AT this time some will attempt to glorify the late President L.F.S. Burnham and to portray him as a great Guyanese leader.
Of course he was a brilliant man but he used his brilliance for personal gains and not for his country. He was an excellent orator with a powerful command of the English Language, but while that is a commendable ability to have it does not really help to build a country. He made some contributions to the development of Guyana but those could be counted on the fingers. The wrongs he did more than several times wiped out the good.
Some are blaming the PPP for the destruction of this country, but wasn’t Burnham’s lust and greed for power which did that?
On this issue the pamphlet BEWARE MY BROTHER FORBES written by his sister, Jessie Burnham, who went the Jaganite-PPP faction when her brother engineered the spit, is most incisive and instructive,
Here are some excerpts: “I remember vividly one Sunday while Forbes and I were studying and the rest of the family either resting or relaxing; a religious programme “Bringing Christ To The Nation” was on the radio. The preacher was so enthusiastic that he shouted himself almost breathless. It was indeed disturbing to anyone studying. Forbes told me to switch off the radio. I complied.
Mother a few minutes later queried about the sudden halt in the programme. Forbes replied quickly Jessie turned off the radio. Forthwith I had to defend myself and state my case. The same attitude is there. I plan, others implement.”
“I have watched this brilliant brother use his brain to scheme, to plot, to put friend against friend, neighbour against neighbour, and relative against relative. I have watched him use this one and that one and then quickly discard them when they have served their purpose. I have watched him, with his clever charm; manipulate people like puppets on a string.”
“For today, I fear for my country and my people should my BROTHER become PREMIER or PRIME MINISTER. It is from this fear I speak.”
“BEWARE, I say My Brother Forbes, His motto is the personal ends of power justify any mean means used to achieve them. His Bible is The Prince by Machiavelli. And we the people should he become to power will be only pawns in his endless game of self-advancement.”