What was the relevance of my name?

Jan 24, 2016 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I sent the following letter to Stabroek News on Sunday, Jan 17 in response to what was written about me in that newspaper on that very day. I re-sent it but no publication as yet. The letter follows
I refer to Tarron Khemraj’s missive (Sunday, January 17, 2016) in which he wrote; “my column never said that members of the diaspora should replace locals. I always wrote about complementarities. As a matter of fact, the column made the point explicitly that for a diaspora policy to work, politically, re-migrants cannot interfere with the political patronage flows of the locals.” What was the relevance then of dragging my name into his analysis by penning the following observation; “In Guyana even the famous newspaper columnist, Mr. Freddie Kissoon, once labeled the diaspora as traitors.”
One would have thought he would have found it useful to explain the relevance of my name. Then Khemraj did the unthinkable. He admits he couldn’t find the column where I referred to the diaspora as traitors He wrote that he “cannot locate at this moment the column, which I believe he (kisssoon) wrote about six years ago.”  As an academic, Khemraj must be involved in Google search. He can find all my KN and SN letters and all my columns of six years ago on the internet. Why did he drag a fictional statement attributed to me into his column is for him to answer? I have my speculation. I am not surprised at the things people say about me because that is what people and life are about. Khemraj is not the first and will not be the last to either assign a false statement to me or seek to attract attention by bringing up my name. After more than twenty seven years as a columnist those things you expect
In relation to the airline ticket, my memory tells me it was about Khemraj coming for the election campaign. My intervention lasted literally less than a minute. A group of high-level AFC personnel, including the leader Khemraj Ramjattan, was speaking about the airline ticket issue and I merely said that the AFC should not buy a ticket for people like Khemraj because I believe people like Khemraj could afford to do so. That was my contribution which as I stated above, lasted less than a minute. As to his request for a high level position with a certain financial institution, the circumstances were identical. A group of well placed AFC personnel including the leader mentioned a preference of Khemraj.
My intervention lasted a few minutes. I said that why should he choose that position; it may not be the right thing to do because others may be more suited. That was all I said and I have no regrets at making those two statements. There were objective analytical observations and had absolutely nothing to do with the character of Khemraj. I had an opinion to express in two situations where others were doing the same, and I gave my take. I did not have to inform Khemraj what I said about him in 2011. But that is how I see life
As to the sacrifice he mentioned in his letter by choosing to do a dissertation that would earn him less money in the US rather that one that would have brought him more income, well I hope he sees the context. If he made that sacrifice, he should know that untold numbers made similar decisions with harsher implications by staying in Guyana. I don’t for a fleeting moment find the migration of Guyanese in order to better themselves, a mistake. That was their choice and it should be respected. But I think Khemraj unwittingly opens himself to criticism when he describes the sacrifice he made with a mere choice of dissertation. Others in Guyana, like his UG colleagues who could have migrated as Khemraj did, stayed and endured
What is Khemraj’s point about the dissertation sacrifice which brought him less income in the US where he lives and work? He wants us to know he did a thesis on Guyana which made him less marketable and thus he wants us to know about his sacrifice. He then should know of greater sacrifice by others. Khemraj taught at UG then left to do a PH.D in the US. He did not return to Guyana. I know of several friends who left UG like Khemraj to do their doctorates and are back at UG and Guyana, some of whom are more marketable in the US than Khemraj. What is my point? That if Khemraj wants to talk about who made sacrifice and are now earning less income, I can offer him dozens of examples and those examples are right here in Guyana where they live and work for the people of Guyana. I close by asserting my statement that I know Khemraj did make a request to the AFC leadership about a high- level appointment in the area of state finance. Why didn’t he make a greater sacrifice and choose UG where he was much more needed than the financial institution he chose
Frederick Kissoon

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