Dear Editor,
This is my final emanation on the disagreement with Abu Bakr over my theory that his lack of knowledge of what goes on in Guyana because of his distance results in faulty presentations. I will not reply to Mr Bakr on this topic in the future because from the evidence in his responses, he demonstrates that he will stick with the methodology he uses despite its inherent flaws
First, I resent Mr Bakr’s putting down my exposure of Mr Vishnu Bisram as “the mutual aversion of the two men.” The word is not aversion but exposure, and that has been done over the years by others. To use an adjective Mr Bakr likes, “respected” people like Drs Anand Daljeet and Seelochan Beharry, Barrington Braitwaite and Malcolm Harrypaul among others have exposed Mr Bisram as a person who is not a professional pollster.
Do these people have an aversion to Mr Bisram? Mr Bakr should consult a long Stabroek News editor’s note attached to a published letter of Mr Bisram dated Dec 10, 2010. He will find it insightful. I close this topic on Mr Bisram by offering honest advice to Mr Bakr: Stay a million miles away from defending Vishnu Bisram. Given the integrity I know he possesses, I strongly suggest that he does so.
Secondly, Mr Bakr shouts “Eureka” because he has found out that though I live in Guyana I could get faulty information. And how he does he know this? Because Fazeel Ferouz denies that the CIOG was a founding member of the Indian Arrival Committee. What if I insist that my information is factual? Well I am insisting. But does it matter to Mr Bakr. He believes Mr Ferouz and that is his right.
Thirdly, members of the Muslim community can be racist just like any other community. Mr Bakr knows that the race problematic in Guyana during the fifties onwards right up to August 2014 was not underpinned by religious difference. Both Indian Hindus and Indian Muslims saw themselves as Indians. Both Hindus and Muslims like African Guyanese are living in the race vortex in Guyana. And the Indian thing also takes in the Christian Indians too, but I believe less so.
I don’t care if Mr Bakr believes me but I have heard racist comments come out of the mouths of Guyanese Muslims in the same way as they do from Hindus and African Guyanese for the whole period that I have lived in Guyana. And it goes on at this very moment.
This is the problem with Mr Bakr. His methodology and premises are religious driven, religious based. In such a situation subjectivity kills off objective analysis.
Yours faithfully,
Frederick Kissoon
