The President’s security is important

Feb 07, 2020 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

On Sunday February 2, 2020 in Freddie Kissoon used his Kaieteur News column for which he gets paid to write, to accuse the President of being too security conscious. This coming from someone who has been victimized by Government officials and party operatives prior to 2015 is somewhat surprising. I am certain that Freddie understands that security for Guyana’s Head-of-State, the local diplomatic community and other high-ranking members of the Government and public service workers is serious business. Freddie Kissoon is a social activist and lifetime critic of the establishment, be it this Government or any other Government Guyana had or will have. Freddie is also a political and social satirist, when he is condemning Guyanese for being backward, nasty and ignorant, he is attacking and criticizing the Government, be it the APNU/AFC Coalition or any Government prior to and after. Political satire requires one to critique and attack the establishment, which helps to maintain the efficacy of its core message, and in Freddie’s case, he gets paid by Kaieteur News to write columns, most of which attack the Government, notable public figures and tendencies he observes in Guyanese society.
As a hired pen, political and social activist, Mr. Kissoon experienced his fair share of ridicule, public criticism, threats and acts of violence which were directed toward him for expressing his views. One of the most notable occasions happened when Mr. Jason Abdullah, a member of the PPP, a staff of Freedom House and one of its rogue elements through a bucket of faecal matter in the face of Mr. Kissoon on May 24, 2010. From this time to 2016, Mr. Abdullah was never charged, neither did he face the courts. It wasn’t until December 2011, after the police were allowed to do their work without interference, that Mr. Abdullah was charged and found guilty; Mr. Abdullah also implicated Shawn Hinds and Kwame McCoy.
It appears to me, however, that Mr. Kissoon has forgotten when he fought during the Jagdeo/Ramotar Presidencies who stood with him and who still stand by him, although he continues to use his pen to criticize the Coalition Government on a weekly basis. On February 2, 2020, Freddie Kissoon wrote his column captioned President Granger behaves as if he owns Guyana. Freddie Kissoon would also do well to recall that in 2017, a plot to assassinate President David A. Granger was unearthed, investigated and foiled. Freddie would also do well to recall that in April 2015, just one month after the 2015 General and Regional Elections, the GDF was reportedly sold poisoned rice. The poisoned rice was discovered at Camp Stephenson.
Our President is correct to treat with the utmost seriousness, his security as well as that of Cabinet members and other high-ranking Government officials. Freddie Kissoon has overstepped the usual civility that must accompany political and social activism in a non-oppressive State, and seemed to have forgotten that although we have experienced relative peace in the past 5 years, this does not mean the absence of threats against the State. Either Freddie forgot about this, he deliberately did not consider and mention it for his column, or he feels the money he gets as a hired pen is more important than the life of President David A. Granger.

Sincerely,
Andrew Small

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