Lincoln Lewis has a lot of explaining to do about his activism

Oct 23, 2017 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The ramblings of Lincoln Lewis, published by the government controlled Guyana Chronicle, on Sunday, October 8, 2017, under the headline ‘Responding to Bharrat Jagdeo’s baseless accusations’, demand a response – because Lewis, on one hand, states that comments made by the former president were baseless, yet, on the other hand, makes baseless accusations of his own. Lewis’ ranting includes that: “Jagdeo has been involved in numerous violations and transgressions while serving as president of this country and he must be held accountable for the abuse of the privilege granted to him by the people.” He would do well to substantiate his claims.
Lewis goes on to object to the criticism that he, and others, is making a ‘profession’ of representing the interest of Afro-Guyanese people. But then he follows this with a reference to what he stands to gain from testimony he gave to the ongoing Commission of Inquiry into Lands – that being his inheritance of land at Kingelly Village, West Coast Berbice – land he claims was bought by his great-great-great-great grandfather Cudjoe McPherson – land currently occupied by over 150 families. Whose interest is he representing here?
Lewis’ efforts at ‘representation’, according to him, are not about ‘colour and race’. But the GTUC head should answer the existing questions about where and how his ‘representation’ was advanced and what he benefited from, including on the matter of inveigling himself in a position to access duty free concessions.  While he attempts to divert focus by saying that Jagdeo can “only see issues through the lens of race” and says that Jagdeo “flaunts and parades most if not all of the characteristics of an ethnic entrepreneur,” the Guyanese people will not be fooled, more so, those who have worked with Mr. Lewis.
Probably, the most disturbing of Lewis’ baseless accusations is that: “During his (Jagdeo’s) tenure, he executed policies, programmes and acts to make Africans feel they have to grovel and lose their dignity and respect to gain anything in society.”  This is the comment coming from a man who accused a former president of seeing issues “through the lens of race” in Guyana. This is the comment coming from a man who ignores basic facts.
The fact is that Afro-Guyanese have experience greater economic mobility under successive People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administrations.  One has to ask whether such a comment, after Jagdeo’s visit to Region 10 – long considered the base of the People’s National Congress – is intended to attempt to diminish the fact that Jagdeo has done what this APNU+AFC government has not done, which is to engage Guyanese, regardless of race, religion, gender or any other differentiating factor. The facts surrounding former PPP/C government interventions in Region 10 and the bauxite industry are a matter of public record and Guyanese will not accept the distortion of facts, Mr. Lewis.
Even Lewis’ attempt at ‘balance’ in his article is based on distortion of facts. He states that: “He (Jagdeo) didn’t mind failing to develop a constructive plan to save sugar, but was more driven in misleading the workers that he cared about them by pouring billions into the industry…sugar workers should be incensed that he has used them in furtherance of his agenda and not theirs.” All Lewis had to do was read the PPP/C manifesto, released during the May 2015 General and Regional elections campaign.
It makes clear that: over five years, there would be a $20B investment in the sector; production will be increased, with a focus on 60 per cent mechanization in harvesting and 85 per cent in mechanized cane loading; increased production of packaged sugar to at least 50,000 tonnes; there would be expanded production of bottled molasses as a commercial product for local and international markets; the Albion Ethanol plant will be expanded to produce more and use other substrates, including cassava; that there would be improved management and remuneration to workers; and that there would be continued focus on diversification. Additionally, Jagdeo’ himself has publicly detailed other options for the sugar industry – options that do not center on divestment or on privatisation of the industry.  He has also made it clear that any decision on the future of the sugar industry must be based on studies that look at the economic viability of alternatives and at the social consequences of any decisions.
Again, as he did last week, Lewis talks up the “bloodiest period in this nation’s history” and fails to acknowledge that Jagdeo has agreed to the President David Granger’s proposed Commission of Inquiry. He also only briefly mentions that the Granger-led government has failed to activate the Coroner’s Act, passed months ago in the National Assembly.
Finally, Lewis jumps to the conclusion that there was a competition between him and Jagdeo for the attention of bauxite workers, when the former president intervened to support the workers, and goes on to talk about ego. This comment reads more like a case of Lewis being the one with the injured ego, since his ‘imagined’ sense of competition and ego the first thing he talks about in his article. Lewis’ comments can only be chalked up to be the latest in a string of ‘ridiculous’ and unsubstantiated talk from the usual culprits, from whom the Guyanese people can expect nothing else.
Baldeo Mathura

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