Dear Editor,
Much has been written and said about the legacy of Mikhail Gorbachev who recently passed away but I do believe that he was the main architect of democratic reforms in the former Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR) and for that matter the whole of Eastern Europe. Gorbachev is credited for bringing an end to the Cold War which paved the way for free and fair elections in several parts of the world including Guyana which was under PNC dictatorial rule for nearly three decades.
There are some who fault Gorbachev for presiding over the disintegrating of the then USSR through his implementation of Glastnost (Openness) and Perestroika (Restructuring) and while there may be some merit in such accusations, it is my firm belief that Gorbachev was essentially a democrat and the positions he took were well-meaning and intended to promote the good and well-being of the Soviet people.
Things obviously did not went exactly the way he envisaged and he eventually lost power. It is unfortunate that at the time of his passing two former Soviet Republics, namely Russia and Ukraine are embroiled in a fierce and deadly war which is dragging on for over six months.
Sincerely,
Hydar Ally
