Dear Editor,
If I could be permitted to make some points concerning recent letters/columns in your newspaper:
1. The recent poll by Vishnu Bisram shows once again, the low level of investigative journalism in this country. This ‘pollster’ should be investigated by the press as soon as possible because I am sure that his so-called polling is full of holes; this man is a fake and is trying to manipulate the political landscape with his inventions of where the citizens stand on political views. He has no scientific basis for his invented assumptions and it’s a crying shame that Mr Bisram can write in your letter section about his “poll results” while sitting in New York.
2. The visit by President Jagdeo to Buxton was severely attacked by David Hinds, who doesn’t even live in Guyana and whose occasional presence here weakens the opposition with his ridiculous views. If the President chooses to go to Buxton then he should follow up with serious interventions to help the citizens there with job-creating investments and a caring involvement to sustain real development, but in the meantime, if he wishes to visit Buxton every day of the week, then the citizens should welcome him and that is his right. The same should occur if Mr Corbin wants to visit Port Mourant and interact with its citizens. Dr Hinds should come back home and let’s see what support he can bring the WPA in the next elections; maybe he can win Buxton’s votes, but I doubt it, because the people of Buxton will reject those who only talk. Urgent action is needed in Buxton and other similar communities and the current crop of politicians have failed the people all over this country.
3. The recent anniversary of President Burnham’s passing incurred quite a few comments but the facts are that internationally, my godfather played a positive role in the Non-Aligned Movement, the liberation struggles of that time and the development of Caricom. Locally, President Burnham’s concepts of nationalization, self-reliance, National Service, co-operative “socialism” and free education from the cradle to the grave were noble ones which were offset by his slow slide into unbridled curbs on democracy (the rigging of elections), while centralization with a command type economy undermined the resources needed to carry out those bold initiatives. President Burnham has my eternal respect as one of our outstanding leaders and time will work in his favour in order that all Guyanese will one day place his contribution in its proper perspective.
4. Emile Mervin’s letters are becoming more and more ludicrous as his bias is apparent. Mr Mervin thinks that he is some kind of expert on every political question facing the citizens of this country, when, in fact, he doesn’t even begin to understand the political implications of the mistakes which his party, the AFC, is committing. He is obviously confused as to the true nature of the divisions within that party and cannot understand that in the next elections the AFC will lose support if Mr Ramjattan is the presidential candidate. Mr Mervin can write all the letters he wants, but the Guyanese citizens are not stupid and ignorant of political matters as he might think; his analyses are all redundant and are only buttressed by voluminous diatribe. Coalition politics is the only way forward, and the AFC is against this all-embracing concept. Mr Mervin is speaking for the anti-coalition elements inside the AFC and his views are so narrow, it’s like a horse with blinkers on only seeing the dirt track ahead, not the whole view with the panoramic effect of ‘eyes wide open.’ Mr Mervin is indeed a man with blinkers and ‘eyes closed shut’ with his flawed observations and false conclusions.
5. The analysis of the past by Henry Jeffrey was unnecessary and redundant and should be criticized, even though his letter contained valuable points to reflect upon and open our minds to a certain perspective. But what we need to do is concentrate on the future while taking account of the lessons of the past. That these analyses came from one who was so closely affiliated with both the PPP and PNC and with Burnham and Jagan, is enlightening but redundant in the sense that we have heard this stuff before but from less cognizant and smart people (and Henry is indeed very smart and has an extremely sharp mind). The Marxist concept with its warped notion of democracy like ‘democratic centralism,’ ‘democratic councils’ and ‘peoples’ democracy’ are all camouflage for command-type economic development (failures worldwide), state intervention at maximum levels in the economy, and political control of the propaganda machines of state controlled media (radio, TV and the press). Dr Jeffrey should use his sharp mind and intellectual acumen to expose the Guyanese public to the theoretical aspects for the rejection of Marxist dogma and the acceptance of a democratic norm based on the concepts of the ancient Greeks and not of the modern autocratic Marxist concept of so-called “revolutionary” democracy. People like him can play a major role in determining the future of a real democracy but enriched with a blend of Guyanese patriotism, common sense and propelling our private sector to indeed become the real engine of growth.
6. Ravi Dev should stop writing discourses on current political matters and stick to theorizing about what could have been if no African Guyanese lived in Guyana.
7. GHK Lall should really stop trying to be a political Shakespeare with his allegorical style of writing, and one ends up trying to find meaning in sheer nonsense. Most of the time one tries to sift through his nonsense and then realizes it’s time to stop, forget about his views and move on. Shakespeare’s writings had life, energy, symbolism and heart, whereas Lall’s has nothing except jumble, torn curtains and the cries of an infant trying to find a voice.
8. Ralph Ramkarran is still trying to be President, finding a voice after all has been lost. He had a chance years ago, but now it’s too late and the forces against him in the PPP will make his efforts a lost cause. His pronouncements are all hollow and have no echo of affirmation from those who could make a difference for him. There will never be a President Ralph Ramkarran in this country.
Yours faithfully,
Cheddi (Joey) Jagan (Jr)
Editor’s note
Mr Bisram was in Guyana in July for about one week when we understand that the survey was undertaken.
