What qualification does one need to debate issues of national importance?

Jun 07, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,
I usually ignore politicians who demonstrate absurdity when they speak or write. However, I am hard-pressed to respond to a politician or someone who appears to be a politician, Mr. Shawn Simmons, whose letter was carried in Kaieteur News on June 5, 2021.
On June 3, 2021 and June 4, 2021, I wrote two letters to the editor in response to two distinguished professors (retired), who appeared to be residing in the diaspora.
These letters were carried widely in the press and they constitute – what I regard, healthy and critical public debates on an issue of national importance.
Mr. Simmons, instead of contributing in any meaningful and substantive manner to the debate or the subject matter, sought to question my credentials. Mr. Simmons appeared to have enquired as to who I am and what qualifications I hold and from his description – he visited my LinkedIn profile as well. But if he so did, I am wondering why was he dishonest to state that he did not find which university (ies) I studied with, or maybe it was a case where he did not look thoroughly; or he was being deliberately mischievous.
One does not need a specific qualification to contribute, comment, discuss or critically analyze any issue of national importance. As a young Guyanese, taxpaying young professional, I am, and in fact any citizen of this country is entitled to and has a right to comment, debate, criticize and/or critically discuss issues of national importance, publicly.
Further, I am well aware of the profiles of the professors whose writings I have challenged and like I usually tell my students, to be a critical thinker, one has to have a mind of their own and ought to be able to critically examine complex issues. Not because someone is regarded as distinguished and holds five degrees it means what they say is gospel. It doesn’t work like that.
Regardless of how many degrees one holds or whatever you are regarded as or whoever you are or think you are – what you say is not gospel. Guyanese professionals, and Guyanese in general, are a people with a mind of their own – that is, being able to do one’s own independent assessment of information, and facts presented to them and / or at their disposal.
Finally, the fact that Mr. Simmons did not address my argument in any meaningful and substantive manner is not an unusual style by Guyanese politicians of a certain political entity. It is a sad affair when a country has an intelligibly weak political entity that is required to work through the National Assembly to shape the development path of a country and the governance of a country irrespective of which side they sit in the National Assembly.
And, if one is associated with an intellectually weak and bankrupt political organization and when they speak or write, that weakness is so reflected, such an undesirable and unfortunate situation speaks volumes and leaves much to be desired.
In other words, it is not an unusual practice by some politicians in Guyana that when they do not have anything of substance to say or contribute on an issue – they resort to attacking the person. Look at the quality of the budget (2020 & 2021) debates in the National Assembly, for example.
Yours truly,
J.C Bhagwandin

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