OP:ED – The dictatorship of distance: President Ali should listen

Jan 27, 2023 Features / Columnists, News, The GHK Lall Column

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By GHK Lall

Kaieteur News – A leader with considerable global standing, a man respected (and condemned) by many, shared a few thoughts and words during an engagement recently.  I think that they have resonance and depth, which is the reason that I lay them at the feet of my own cherished leader, His Excellency, President Ali.  He is cherished because he is still my brother, warts and all. My hope is that President Ali will listen, and that those in his cabinet of a particular persuasion (two women in particular), and others within his team, one I know well, would summon the courage and integrity to assist the leader by recommending that he takes what is shared to heart.  Guyana can only benefit all of it, if for only one moment of oneness.

The thoughts and words of that international presence that stirred the most now follow. “Even though they say he criticized me, fine, he has the right. Criticism is a human right.” Then, “If it’s not like this, there would be a dictatorship of distance, as I call it, where the emperor is there and no one can tell him anything. No, let them speak because … criticism helps you to grow and improve things.” Further, “You prefer that they don’t criticize, for the sake of tranquility”. Still further, “But I prefer that they do it because that means there’s freedom to speak.”  And finally, “The only thing I ask is that they do it to my face because that’s how we all grow, right?”

The Speaker was Pope Francis, head of the Roman Catholic Church during a recent interview with the Associated Press. I am Roman Catholic, and social justice issues are paramount in our belief system. For the Pontiff, immigration, poverty, environment, and homosexuality are priorities. For me, they are unity, equality, integrity to duty, and more. The Catholic Church has not dealt in truth with destructive issues, and engaged in cover-ups. Though it pains to say so, there is no choice, if I am to be true to myself. I put all these before President Ali because I believe that they are invaluable to his leadership journey.  But only if he listens, not at anything religious, but what is of the majesty of frankness and fearlessness, because both are immersed in truthfulness.

My own President bristles when he is criticized, with plenty in that storehouse.  No list is necessary since he and his people know full well what is involved.  As the man from the barrios said, “criticism is a human right” and “criticism helps…to grow.” When I disagree with President Ali and his indefensible postures, I will go down battling that it is based on what is the honest record, and if it were present would be personally appealing, and nationally inspiring.  I grow; he can also.  One burden, a trial, of being a leader, is that he or she does not get to decide unilaterally and tyrannically what is constructive, what should be said, and what should be accepted or rejected.

Before Guyana’s head of state, I bring this humble reminder: it is of the hallmarks of democracy, a truly open society, that there is the right to differ, however obstreperous such may be, however obnoxious.  For my part, I admit to being sharp, scorching, and piercing at times, and for that I flagellate myself.  I know better.  For, if there is neither courage nor wisdom to differ, then all that we have left is what was best said by the Pontifex Maximus: we would have “the dictatorship of distance” and “no one can tell him [leader] anything.”  There is no growing.

Respectfully, I submit that this is what our dear President Ali prefers, works assiduously to nurture, would have no other way.  If the President is offended, then I am offended that this is the only reaction that the well-intended, and the well-grounded, can inspire.  As national leaders (spiritual ones unexempted), and as lowly private citizens, there must be learning and embracing of the good with the bad, and labouring endlessly to do better with the former, and attract lesser of the latter.  When one smart untruth, one little falsehood, one tiny deception is delivered in the national arena, then a long, devastating line of untruths and falsehoods and deceptions must follow to bolster the first small one.  That is, unless the personal strength, the indomitable individual will, the leadership (and citizen) light stirs to say: not anymore, not one more of what exposes further and embarrasses further.

I leave my leader, President Ali, this little nugget for him to ponder.  The late Cardinal George Pell reportedly wrote and circulated a memorandum inside the Vatican that called Pope Francis a “disaster” and a “catastrophe.”  The Pope’s response was, “he has the right.”  My best to the President.

(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.)

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• Cardinal George Pell, His Excellency, Pope Francis, President Ali, Roman Catholic Church

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