Functional respect for an office

On Presidents….And Other Personalities

By Allan Fenty

I feel entitled to a brief post-birthday waffle today. Any post-forty birth anniversary in our land should attract some celebration, however mild. Given the realistic everyday miseries of murder, disease, traffic accidents and fatal fires our once-innocent society now “boasts” of.

It’s an achievement to be alive, living on, even existing. Especially if you’re still law-abiding, upright and reasonably moralistic. And even replete with human frailties as we all seem to have in our make-up. So with the Stabroek’s editorial tolerance, I choose to have us reflect on the type(s) of leadership (personalities) Guyana’s society now seems to experience and accommodate.

For example, did we really need recent marital revelations to define, or, at least, give us insight into the character traits of our still under-fifty President? From the barest of thumb-nail bio-sketches; from knowledgeable sources who can recall our Head of State’s growing up in an East Coast, Demerara fishing village, his stint as a young teacher and tales from his Moscow (USSR) fellow-students as well as fair assessments from the scrutiny- insider and public- of his stewardship as politician-Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO), love of and devotion to the Jagans- and as State Planning Secretariat Public Servant, very young. Minister of Finance, and ultimately, as the very young President of our Republic, one ought to (have been able to) construct a behavioural and personality profile of the current Guyanese President.

What? You need to know qualifications? Those are quite public. His favourite foods, music, hobbies, clothes and pet peeves? And what about growing, alleged or evident selfish, uncompromising, spiteful, petulant unpresidential (political) behaviour. I guess you have to be quite judgmental whilst trying to be impartial and as objective as you can be. Persons like presidents open themselves to almost intimate public scrutiny because they begged to be elected. Campaigned to be elected to be servants of those same people with enquiring minds and eyes who voted for them. We are aware, of course that even Presidents cannot be perfect, but they have to be held to high standards.

Presidential private lives should be respected as all citizens are entitled to privacy. That is why I was not too attracted to Varshnie Singh-Jagdeo’s revelations. Except on two counts! Firstly, any worthy, moral, political leader should be exemplarily against spousal abuse and be a virtual role- model for husbands. Secondly, I could not be comfortable with any president who participated in a farcical, fake marriage, duping me and other taxpayers out of allowances for a phony “First Lady.” I do hope that our own National Leader never did that.

Since my early People’s National Congress (PNC) days of the seventies in Kitty, I resisted holding myself out for any political positions or office. I knew that from social and moral levels, I couldn’t qualify to be a genuine, top level leader. And I mind you, considered myself miles above many. Who eventually became community and national leaders!

To this day, I shake my head and grumble ruefully at some in parliament, the Government, in Church, in the Judiciary and Law Enforcement, in Sport, and of course, in Business as “Captains of Industry.” The things we know about them! But, I suppose, that’s “the best” our society could have offered (?)?
Respecting

institutions

Having recorded all the above and witnessing how the American Senate is searching for “Angels and Saints” amongst President Obama’s nominees for his cabinet positions, I must hasten to remind the right thinking in Guyanese society why we must continue, why we must strain to respect our institutions if not our personalities. Certain offices and institutions, whether inherited, indigenous or created, are the foundations and bedrock of our nation as we know it. While we can quietly eschew or ignore those positions established for their holders’ self-aggrandizement or worship, there are those that are truly traditional, national and sacrosanct.

For example, I admire how steadfast the few remaining military officers of the GDF are about their offices and traditions. No practicing Christian myself, I never-the-less appreciate the rituals and respect demonstrated in the established churches. Parliament’s procedures are also impressive and I’m still inspired by serious national flag-raising ceremonies. Do our Courts of Law, ministerial and even media executives inspire respect these days? Even from the ignorant and gross segments of today’s generation, respect has to be inspired and earned. You be the judge.

Frankly Speaking, it is my old-time up-bringing, my regard for tradition and my respect for high office and national institutions which all combine and conspire for me to respect the Presidency. I suppose whoever the holder(s), I shall retain some modicum of respect for the office. For to treat it with disrespect; for it to plummet into disrepute, is to witness the decline or demise of one political and State institution which should represent our collective aspiration and ideals.

I am aware of the current challenges to its status, prestige and lustre. But my hopes spring eternal…
Miscellaneous…

Is it Colin, a former media colleague in Georgetown?  But Colin King tells me not to lose sleep over White People’s determination (and definition) of Barack Obama’s blackness and Africanness .  Even though Barack’s mother is Caucasian White!

Colin advises me that ‘a Black professional’ geneticist   explained to him that ‘ethnicity is assigned based on the presence of genetic markers. Blacks are defined by a large number of markers, while Whites are defined by a small number of markers…a mixed Black-White parentage off-spring ends up with too many markers to be classified as ‘White’ but still enough to be classified as “Black.”

So now I know! It has to do with markers-not merely mothers or father! But do I believe? Or accept?

It’s still early in Obama’s first 100 days- and they are checking on his 510 campaign promises!

Among the ironies that played out in Davos, Switzerland when the World’s Leaders convened a few days ago was this: all that Western economic leaders told the suffering Asians not to do a decade ago, those Western experts are now doing- like bailing out banks and manufacturers, lowering interest rates and crafting even more protectionism- What a world!

Enrico’s Capitol News  might have told you how beautifully sensitive the female Italian-American Judge at the Roger Khan trial in New York was after repeatedly smelling strong “religious” fragrances in her court every time his relatives attended.

‘Til next week!

Comments?

allanafenty@yahoo.com