Remarks that cannot be taken lightly

Jan 25, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

Response is made, to Frederick Kissoon’s article in his January 19 column, where he accused me in my capacity as General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) for supporting rigged election, deliberately and maliciously dragging the GTUC into his attack. Such a statement made by a writer of Kissoon’s calibre, one who has influence through the media, is not to be taken lightly for clearly there is intent, not only to besmirch my character, but to drag the GTUC into the fray of alleged support for “election rigging.”
He uses said argument to also undermine the integrity of the formation of the Civil Society Forum (CSF) and to discredit the right of the GTUC and CSF, in its present configuration, to participate in any effort to strengthen and deepen democracy in Guyana. The attempt of a hidden agenda behind those statements is clear. It is an attempt to make me persona non grata and make the GTUC and CSF inconsequential in the struggle for the development of Guyana.
In a previous article of his, a blatant lie of me “always” with a cigarette in my mouth was published when everyone around me knows I have never smoked, and I am a very light social drinker. Whereas similar attacks and lies about other persons are oft ignored for a variety of reasons, including the fear of unleashing more vicious attacks and time spent, I fear neither and make the time. I understand the drive to destroy my credibility and silence me lies deep within the undermining of dissent and all citizens of Guyana participating in the democratic processes of this country.
The CSF was launched last Sunday, two days prior to Kissoon’s attack, to help society to give meaning to Article 13 in the Constitution of Guyana. The Principal Political Objective of the society, as per this article, is to forge a “political system” of “inclusionary democracy” in recognition and celebration of our collective strength in building this nation. Given the dynamics in the Guyanese society, it is not unusual that a forum of this nature will find itself subject to attacks by those who seek to operate outside of the interest of the collective. True to form, he who I refer to as the captain of chaos lashes out and seeks to undermine an effort as envisioned by the framers of the Constitution in Article 13.
There has never been any support from me, in my personal or professional capacity, and the GTUC for the 2020 Election.
Also, every member on the CSF enjoys the right to vote. Whether all or some exercised this at the last election by voting for their party of choice is their prerogative. The exercise of choice does not prevent guarantee to inclusion, as per the constitution, on matters of the state impacting individuals and/or their organisations.

Sincerely,
Lincoln Lewis

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