Khemraj Ramjattan, Nigel Hughes, and philosophy

Feb 28, 2016 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

I took Carlyle Goring and Gordon April to lunch last week at “Excellence,” the working class restaurant on Charlotte Street, that I am fond of patronizing. I met Goring and April in the AFC arena when I campaigned in the last general elections. April provided security for me during the election campaign.
While we were seated I called Leonard Craig and Marlon Williams, two rising leaders of the AFC, to join me. I think by now readers would know Craig and I are good friends; I taught both Craig and Williams as students at UG. Both are AFC candidates in the upcoming local government elections
An interesting emanation came out of the mouth Carlyle when we were driving to pick up April. Carlyle asked me for my vote in the election. He is an APNU-AFC candidate. I responded with an extensive philosophical explanation why I cannot vote for him, even though we are friends. And Carlyle and I are friends; up to Friday evening, I invited him to ice cream at Demico while we were outside of Parliament waiting for Michael Carrington to come of the National Assembly. Carlyle was stunned when I told him I cannot give him my vote even though we are friends. He carried on and on. Then on Friday night, he brought up the subject again while we were enjoying our ice cream.
Carlyle believes as a friend of his who is contesting the election, it is natural for me to give him my vote. As we braced against the rail that rings the Parliament Building (and which should not be there) eating our cones, Carlyle said something to me that got me emotional. He suggested that if people like me do not vote for APNU-AFC in the local government, then the PPP could return to power. I moved off the rail, looked at Carlyle intensely and said; “that is blackmail and I refuse to be blackmailed.” I then explained to him that once the PPP is around I have to vote, without a choice, because the threat will be there – “if not us, then it is them, and you know what they will do to you and Guyana.”
I went further and philosophized for Carlyle why I will not vote for AFC candidates. I brought up the name of Khemraj Ramjattan and Nigel Hughes. The first is the leader of the AFC; the other is the chairman of the AFC. These are two persons that will get conspicuous mention in my memoirs if and when I write it. These are two persons that have been extremely good to me. These are two persons, I owe great debts to. These are two humans I admire intensely. These are two politicians that I consider close friends. But I will not vote for the AFC candidates in the election next month. Why?
It has to do with philosophy, not friendship. I have deep philosophical beliefs about political behaviour. Here are some of them. I reject unlimited tenure for office holders. Prime Ministers, Presidents, Mayors and Cabinet Ministers should be limited in the time they hold office. Secondly, there should be term limits for trade union leaders, human rights organizations, important NGOs like the consumer rights bodies, etc. My reasoning is simple. Power is extremely dangerous and should never be concentrated. You prevent power madness by putting a time constraint on its possessors
Thirdly, I believe in the existence of different poles of power within the same territory. For that reason, I think the Westminster system is flawed. The Prime Minister’s party has a majority in Parliament then his/her party dominates Parliament, so the Executive and Parliament become one, and the only other poles of power you have is the judiciary and the media. Parliament should have constitutional authority that insulates it from the hegemony of majority rule.
Fourthly, I embrace as a valuable principle in life, the diffusion and sharing of power. It is at least a pathway that could weaken the concentration of power. As a matter of philosophical principle, I do not accept the control of central and local power by the same organization. If APNU-AFC wins the municipal elections then the leaders in charge of central government are the leaders who will be in charge of local government. Where then are the guarantees? Where then are the checks and balances? Where then are the people to turn to when power is abused?
I have just seen it in Guyana. The City Council abused vendors and East Street residents and the leadership of central government said not one word of public condemnation. Sorry Carlyle! But let’s stay as friends!

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Khemraj Ramjattan, Nigel Hughes, and philosophy

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