Ramon Gaskin: The many faces of Guyanese politics

Mar 23, 2021 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Kaieteur News – My daughter would occasionally say to me, “When are you going to write your book?” But do you know how many persons have said that to me? What is shameful about this lapse of mine is that I don’t think it will happen. Laziness? Yes. Lack of research money? Yes. But there is a more important reason.
When you write history, do it as factually, as truthfully, as far as possible because those contents will remain forever. Hundreds of years after, people will see the past through correct lenses. In this context, I remember chastizing Eusi Kwayana for a pathetically nonsensical approach he has to the writing of history.
Last year, he informed Guyanese readers through a letter in the newspapers that he took notes at the trial of Donald Rodney, which was presided over by “a certain magistrate.” That magistrate is dead and gone. That magistrate was horrible and an embarrassment to the rule of law. Her name was Norma Jackman. Kwayana had an obligation to factually record history and was being silly by using the words, “a certain magistrate.”
If the circumstances became auspicious and attractive for me to write the book, it will be a half-baked concoction. Here are some lines from one of my all-time favourite love songs, entitled MacArthur’s Park.
“MacArthur’s Park is melting in the dark
All the sweet green icing flowing down
Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don’t think that I can take it
‘Cause it took so long to bake it
And I’ll never have that recipe again”
If I write that book, the omissions will be countless because in telling it like it was, I will receive literally hundreds of libel writs. Guyana is a human tragedy. Guyana has been one of the world’s enduring tragedies. Will it change? No one can predict the future and if you love Guyana, then you have to hope for the best and dream that it will one day come good.
If I publish the book with those countless omissions then it becomes a caricature. Too many priceless dimensions of history will go missing. At my age, I will never have that recipe again to bake my cake and let people see the real ingredients that make it delectable.
Do you know how many people I have encountered in my 50 years of social activism that were and are more unacceptable humans than the following presidents that they were actively involved in opposing are: Forbes Burnham, Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar, David Granger, etc.
These thoughts flew into my mind and formed the basis of this column when I read in the media a letter by Ramon Gaskin on the wharf controversy between BK Tiwari and the Attorney General. Gaskin noted that 14 years ago, he was the consultant to BK Tiwari when the deal was inked.
What Gaskin left out was that he has been the consultant to BK for more than 14 years and still is. When I wrote about industrial violations by BK (I called him on the phone one day when I was exercising in the National Park about complaints I received from some of his employees; complaints I still get) and cited Gaskin’s double standards as a high level employee. Gaskin replied in a letter saying he wasn’t an employee.
He was both right and wrong. The issue here was deception. He was using legal language to deceive readers. A consultant is not legally, an employee but in practical life, a consultant is an employee. That is how he earns his income. To make it simpler – a company employs a consultant.
All the years Gaskin spent criticizing presidents from Burnham to Granger inclusive, he was in no position to do so when his own employer was no example of industrial relations correctness. I would like to inform readers that in 2019 I received complaints about violations at the BK Tiwari Company.
This is the same Gaskin that appeared three times as chief witness in the three libel writs filed by Dr. Walter Ramsahoye against this columnist and Kaieteur News. He lost all. In his testimony, Gaskin referred to Ramsahoye as a great Guyanese and his best friend (at the time). Ramsahoye was one of the most obnoxious humans this world produced and a human with one of the ugliest minds in the world. For more on his mental ugliness see my column of Saturday, August 22, 2020, titled: “Walter Ramsahoye, the nature of humans and correcting history.” I never liked Gaskin. See my revulsion of him as a Stabroek News columnist in 1989. That is 31 years ago. I still harbour the identical dislike.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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Ramon Gaskin: The many faces of Guyanese politics

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