Leadership trash talk when temperance should be standard

Jun 15, 2021 Editorial

Kaieteur News – No! We are not talking of watching how much liquor we drink, whether the hard or softer stuff, or not drinking alcohol at all. We at this paper write today of how we see things in our society in the lack of temperance in our exchanges with each other, the way we use (abuse) the gift of communicating, which we take for granted and handle in ways that are dirty, shabby and ugly. The concentration of our attention is on those who say they are about leading us forward, except that when there is review, there is so much that is missing.
We have problems in this society, many serious problems on multiple fronts. We can manage them, by confronting them and working to overcome them. But we will only succeed in doing so, if and when we are about what is truthful (the whole of it) and helpful to the greatest many in this nation. We can and will overpower our difficulties, when we are sincere in our commitments (thoroughly and consistently so) to bring about the changes that mean something for the hopeful of this society. And we will give ourselves a chance to flourish when we are truthful (principled) and sincere (genuine) in the deeds that are placed before peers and people, be they supporters or disbelievers.
When our leaders are about these things, then they are about temperance. They can be moderate, because there is the confidence that they have done their best to do right. That is, right when and as judged by any man, any tribunal, any history, any present or future evaluation. When they do right, to the best of their ability and with their all, then they reek of the mental and emotional temperance that comes from confidence.
But when they play games, when they do wrong, when they mislead, then they have to misinform. When they do so, leaders have no choice: they have to resort to, and shelter under, rising intemperance. It is where anything and everything that is touched by Guyana’s political leaders, most times in government, not much less in opposition, must be covered up by the dissembling, by distracting, by deceiving. They have tried that before, and they try more of that today. And when pressed with sharp and sharper questions, they lash out with intemperate speech. They cannot be calm, since their exposed world crumbles. They cannot be restrained, since they have hidden so much, and when they sense collapsing walls, they lash out.
They brutalise with savaging words first. Some Guyanese are so retarded, clearly unlearned and ignorant, that they do not understand, so small-brained they are. Leaders desire a totally passive and thoughtless population, one which drools over their mis-stated words, their misdeeds. So, they insult with the intemperate: only a fool would not understand, those with the minutest of minds could, but not fools. This is how they seek to batter Guyanese into submission, through the leadership curses and condemnations. Our leaders are so full of themselves, so carried away by the sound of their childish furious voices, that they are not content with deceits on the management of the nation’s oil. Thus, they move to manifest that same intemperance of speech with gold and precious minerals, while struggling to draw a veil over the wrongs that they have done, through the partnerships in which they have engaged.
They beat upon and bash down. And because they think they are doing well and getting away with their intemperate standards, the current crop of national leaders extend their barbarous intemperance into the realm of municipal governance, with who did what (or didn’t) about flooding following sustained torrential downpours. The existing standard is to shout down and beat down into silence. To make those who stand in the way see things the way of failed leaders. And if there is insistence on resistance, then get out of the way, for more of the raging intemperance is coming to undermine and upend. This verbal leadership culture could be called political trash talk. We at this paper will take the high road and label it intemperance, an acute and chronic lack of the temperance needed at every level in this society.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News