Guyana. On the contrary I found some serious jabs he took at the opposition.
Urling will be running for the mayorship; so too is Mark Benschop. The pre-election debate between them will be fascinating.

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Who the BLUE cap fit, let them wear it

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