I believe David Granger is a decent, multi-racial human

Jan 27, 2015 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

There is bound to be enormous questioning by African-Guyanese as to why an Indian candidate should lead a grand coalition of anti-dictatorship groups to contest the 2015 elections.
One of the faults of homo sapiens, which is one of the faults of civilization both ancient and modern, is that the human cannot put him/herself into the mind of another human so as to understand how that person feels. It is doubtful civilization will ever surmount that psychological limitation. But it would be incorrect to say that the human race doesn’t try to understand the pain and suffering of others.
It will not be easy to ask African-Guyanese to let Moses Nagamootoo be the presidential candidate of the grand coalition. They will look you in the eyes with piercing anticipation and say why not David Granger. What can you tell them? To understand the intensity in that look, you have to understand their psyche.
African Guyanese will say to you why can’t David Granger be the anti-dictatorship’s presidential candidate? And they will argue that he is a decent man who will not discriminate against other races if he is the president. For me that is factual. I believe Granger has these qualities. If I were to pick a man to help clear up the moral miasma that the PPP has covered this country with, I will choose Granger.
In the context of the evolution of West Indian politics, I don’t believe Mr. Granger is cut out to be a politician. He is not a politician by choice. But in a country where criminal values, immoral instincts and decadent behaviour have literally destroyed the inner and outer fabric of this nation, particularly under Mr. Jagdeo (who no doubt must be investigated by a judicial inquiry), Mr. Granger qualifies most admirably to be the clean-up man.
My deeply felt opinion of Mr. Granger is that he comes from a long tradition of finely educated, value-laden, urbane, nationalistic middle class Africans who believe in the decency of governance. I am of the belief that Mr. Granger has no interest in the African-Indian competition and as president, will administer the affairs of the Republic without ethnic bias.
The only person I saw that wasn’t interested in racial bias as president was Desmond Hoyte. I believe sincerely in my heart that Granger will not practice racial preferences. In fairness to Moses Nagamootoo whom I have known for eons now, I cannot see Moses discriminating in his policies. To ask African Guyanese to overlook the elegant qualities of David Granger and to put an Indian to be the presidential candidate will be a hard road to travel. It may even take a Jesse Jackson or Rev. Al Sharpton to get involved.
Having said all of that, do I think David Granger will win the elections for the coalition? I have to confess I am very uncertain, and I would like to emphasize the word, “uncertain.” At the launching of the Decade of African People, last Sunday, one of the speakers said that he regretted that I proposed Nagamootoo and not Granger. No doubt he has his strategy for Granger to win. I have mine for Nagamootoo.
I will now offer mine, snippets of which were contained in my column where I advocated the grand coalition with Nagamootoo as the presidential candidate (see my Jan 21 KN piece).
I will not suggest Granger because of his race. I will not propose Nagamooto because of his race. I have no time, and will have no time for that race nonsense in my life. I am putting up a politician for the presidency based on hard strategy, pragmatism, and practical politics. In my configuration, I believe Africans will more likely vote for an Indian president than Indians vote for an African president.
To explain these complex choices will involve a complex sojourn into the evolution of 19th century Guyana and the sociological differences between Africans and East Indians in Guyana. Space will prevent this.
If Mr. Granger is the man, I believe he will lose Berbicians. The gamble will be too great to take. The risk will be enormous. Guyana’s survival is at stake.
If Nagamootoo takes the slot, I think Africans will vote for him once African leaders do not reject him. Given the peculiar make up of the Indian psyche, Berbicians are more likely to ballot for him because, unfortunately, most unfortunately, they want an Indian president.
Don’t blame me for saying this. Blame the contours and contortions of Guyana’s ethnic sociology. I end by saying in pellucid ways that I can understand the psychic discomfort Africans will have with Nagamootoo over Granger. But Guyana must come first.

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I believe David Granger is a decent, multi-racial human

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