Dear Editor,
Recently, there has been an orchestrated campaign to publicly call into question the leadership of Mr. Robert Corbin, as Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform and Leader of the Opposition. A bulk of these letters have appeared in the Stabroek News letter columns. As part of our democratic culture this is expected and I am sure that Mr Corbin is not unmindful of this.
I have noted two emotional letters from my colleagues, Members of Parliament, Volda Lawrence and Amna Ally who are understandably upset at what can be irritants and distractions to the party work, and they are correct. I am disappointed that others particularly those who sit on the front bench have remained mum.
A public support for one’s political leader is not idol worshipping or cult conduct, it is demonstration of solidarity of purpose. And therefore silence may be interpreted as condoning and approving the recent attacks on Mr Corbin; silence thus ceases to be golden. As an elected member of the Central Executive of the PNCR I have had the benefit of working along with Mr Corbin.
I have had serious disagreements with him on issues of strategies and tactics and have made my views well known to him privately as well as within the forum of the Central Executive. Those who know me can well imagine my representation and Mr. Corbin even if he disagrees would always find the time to listen.
Over time, I believe that he has grown and continues to grow as party leader.
Within the party, Mr Corbin’s challenge as I see it lies in rebuilding the party organisation and grass-roots structures which have been so battered since 1992. People understandably are disappointed, and it becomes even more challenging in an environment where there is a daily struggle for survival, to motivate folks politically. This may seem like a contradiction as when things are supposedly bad people get riled up for political action. Guyana I am afraid is a contradiction.
In order to achieve the objective of mobilising our grass-roots support, ideas and projects not built on airy-fairy philosophy, but rooted on simple achievable outcomes must be spawned, implemented, allowed to grow, nurtured and cultivated. Equally critical, the right people must be identified, given the mandate and responsibility of implementing and overseeing such projects.
As politicians we spend too much time trying to sound erudite, talking and listening to ourselves and not the people out there. Mr Corbin I believe is well aware of this and has moved to be a politician among the people and not in academic circles. For this he is criticized by a minority few whose preference it appears is to let the world know that they have read Gramsci, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre et al, and that somehow our problems can be fixed by creating a theoretical political construct, to manufacture consent among our people, on the way to Guyana’s Utopia.
Indeed all ideas must be considered, but from my perspective, what the people of Guyana want is a well- thought-out and articulated plan that they can buy into for long term development of our country.
As important is identifiable leadership that has the demonstrated requisite skills to implement those plans in an efficient thoughtful manner.
The challenge therefore is for Mr Corbin and the leadership of the PNCR of which I am part to be able to convince Guyanese living at home and abroad that we have a plan for national development that includes all.
If we continue to act and behave like pressure group politicians representing ethnic enclaves and our own selfish interest, not even Jesus Christ who walked on water will be able to help us bridge the ethnic gap and build trust amongst our people.
Additionally, if we continue to pander to the racially driven agenda of those who talk and do very little work among the people, it would not matter if it is Robert Corbin or any other, we will still be in the same boat 5 years from now. Whoever the leader is his head will also be called to the guillotine.
Yours faithfully,
Jerome Khan
Elected Member
Central Executive
People’s National
Congress Reform
