Dear Editor,
A first read of Clement Rohee’s letter conveys the impression of a bully cornered with the truth but having been socialised to bully his way around feels compelled to try a thing to save face. Reference is made to his letter ‘Sunday Stabroek editorial was a scandalous attack on the PPP, the government and the President,’ (SN, January 11). Notwithstanding the wild waving of the red flag to rally supporters ‒ and continue the disrespect for them ‒ to feel the party and leadership are under attack, the content of his letter brings forcibly home to this society the political leadership crisis we face.
Mr Rohee is not only General Secretary of the PPP, he is also Minister of Home Affairs, a ministry tasked the responsibility of ensuring the security of this nation’s assets and people’s material and physical well-being, yet he demonstrates an inability to cogently marshall his thoughts and respond to a matter based on the information presented. Stabroek News is in the best position to make its case in response to him, but suffice it to say the nation would be better served had he in his response pointed out the infractions/instances he claims to be of concern.
But the truth is, he cannot, because the need to give citations for the areas for which he fakes concern would be difficult for him. This society would also be spared the assault on our intelligence if our elected representatives know we demand evidence for the claims they make.
In extracting some positions from his letter Rohee got one thing correct. He is correct about the right to freedom of association. This is a universal and fundamental right protected in Article 147 (1) of the Guyana Constitution. But while effort is taken to claim refuge in this right ‒ given the way the PPP manages the nation’s affairs and treats some citizens ‒ he completely ignores Article 149(2) that protects every citizen from being discriminated against on the ground of race. The stated articles have to operate in conjunction, not in isolation. And herein lies the racial-political problems in this country.
What Mr Rohee and the PPP continue to miss, which is also aided in some quarters, is you cannot cherry pick rights, just as you cannot deny persons their rights. And though it has become common talk to argue that race voting is Guyana’s problem for under-development, hostility and division, which offers a corrupt and lawless administration excuse to run roughshod over the nation, had the focus been holistic this country would have been further along the development continuum.
For government and elected officials would have had to account to us, through our collective voice, for abusing our resources and treating some citizens as second class in the land of their birth. To this end Mr Rohee is called on to not only read Article 147 (1) but to read and enact the entire Title 1 ‘Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual’ as outlined in the Guyana Constitution.
And to the reference that the President “belongs to the PPP,” it must be said while Mr Donald Ramotar secured the presidency on a party ticket, the oath of office which he took mandates “…true faith and allegiance to the People of Guyana…[to] faithfully execute the office of……without fear or favour, affection or ill will and that in the execution of the functions of that office [he] will honour, uphold and preserve the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.”
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
