Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jul 27, 2014 Letters
Dear Editor,
I have been reading about the negatives and positives of Mr. Granger’s leadership in the newspaper columns. Most disadvantageously, a majority of them come from people who live outside, hardly visit our country and miss out on the emotions Guyanese wear on their sleeves that tell you how they fell about their country’s institutions and their nation’s leaders.
I myself have written twice on Mr. David Granger’s leadership. The first was my last Sunday column and now today’s column. Then I was quoted in Demerara Waves as offering an opinion on Aubrey Norton versus David Granger. In that interview I did give a straight forward choice. I offered an analytical opinion (if there is such a concept) on what I conceived to be a strength that Mr. Norton has over Mr. Granger.
I come to know about that deciding factor because I socialize with Norton. I am also involved in an organization that he belongs to so we do have moments of opportunities to discuss Guyana’s future. Also I have been involved in a number of protest movements with Norton. What this means is that I know what is in the head of Norton and the things he told me he would do as an opposition activist.
I hardly know Mr. Granger. I have never had a coffee break with him. I never had a ten minute talk with him. I never had the opportunity to hear him bare his soul to me in ways that Aubrey Norton has. I have had two moments on uneasiness with Mr. Granger and sadly there were disappointing and personally depressing.
The first was the first tripartite meeting in February 2012 between the AFC, APNU and the newly elected President, Donald Ramotar. This was weeks after my abrupt dismissal from UG with industrial action and protest that followed at UG. The first issue that was ventilated by Gerhard Ramsaroop and Khemraj Ramjattan at that meeting was my dismissal.
The three APNU delegates – Granger, Rupert Roopnarine and Debra Backer said not one word in my defence or against what the PPP did to me. The AFC and the PPP exchanged heated words on my dismissal but APNU was just not interested.
The second occasion occurred during the unrest at UG. Mr. Granger came up and had a personal meeting with the two unions. Since then, the PPP’s hegemony at UG has grown stronger and the control has become tighter. Surely, as an analyst and political activist, I have to take these two circumstances into consideration when I assess Mr. Granger. My critics of this letter would be unfair to me to deny me that. Surely I deserved a defence of my right to work at UG from the Opposition Leader.
Finally, and this is for the benefit of Mr. Granger and his supporters. Occasionally, but not infrequently, I am asked by African consciousness groups to speak at their community gathering in closed door sessions. The last one was Friday evening in the Lodge/Wortmanville districts in South Georgetown. I am not at liberty to offer further details, because in penning this section of the letter, I did not consult these groups for permission to disclose details. But this I can tell Mr. Granger: there has been no exception at these groundings when question time comes up.
The frustration with Mr. Granger’s leadership is always there, more so last Friday with one of Guyana’s most prominent young African rights activists openly telling the forum that young Africans should now challenge the older PNC’s leaders for control of the party and he intends to do just that. Surely, Mr. Granger should not ignore these sentiments. I wish the PNC well this afternoon as they openly choose their leader in a democratic vote. Whoever wins has to be more confrontational with a governing regime that has just become completely insane.
Frederick Kissoon
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
Apr 19, 2024
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