Freddie Kissoon speaks for himself alone

Sep 26, 2022 Letters

---

Dear Editor,

It is not true that ‘People live in mortal fear of the US, UK, Canadian diplomats in Guyana.’ This perception, and it is just that, was echoed by Freddie Kissoon, in his Friday Sept. 23 column in the Kaieteur News. He stated that “I have seen right in front of my eyes how ruling politicians, opposition politicians, civil society activists, and media practitioners have been scared to criticise the questionable decisions of the diplomatic missions of the US, UK and Canada (ABC) here in Guyana.” Now my take is that this kind of ranting is too hasty and generalised, and where FK (Freddie Kissoon) is concerned, it is coming from a man who is known for his wild and frenetic fallacies.

First, let us remember that this Columnist is a man of spontaneity and extremity. There are myriads of cases that I can point to, and of course, readers are familiar with just about all of them. To me, it seems that his vicissitudes are rooted in his fluctuating emotions that are very pendular.

I recall back in 2010, when Jason Abdulla (the third witness in the Bharrat Jagdeo lawsuit against Kissoon, Editor of the Kaieteur News, Adam Harris and Glenn Lall, had to be cross-examined in relation to the FK June 28, 2010 article, titled ‘King Kong (Jagdeo) sent his goons to disrupt the conference.’ It is out of that came Jagdeo’s suit, contending that the Kissoon’s article portrayed him as an ideological racist. Now, it seems as though Jagdeo has morphed into a deity, as Kissoon has now swung to the other side of the pendulum. In fact, this kind of ‘blowing in the wind’ politics from FK, so incensed Khemraj Ramjattan, he read at length, the many pages that Kissoon compiled in order to showcase Jagdeo as a racist demagogue.

We can also revisit the umpteen times Freddie Kissoon chastised Indians in Guyana who used to come out in support of the PPP and who have not expressed a preference for the PNC/APNU+AFC and who have not, according to him, recognised African Guyanese leaders. This is the man who sang panegyrics for the Craigs, Lewises, Hindses, Hoytes and Thomases, etc. Now what? For him, these people are incorrigible, and it is his once and former devilish PPP/C’s Jagdeos and et al who have re-morphed from being Indian racists, to being good for a ‘One Guyana’ drive.

Now let me get to a few things about the ABCE group. I feel very certain that FK’s assumption cannot be verified; I am wondering if he has done any kind of field work. I want to know how many, as FK said, “People shook and are shaking with trepidation when they have spoken and speak to me (since 1988) about the wrong things the ABC diplomatic missions have done and are doing to them?” My question is that there are scores of avenues and endless opportunities to ‘speak one’s mind.’ So why should I take as authority and authentic what FK is saying, that is ‘people are saying to him?’ It is ludicrous.

We must not forget that when the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was delaying a declaration on the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, it was United States (U.S.) Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo who had to announce that visa restrictions will be placed on individuals “responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Guyana”. In fact, he called on Former President David Granger to ‘step aside’ based on elections results not yet declared, saying that “Today I’m announcing visa restrictions on individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Guyana. Immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to restrictions. The Granger Government must respect the results of democratic elections and step aside.”

We must remember that two UK Foreign Office ministers, Tariq Ahmad and Liz Sugg, had made successive calls for Granger to accept the results, and that diplomats from the United States, the European Union, Canada and the United Kingdom said results released by the Election Commission for one of the country’s regions were not credible (and hence after, a lot of dalliance) the rightful winner, the PPP/C took office.
So what we have now, is a very favourable view of these people and their countries.

Mind you, the US authorities are aware of hundreds of Guyana using their visitors’ visas to work in the states, but in their compassion, they are not too quick to clampdown. Freddie’s angst can spoil all of this.
So, its crap coming from FK. His equivocation on issues and people characterises him. If one were to make two columns and tabulate is ‘pros and cons’ on people and issues, there will a wide-scale contradiction. He is a victim of the ‘winds of the times.’

Let me quickly finish off by asking if people are afraid to speak up when it comes to the High Commissions of Canada and the UK and the US, then why are they not rushing off to seek to live and study in China, and Russia?

Then FK is saying that, “In the US, these are street criminals and some homeless people who would rob and kill you. (and that) Those very people can get a UK and Canadian visa easier than rich and middle-class Guyanese. There are millions of very poor folks in the US that don’t need a visa to enter Canada and the UK. Good luck on your application for an ABC visa!”

My questions to this scandalous paragraph: 1. How come so many Guyanese are faring well in the US? 2. Visa acquisitions and exemptions for US (ABC and other countries, etc.) citizens and permanent residents are not whimsical happenings. Countries have to reach certain economic and political standings for this kind of thing to happen. I remind Freddie that when people flee as refuges, they do not run to Russia and China; they flee to England, Canada and the US.

So stop ‘cussing’ people- you are making it bad for so many, and you are not the Government’s voice piece. You need a scolding from President Irfaan Ali.

Yours truly,

H. Singh

---

---