Now I am referred to as a Trumpian narcissist

Apr 28, 2019 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

One of the major flaws of Homo sapiens, which is compellingly present in politicians, is how they accuse others of bad habits that they boldly embody. The latest in this line-fault of humans is former PPP minister and current co-leader of the political party, ANUG, Henry Jeffrey. Jeffrey wrote that I got annoyed with him because as my Dean, he was not supporting me in UG’s attempt to end my contract in 1989.
Nothing could be further from the truth. I joined the UG staff in 1986, and my contract renewal problems started in 1996. By that time, Jeffrey was a minister in the PPP government. But that is not an important note, so let’s move to more philosophical things. In my 50 years of social/political activism and 31 years of media experience, I have been called many things. I have a new label. Jeffrey thinks I am a Trumpian narcissist.
One just has to juxtapose my life with Henry Jeffrey’s in Guyana to see who the labels of Trumpian mentality and narcissist character more fit. In terms of Trumpism, I have never sought political office, political power and organizational membership. I never held a party card in my entire life. I never contested any general election as a candidate. I never held a state or private job that carried bureaucratic authority. In my 26 years at UG, I declined to accept the position of deanship or head of department. In my long years at Kaieteur News, I never held any decision-making position; at all times, being just a columnist.
After the AFC, in which I had close friends, came to power in 2015, I never sought state employment. I never raised employment prospects with any AFC minister. Not one AFC minister has ever spoken to me about a job after 2015. It was only after two years since the AFC came to power, that I had a conversation with Khemraj Ramjattan who was a good friend at the time. This record hardly fits someone who wears the tag of Trumpian personality.
Now, the narcissist accusation. You do not have to be an educated person to know there are certain traits associated with narcissism. Narcissists are people who here, there and everywhere throw themselves openly in all circumstances and possess paraphernalia that make them noticeable. The opposite to narcissism is introverted personality.
I am one of the most, if not the most, introverted public citizen in this country. I can be seen nowhere, only with my dog. I have never been to the Marriott Hotel. I was at the Princess Hotel once and that was for the 50th birthday of Glenn Lall. I was at the Palm Court once and that was with Glenn Lall. I have never been to Kaieteur Falls. I have never been to the National Stadium. I have never seen the inside of the Caricom Secretariat. I have not been to any national sporting or cultural event in the past forty years. I never saw what a rodeo is like. I never saw what a regatta is like.
I have not travelled outside of Guyana since 2000. I do not wear designer clothes. I do not use any designer thing whatsoever, be it after-shave, cologne, joggers etc. No one can claim they have seen me dining at this or that restaurant. No one can claim they saw me at this or that cocktail event. I have never been to any social function hosted by any embassy in Guyana. In my entire life, I kept away from the company of the Joneses.
My car is 22 years old. I can remember in 2012 at the People’s Parliament, Chris Ram jokingly said, “Freddie, you have to get a new car.” I remember outside of Survival Supermarket, Khurshid Sattaur saying to me, “Freddie, you have to get a new car.” I use a $5,000 phone. I don’t have a self-contained bedroom in my home.
Now here is the one that will cause you to laugh at me. I have never been to a barber. I am married forty years now. Before marriage, I butchered my own hair. Since marriage, my wife is my barber. I never ever visited the socialite middle class milieu. I hate that ambience. When I eat outside of my home, it is always at working class restaurants in working class districts with ordinary friends. My columns over the past two decades are replete with such descriptions.
How do you pin the label of Trumpian narcissism on such an existence? But Jeffrey has done just that in Kaieteur News. Maybe Jeffrey was expressing his Freudian mind, meaning he was thinking of himself. Jeffrey and others like him think I am a narcissist because I am not afraid to criticize the untouchables.

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