One is not anti-West because one criticizes the attitudes of the West

Dec 22, 2022 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Kaieteur News – It is foolish for any minister of any Western government or any diplomat of any Western embassy here in Guyana to think that because a minister or businessman or editor or academic in this country criticizes the attitudes of Western governments, he/she is anti-Western.

No Guyanese would argue that China, Russia, Iran are democratic countries. President Putin runs a terror shop in Russia. You fall out with Putin and either you are dead from jumping out a window or you fell down the stairs as what happened days ago to yet another high level businessman. To date, more than a dozen businessmen who have rejected Putin’s style have died in such circumstances.

In China, President Xi Jinping will rule forever. Castro would have ruled Cuba even if he had reached 100 years and was incapacitated on his bed. The security forces are killing demonstrators in Iran as this column is being written in cruel ways that the Shah never did. In one year after the revolution, Castro executed more people than his overthrown predecessor, Baptista did.

In the democratic world of Western countries, there is an approach to Third World countries that Third World people resent. In repudiating Western impositions, it doesn’t mean that Third World people are anti-West.

All future scholars in international relations should watch the reply of then President of Kenya to the then President of the US, Mr. Obama. The American president on a visit to Kenya spoke at a joint press conference in which he advocated the acceptance of LGBT rights in Kenya.

Mr. Kenya delivered a devastating response. He said countries must respect the cultures of other nations and not seek to impose their values. He said what a priority is for one country, is not the priority for others. He went on to add that urgencies in Kenya revolve around developmental needs that the US does not have to deal with.

In most Third World countries, medical services are free. Even under Obamacare in the US, there still isn’t public medicine. It is not a priority for the US. Gun restriction in the US is not on the legislative agenda.

The EU mission in Guyana is relentless in its demand that Guyana abolishes the death penalty. It picks on a country it feels it can bully. But the EU dare not tell that to its most politically close and strategic friend – the US.

The US executes dozens of convicts each year yet the EU which hardly counts Guyana as a traditional and geo-political ally keeps pressing Guyana on the death penalty. This is a classic case of imposition of the developed world on the Third World.

Now it is interesting to listen to what Obama said at that Kenyan press conference. In batting for gay rights, he intoned, “Governments get in the habit of treating people differently, and those habits can spread.”

The Western countries treat people around the world differently. The World Cup heads to the US in four years’ time. Do you know the thousands of Third World people that will be refused entry to the US to see the matches? On the other hand, all Canadians, Australians and Europeans and New Zealanders will simply go on a plane and land in the US to see the games.

Almost 50 percent of non-immigrant visa applications to Canada and the US from Guyana are turned down. Do you know Guyanese desirous of having a Messi autograph can travel to Argentina visa- free to get it? In my media career of over 34 years, I have heard some sad stories of visa denial by the Canadian and American offices here that is downright illogical.

Guyanese had to apply to a private company – VFS-Global – rather than the UK High Commission for visa facilities for holiday purposes before it was changed months ago. Timothy Tucker is a prominent business figure in Guyana. Mr. Tucker wanted visa for him and his family.

After not hearing from the company for months, he enquired of the British High Commissioner who told him she can do nothing because VFS-Global is as private company.

See my column of September 22, 2020 titled, “What the British High Commissioner told Timothy Tucker is wrong.” Is there any Guyanese out there who believes a European oil expert working in Guyana would have met with the response that Mr. Tucker got?

Guyana has benefitted enormously from its alliance with Europe, Canada and the US. But Guyanese must never believe Third World people are seen as equal. Guyana must start looking for trading partners that serve the interests of Guyana and not rely exclusively on the West. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)