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The incredible mistakes of Freddie Kissoon

May 21, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
My letter here has a theme and a sub-theme. The theme is the incredible mistakes of Freddie Kissoon. The sub-theme is the nature of the AFC. My arguments take up from a letter of keen observation by Tacuma Ogunseye on the political story of Freddie Kissoon. In his letter, “Freddie Kissoon is in a political dilemma, “KN, May, 7, 2017, Tacuma Ogunseye shows the incredible mistakes of our ultimate working class hero, Freddie Kissoon. But Mr. Ogunseye’s letter also explains the nature of the party Freddie helped into power, the Alliance For Change.
Mr. Ogunseye after detailing the journey of our working class boy with our unapologetic middle class outfit, the AFC, Mr. Ogunseye asks the question; how is Freddie Kissoon going to get out of his dilemmas? Freddie’s dilemmas are of his own making and they show the troubled mind of this patriot who has lost his way. But it is not too late from him to find it. But can he when chose to leave working class parties and join the middle class party, the AFC?
No one knows the evolution of the AFC more than the leaders in the Working People’s Alliance and Mr. Robert Corbin. Sheila Holder was contacted by Raphael Trotman to leave the WPA and form the AFC on the urging of the ABC ambassadors in Georgetown. The ABC countries did not favour the strengthening of the PNC under Corbin. The WPA was never on the ABC’s radar. The logical choice was Raphael Trotman and Trotman brought along Mrs. Holder who ditched the WPA for greener pastures. As they say; the rest is now history.
The AFC was formed by ABC money and finances from big business who wanted both Corbin and the PPP out. Those who are familiar with the discussions in those days would tell you that Corbin and the WPA came closer because both sensed that the ABC countries were planning against them. Corbin had the last laugh because he formed APNU. I say again, the rest is now history.
Where was Freddie Kissoon, our ultimate working class hero when all this was going on? Tacuma Ogunseye’s letter describes for the Guyanese people where Freddie was. For this reason, Mr. Ogunseye’s letter is important in understanding the strange personality that Freddie Kissoon is. Someone like Mr. Ogunseye would know Freddie intimately; they were youths together in the WPA and remained good friends since then.
Ogunseye puts Freddie in an unenviable position with his letter because Freddie is forced to ask why he chose the AFC and not the WPA or Mr. Corbin’s new outfit, APNU. Both WPA and APNU were far more oriented to the class politics of Freddie Kissoon than the AFC. Ogunseye now describes the relation between the two as a love-hate one. This may be so but Freddie must answer Ogunseye’s queries as why the AFC and not WPA and APNU, seeing that Freddie is a working class hero.
What does Ogunseye mean by love-hate? Whatever meaning you put to it, it still highlights the incredible mistakes of this fine Guyanese with a sincere commitment to liberation. Few could question that Freddie Kissoon has left his mark on Guyanese politics. I don’t believe even Cheddi Jagan, as an Indian, enjoyed the affection of Black people that Freddie has.
If he hates the AFC, that is understandable. The AFC is a pure middle party that cares little about the masses. His hate is indeed understandable. Freddie did pull votes away from the PPP when he campaigned for the AFC. People have said that Freddie Kissoon and the Kaieteur News removed the PPP from power. A slight exaggeration but with large grains of truth. Now we see that the AFC wants more power thus the request to renegotiate the Cummingsburg Accord. We will have to wait to see how that one plays out.
If as Ogunseye says, Freddie still loves the AFC then that is incredible. Why would an activist who spent all his life fighting for liberation of the masses be in love with a misfit party like the AFC? Beats me and beats the Guyanese people, I say. There are all kinds of talk about a third party. It is based on the disappearance of the AFC. Freddie’s name is being tossed about with regards to this new kid on the block. I hope not.
Morris Liverpool

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