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Regional leadership of a special kind

Mar 10, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – In the clinch of a frightening crisis, a regional leader has delivered, and is recognized for doing so under fire. According to the Trinidad Guardian, and as carried locally, “WHO Head praises T&T’s COVID-19 fight” (KN February 19). Specifically, the “Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom, has praised Prime Minster, Dr. Keith Rowley, for his leadership in managing the COVID-19 outbreak in T&T.” This is what Dr. Adhanom had to say to Dr. Rowley, “I…recognize that Trinidad and Tobago…has done very well in this pandemic and that is because of your leadership.” What about our leaders and where are they?

What the T&T PM has done speaks volumes on standards, as can be gleaned from the record, and this is because of his leadership’s astuteness and courage, both of which came from the conviction that he had to do whatever it took to safeguard his country and people. In contrast, almost one year later, and right here, blame is brandished about with the new PPP government seizing every occasion to point fingers at the coalition for poor performance. In turn, coalition leadership is only too happy to return the favour with ongoing critical sniping from behind the barricades. While this is happening at Guyana’s leadership levels, the citizenry complies with rules when compelled, and makes up its own when such pleases. We are a ship of state that is adrift and struggling to find its depth, some moorings.

Now if only we could have our own leaders, like Dr. Rowley, step up and measure up with what is practical, positive, and progressive for all in this country, we could be so much wiser, so much better. They have to be about what is beneficial for all in this country, except that they have not done so. Instead of the self-sacrificing, there is the self-helping, self-promoting, and the self-aggrandizing. They care about what is good for this country, as much as the foreigners who come here to reap riches and wreak havoc. They have in mind what is good for this country, along the lines of what Venezuela’s Maduro has in mind. That is, what fulfills their personal priorities and visions.

COVID-19 care and concerns is just another nuisance in the big picture that is more important to them; it gets in the way of oil cash, and their ceaseless corruptions. Though, it also provides the cover for leaders and their people to capitalize by making financial hay while the going is good. It is why this country languishes.

Despite being seriously stricken earlier, Dr. Rowley, steadily steered the ship of state in Trinidad and Tobago and stayed the course with firm hands. That is a man who cares about his people. That is a leader who is about his country first. And that is what the WHO directorate sat down and came up with, as it studied who was doing right, and who was doing so consistently well. Consistently well enough to be publicly lauded, among other national leaders that did good. It is praise that is also due to Jacinda Ahern of New Zealand, the Prime Minister of Israel, and a few more, who proved to be fearless and decisive when the COVID-19 chips were down, and had to be dealt with comprehensively and conclusively.

If only we have such leaders in Guyana. We would like to reward ourselves with the rare luxury of fooling ourselves for a moment, and harbour the belief that we do have them. But even that fleeting blessing is proving elusive to us Guyanese. We look, we hope, we trust and depend upon, and all to no avail. For there are the many disappointments that come, year after year, from leadership ranks. They sink us, they sicken us with the litany of ugliness that they bring before us and dump upon us, and then leave with us to lament over the promises gone.

Oil has come, and Guyanese dreams are going down, fading away, with them. We are told nothing that is material; hence, we know less than we should, since leaders have made it their duty to be secretive and tight-lipped. Unity is a sweet-sounding leadership trumpet, but it is more of the music that makes the hair stand on the back of the neck, than that which reassures, because there is movement towards some degree of delivery. Accountability is a bright rose held high, save that the reality is of what is concealed and not cleared for consumption by the expectant public.

This is what Guyana has had and has again today. It is our curse and tragedy. Trinidad has a leader that is a neutral authority, like the WHO, could hail as different, as extraordinary. That is TT’s blessing and to its benefit.

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