Freddie Kissoon does not speak for African Guyanese but he supported some of their struggles

Jan 13, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Kaieteur News – Reference is being made to Freddie Kissoon’s article, “Lincoln Lewis and some other leaders are self-destructive” (KN Jan 11, 2021). While I am African and proud, I am not driven by African triumphalism and racism. And whereas I am aware the black community is not monolithic, and they may have other leaders, I speak for a significant amount of people in the black community. I identify with them, I know their concerns, I feel their pains and I speak for them. The blood of our ancestors, their pains, their struggles, resides in me or guide me.
Freddie does not speak for African Guyanese, though I acknowledge, he supported some of the struggles of this community. But there he goes again, the presumption of this man to determine who speaks for the community. Now he would like people to think he has more respect in the black community, more leadership in the black community than I do. That is the crassness of the man, the intellectualism of the man.
After he started a brawl and is being met with greater force, he is now seeking to give the impression he cares about standards. Who set them and who agrees with them? This is not a formal debate. Freddie is not a person who adheres to universally acceptable principles and will not recognize these. He might be an educated man but he is not a principled man. This captain of chaos cannot set standards about ugliness.
For years now he has encouraged the abuse of the black race, and in particular black leaders who have shied away from going into the gutter with him. I have no problem going into his habitat because as a trade unionist I go wherever the fight takes me. There are many ugly human beings in the world. Kissoon’s character contributes to him being so called but the narcissist in him chooses to focus only on his ugly exterior.
About his interest in my age, I am not 80 yet but I am looking forward to it. The ancestral genes allow my family to enjoy long life; long, fit, and functional living. My uncle, James Barrington Lewis Layne, at 104 years old, was able to walk out unaided to exercise his franchise at the last election. My blessing of longevity is not a curse. Only the young tender buds among us, in their teens especially, make an issue of age because many feel the sweetness of living is at that stage of life only. Freddie and I are both aged, grey hair adults and drawing pension. In his preoccupation of age, he remains trapped in an era of schoolboy bullyism to compensate for his inadequacies.
I have never put a cigarette in my mouth but in his desperation, he accuses me of “always” having one in my mouth. Smoking a cigarette is not thieving; it is not illegal nor is it plagiarism, but his accusation is true to the lying nature of an ugly human being who feels he could say anything and not be held accountable. Therefore, people like me must reply. Freddie abuses his unfettered media access to engage in public mischief, and he benefits from having lectured at the highest institution of learning in society as someone who can be trusted, when he continues to prove to the contrary. And if to him my sledgehammer may be light, suffice to say it is more than enough for a cesspit fly.
In closing, I recognize the Editor’s note in Kissoon’s instant column that “In the interest of preserving some level of respect and decorum in these pages, this will be Mr. Kissoon’s final response to Lincoln Lewis.” I respect the newspaper’s concern, but Freddie’s attacks, lies and continuous historical misrepresentation of the black race, and in particular black leaders, has reached the limit of tolerance. This issue is not just about him and Lincoln, it is about the African community who he believes he can disrespect and denigrate without fear of challenge.

Lincoln Lewis

Editor’s Note: Since Mr. Lewis is allowed the right to reply; this letter is being facilitated and will mark the end to his and Freddie Kissoon’s exchange.

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