I am in disagreement with this viewpoint

Jun 02, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,

Allow me a few lines to comment on Freddie Kissoon’s column in Wednesday’s edition of your newspaper captioned “We never should have celebrated the 50th in such a big way.”
At the outset let me make it clear that I respect the right of individuals to have and express views on issues, especially on matters pertaining to the governance of their country of birth and/or residence. So Freddie has every right, as a widely read columnist to express his views and to help shape public opinion on issues of national import. That having been said I must point out that others have the right to disagree and to offer counter opinions and I disagree with Freddie’s position that “we never should have celebrated the 50th in such a big way”.
I am not aware of anyone’s challenge of Freddie’s commitment to Guyana, notwithstanding some of his views that suggest that Guyana is a failed state and that we have nothing to celebrate, which views I do not share.
I totally agree with Freddie and countless others that the flag raising ceremony and the golden jubilee gala leaved much to be desired. I hope there is a cabinet review of these events and that there be lessons learnt from this experience that would prevent reoccurrences of such embarrassment.
These unfortunate disappointments notwithstanding, the 50th anniversary celebrations, in my view reflected the pride, loyalty and commitment of the majority of Guyanese, at home and abroad, to their homeland. In my view these celebrations, big as they were, were necessary.
I spent from May 10 to 17 and then from May 20 to 31 in Guyana during which time I interacted with people at all levels….from Bam Bam Alley to Berbice…..with comrades and concubines…..and what I discovered from these interactions was a “forgiving disappointment “ with the performance of the coalition government during its first year in office, yet great hope and enthusiasm for a better Guyana in the near future.
Freddie questions whether the state of the economy and infrastructure could bear the burden of these big celebrations but never asked the question whether the economic impact of the spending by visitors and others would offset government spending and therefore reflect a positive contribution to the economy. He also makes reference to an incident at one of several shows held during the past month and compares it to an incident free Rhianna world tour. I am sure that Freddie is aware of several concerts in various parts of the world where there was violence and loss of innocent life. In Miami just last year there was a concert at which there was violence and loss of life. In my view, one of the most significant positives of the celebrations is that there were few incidents and just one tragic loss of life of a young man crushed by a truck. There were expectations among some of rapes and robberies but these were not to be.
Even with the aggressive driving by Guyanese motorists I have heard of no major accidents notwithstanding the many “comebackees” who took to the road in rental cars and family vehicles. So my friend Freddie, whom I saw on at least two occasions at the fish shop on Drury Lane, hopefully enjoying the celebrations, like I did, might want to rethink his position on whether or not the celebrations should have been so big.
Wesley Kirton

1 thoughts on “I am in disagreement with this viewpoint”

Henry Horton June 2, 2016 at 1:20 pm

I found Freddie Kissoo’s article very good indeed. In fact, he is by far the best independent commentator on the political situation in Guyana and is consistent in his views. Most laudable of all, he has lived his whole life in Guyana and is a person of intellect. I disagree over his comments on the Walter Rodney COI (the PNC must pay for the nearly three decades of “dictatorship” and the murder of Walter Rodney “by any means necessary”), and his forays into foreign affairs are spurious (Cuba, Honduras, Venezuela, the USA – here, there is no criticism of the foreign policy of this imperialist monster!) but these pale in relation to his great insight into the Guyana psyche and pathology.