Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to Dr. Joey Jagan’s letter “Ramkarran is not about change” (SN 16/05/08) which has been brought to my attention only now. I do not wish to comment on Joey’s critiques of Freddie Kissoon and Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran. I did a poll and presented the findings to the public. Joey and others are free to comment on the findings as well as on how the poll was conducted.
I take note of Joey’s critiques of my letter writing. I thank Joey for the support he extends for polling in Guyana. It has always been my goal, as well as that of my predecessors TRPI and teacher colleagues in New York, to institutionalize polling. Like him, I too applaud Stabroek News for commissioning polls to gather peoples’ opinions on various issues impacting on the nation. SN is performing a great service to the nation and the diaspora on polling. As I remember, SN pioneered the concept of polling in Guyana when it published the first credible poll conducted by TRPI in the country that predicted a PPP victory at the 1992 election. In other countries, the media fully supports polling, and SN has continued that tradition playing a key role in introducing that institution to Guyana. SN’s behaviour in polling has been professional and path breaking and on par with counterparts in the Caribbean.
With regards to Joey’s comment on the recent letters of mine on my role in the freedom struggle, I only penned those pieces in response to queries from R. Khan (maybe a fictitious name) who attacked my reputation and challenged me to list some of my anti-dictatorial activities. I could not let his attack go unanswered.
On the series of exchanges with Freddie, I responded to his queries which initially were fair. Unfortunately, the initial query degenerated into an attack on my integrity, professionalism, character, etc. As Joey would notice, I maintain a professional decorum in all of my responses and chose to stop responding to Freddie having received an avalanche of requests to cease and desist from that futile exercise.
On his comment about the need to have new leaders in Guyana, Joey’s name is mentioned among those potential leaders. I am not sure new leaders are necessarily better leaders.
Joey’s name is mentioned in Guyanese circles in NY as well as in Guyana as a Presidential candidate. In virtually all of the polls I conducted in Guyana Joey’s name came up as a candidate for President or as a cabinet member. In fact, I believe in the NACTA poll of 2005 he garnered the most support to lead an alliance of all opposition forces. And in the latest April 2008 NACTA poll, many respondents told me that Joey Jagan would make for an excellent leader of Guyana and should be included in a government if not as President.
I have known Joey as a patriot and do not doubt he has an important role to play in Guyanese politics. I have not had much contact with Joey but I do have respect for his independence of mind and courage to speak out (and act) against wrong-doings. I first learnt about Joey during the incident at McMaster University where he stood up against discrimination meted out to students of colour. I met Caribbean nationals in NY who studied with Joey in Canada and they still speak fondly about him as well as the incident. They offered praises to him for standing up against injustice. I first met Joey during my years in student government at City College where I assisted in organizing a forum on the Caribbean where Joey (and Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, now Prime Minister of St. Vincent) spoke (around 1980). Joey spoke out against fraudulent elections to thunderous applause. Since that time, I know he remained active in Guyanese politics.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
