International Day of Democracy – a thought

Sep 16, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Yesterday, I looked at the newspaper pictures of men and women engaged in salutes to the International Day of Democracy. I confess to sparing not one second to read what any of them said that was recorded. There was no need.
For whether political men or church men, or whatever kind they have here-not forgetting the women – I am absolutely confident that there would be not a word unworthy, not one strand of hair out of place. This is how much like good actors, we have all become, be such pastors or politicos or pundits or panjandrums; even peasants. We are peerless in speaking deceptively about democracy, duty, country, and integrity. And yet, this Guyana of ours is one condemned to being a society of the damned.
The President’s picture was first. He must have had a mouthful to say about democracy. I remind him about his shallowness about one of its most sparkling components. It is called transparency. It is not what His Excellency, President Ali, says it is, which makes a mockery of both himself and democracy. But of the fruits of his leadership labours, which he strives so mightily to conceal, because they reveal so many ugly stories of his standards of governing, his lack of comprehension for the ideals of democracy. Being about transparency, President Ali is not; and such is his creativity and insensitivity that he cares not how he profanes himself, heaps indignity upon his high office, in the record of his serpentine weavings. Like an anaconda, his real presidential existence is not easily concealable. Notwithstanding his now characteristic emptiness about everything, including yesterday’s Global Day of Democracy, his leadership substances decry him for a pretender (deceptions), an absconder (truth), and a gerrymander (principle).
Whatever Guyana’s feeble head of state glowed with, the others were sure to mimic in their own inimitable styles. They all sing from the same well-used hymnbook, operate according to the same deceit-riddled playbook. It matters not whether they are men or women, of state or church, it is the same sorry set, with rare exception. Extremely rare. The results are right here. Citizens look anxiously at their leaders; it is not for relief. It is the wise apprehension that these men and women are capable of going to any lengths to get their way, silence anyone daring to stand in their way. It is of knowing the devils who are neighbours, the fake political leadership friends, who must be embraced closer than enemies, so untrustworthy they are. But they call this democracy.
We are good at calling things what they are not in this country. Democracy stands at the peak, through a preponderance of the evidence. The lies and cons of leaders cum conmen. The supporting casts in opposition hierarchy, civil society, professional variety mumble the same falsehoods without misstep, so silky smooth they all are, self-satisfied, too. Hence, a democracy of the words and postures of perverse men, who taint by the mere mention of them.

Sincerely,
GHK Lall

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