I will never sell my self-belief for financial sycophancy

Jan 31, 2023 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

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Kaieteur News – I wrote several times on this page that you cannot prevent people from disrespecting you. You cannot stop people from describing you as mad, useless, ignorant, etc. Life is about people loving each other and people hating each other with grey areas in between.

Only a fool will ask others to respect him/her. When you do that, more nastiness comes your way. What you have to do is confront those who fictionalise your life. What you can do is refuse to let your dignity be trampled upon.

A gentleman by the name of Charles Ceres in this newspaper showed contempt for me by writing that I live a despondent life because I wanted to have post-graduate education. I cannot stop Ceres from saying untruthful things about me but I can reply and attempt to show the Guyanese nation who I am as opposed to Ceres.

I replied and informed the Guyanese people that I have post-graduate education at foreign universities the door of which Ceres will never see in his entire life. Ceres may disrespect me in the future. There is nothing I can do about that. What I can do is defend myself.

Lincoln Lewis continues to get personal with me in this newspaper. I have not attempted on any occasion to appeal to the editor to edit Lewis’ publications on me. There is a willing refuge waiting for me – the Guyanese people. I know the Guyanese people will never believe what Lewis writes about me because I am a public figure that has no history or background of secret immoralities.

I have been married for 44 years to the same lady. I educated my daughter in two Master degrees in London. I taught at UG for 26 years and never had a complaint against me. I never physically hurt even an animal. I never stole anything in my life except books from the Michael Forde Bookstore where I worked and from the national library. Both when I was a teenager.

I do not socialise. I do not mix with the Guyanese aristocracy who would shun me anyway. I have no wealthy friend except Nazar Mohamed aka “Shell. I know Shell long before he became a wealthy citizen and love him like a brother because I know his qualities long before he became famous. All my deep, personal friends are from the working class. No one can say they saw me at any casino, any hotel, any dance, any sporting event, any party. I have no use for the company of diplomats. I hate how good Guyanese love being sycophants to the diplomatic community.

I will never ever let anyone belittle me without retaliation. I never allowed that for the 26 years I was at UG and the 28 years I have been at Kaieteur News. It has happened and I stood my ground and fought back.

I will never sell my soul for money. I had six opportunities to do so and I showed not even at a remote level, any interest. I fought the presidencies of Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte, Cheddi Jagan, Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar and David Granger.

In those six presidencies, I could have found myself requesting opportunities for financial comfort. I believe in all six situations; I would not have been turned down but human rights were my priorities and not money.

I have grown much older since Forbes Burnham sent to call me after I graduated with the President’s Medal (I don’t even know where it is) and at my age, money is of no interest to me. My knees collapsed and I went to the Georgetown Hospital and waited to be served and I was treated with dignity and professionalism by two orthopedic surgeons, Drs. Samaroo and Watson.

It is too late now for one thing – seeking money. I will not allow people to disrespect me if they think I need money. In this life of mine, I don’t want your money and don’t think you can talk to me and disrespect me because you think I need money. You better don’t dare.

I have always spoken my mind and have paid the consequences. I will continue to be who I am because that is who I am. I will not allow people to belittle or bully me.  I have grown much older now and I need to lose myself in Janet Kissoon, my daughter, two cats, two dogs and a rabbit. I will always remember the words of Prsident Irfaan Ali to me. He said: “What could the government offer you.” And I said whatever I want, a younger person should be given the opportunity to have it.

(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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• Charles Ceres, financial, Freddie Kissoon, Nazar Mohamed, sycophancy

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