Dear Editor,
As far as I know, based on the letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Office of the President, Mr. Prakash Gossai was appointed as a Special Assistant to the President and not as a religious or ethnic advisor. The attack on Mr. Gossai’s appointment is quite appalling since it is based on race and religion, when his appointment was not made on such basis. Is it that they are saying he should not be appointed for a particular position merely because of his religious involvement? Mr. Gossai is an exemplary and highly respected religious leader but he is also an eminently qualified Guyanese.
As a matter of fact we should be glad that such a respectable person has been appointed to serve his country.
Further, it is not the first time a religious leader has been appointed by the President to serve the country; the Bishop Juan Edghill was appointed Chairman of Ethnic Relations Commission and Bishop Randolph George was appointed Chairman of the Integrity Commission. Why weren’t their appointments questioned then? These men were appointed because the President has confidence that they can do the job as public servants notwithstanding their religious capacity. It is not about race or religion; it just reinforces the fact that the President is committed to racial parity.
Yours faithfully,
Tanuja Khan
