Special thanks to David and others in the election campaign

Jun 07, 2015 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

During an election campaign, you mingle with colleagues who if wasn’t for the campaign, you would never have come to know beyond the superficial level. In an election campaign, the people that hardly get recognition, if any at all, are your security personnel.
These people deserve more credit than the popular names whose faces adorn the campaign bandwagon. It must be remembered at all times that these people are willing to risk their lives for you. These are the people that are always in the line of fire. If someone rushes up to you and takes a swipe at your head with a four by four, they will rush to confront your attacker.
When the election campaign began, I knew security would be a nightmare for me. Two reasons account for this. The AFC would not have the personnel or the finance to cover me every night on the campaign trail. Secondly, I couldn’t afford my own security detail
The point man in the structure of public meetings for the AFC was Leonard Craig.
Before the planning of campaign meetings started, Craig and I lunched at Excellence Restaurant on Charlotte Street, and he said he would prefer me to speak in Indian districts. Naturally that meant far away from the safety and daylight of Georgetown. My nightmare grew larger when Charrandas Persaud requested that I be his weekly guest on his AFC television programme in Berbice.
Always afraid to be out late at night in a country where state power does evil things, I was in a scary dilemma. The 2015 election was a thing the opposition couldn’t lose, so I wanted to make my contribution so it could count towards the victory. There was absolutely no way I could not campaign for the coalition. But how was I to cope with going home after midnight?
My first meeting was Charlestown. From there on, my placements were deep in Region 4 and beyond. My second meeting was in Diamond. Enter David Wren. David is a little fellow of five feet, one inch. He said he didn’t think I should come back alone for those meetings so he would accompany me. For two weeks David provided security for which I was grateful and for which I will always remember him.
Special thanks go out to this little man (we call him “Small David” in the AFC office to distinguish him from David Patterson) for taking the time to provide protection for me. David had his AFC work to do, so he couldn’t go to Berbice and in Region 3. Lady Luck smiled on me. I got fantastic protection from three courageous AFC personnel – Leon Hunt, a good find for the youth wing of the AFC, and two seasoned fighters who gave yeoman service years ago to the PNC – Albert Cromwell (aka Bulldog – hereafter referred to as Bulldog, which is the name he would prefer I use) and Gordon April.
Being on the road for two months with Bulldog and April cannot match any political experience I have had in the hustings of street politics. Bulldog is the most cantankerous, disagreeable, aggressive person I ever met in my life. But when it came to my security, Bulldog was one hundred percent competent. I had to buy liquor for Bulldog and April on every trip I made to Berbice (I made several during the campaign) but never for a moment did the intoxicant make them oblivious to my security needs.
The most hilarious moments with Bulldog and April were the four times the sister of Charrandas Persaud prepared meals for us when we went to the television station, Dave TV in New Amsterdam. I specifically requested of Charrandas to have Gilbakka curry. After each meal, Bulldog would go up to Charrandas’ sister and say, “Mommy can I get a little bit more.” What was funny was that Bulldog could be the father of Charrandas’ sister, yet he called her “mommy.”
Even after we left the television station, they would request I buy food in Berbice. I come from South Georgetown where the men folk could eat nuff food, but I never saw people eat so much before as Bulldog and April.
Moments of hilarity were interspersed with moments of dead seriousness as when a car began to follow us late into the night at Unity, Mahaica. And there was this open-back pick-up that began following us from Ogle at 1 a.m., with some men who had guns in their waist. On both occasions, Bulldog, April and Leon displayed immense courage. I cannot thank them enough for keeping me safe during the 2015 election campaign. Thank you so much guys!

Latest News

Special thanks to David and others in the election campaign

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Renuka, Mandhana consign West Indies to record loss

GBA confirms additional bouts

Opinion: Barbados Cricket Faces Crossroads

KMTC Boxing Day Horse race meet turning out to be...

Candy Boss Invitational 8-A-Side Football...

Chase Academy squares off with St Benedict’s...

Features/Columnists

Chilling reminders that we are not safe

Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will

Fear of retribution

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Special thanks to David and others in the election campaign

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]