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PATCHING together a column everyday does not make one a journalist, especially when the writing reflects too many journalistic faux paus. The simple reality is that Freddie Kissoon is an “infotainer” and thus those of us who are professionally trained and credentialed journalists have, by and large, ignored his verbal gyrations and contortions. But somehow it seems that Freddie has an obsession with Annan Boodram, as, ever so often, my name becomes a target in his outpourings. His latest reference designates Annan Boodram as an Indian supremacist, member of a group ‘based in New York and Guyana’ and led by Ravi Dev (let me hasten to add that I cherish my friendship with Ravi Dev who I consider to be an awesome intellect with encyclopedic knowledge and razor sharp perception, yet a very humble and eminently approachable individual). Those who really know me can vouch for the fact that the only organisation I have ever been a part of in the Diaspora are all far removed from anything of the nature of Indian or any other ethnic supremacy.
However, it comes as no surprise that Freddie continues to engage in one of his favourite pastimes – manufacturing ‘facts’ to bolster his verbosity. After all this is the same person who presents ‘facts’ on the makeup of business in Guyana on the basis on his say so and nothing more; yet he challenges others to provide evidentiary basis for their conclusions. This is the same individual who boasted about lecturing to a full house at UG. When challenged, by the newspaper for which he writes (and others) to provide proof, he promised to either produce a supporting video or to stop writing. To date that video is still missing but Freddie continues to pound the keyboard.
Also this is the same man who swore that an OAS conference at a university in Miami included a discussion of Vishnu Bisram’s polling on the agenda and rejected an email from OAS number two, Albert Ramdin to this writer, that Bisram was neither on the agenda nor was ever discussed. He claimed that Annan Boodram was a nonentity who would never be acknowledged in any communication by Mr. Ramdin yet sadly it was Kissoon, himself who was not acknowledged when he wrote Albert Ramdin. Of course Freddie does not know that Victor Ramdin was once nominated for an award by The Caribbean Voice Awards committee.
Furthermore, Freddie Kissoon it is who continues to insist that Bisram is not a teacher despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Kissoon even wrote the principal of the school at which Bisram teaches, but like Albert Ramdin, that gentleman too ignored poor Freddie.
By the way, it is also Freddie who dismisses polls that actually prove to be on the money while touting polls that are so out of touch with reality that they end up being ludicrous – remember that infamous Dick Morris poll? The list of Freddisms is an infinite one indeed!
Mr. Editor, let me hasten to add that I bear Freddie no personal ill will. As a professional journalist, I do understand how daunting it is to write a daily column, a task that persons more able than Freddie find challenging. No wonder Freddie has to engage in a range of infotainment tactics: manufactured ‘news’; baptizing of opinions as facts; statistics pulled out a hat; dramatic headlines that often have little to do with the thrust of the ‘columns’, themselves; baseless accusations and malicious labeling; presenting a few trees as the forest; regularly crying ‘wolf’; commodifying himself and a hefty dose of Goebbelism!
Besides I’m a bit fond of dear Freddie, not only because he taught me at UG and gifted me a book prize for being one of his best students; not only because he once defended me against the PPP but also because he is so reminiscent of Spanish author, Miguel de Cervantes’ legendary character, Don Quixote, one of my all time favorites.
However, just to set the record straight, for the benefit of the few, who may give Freddie some credence: organisations I have been involved with are the Caribbean Voice, Caribbean Network Enterprises, The Caribbean Voice Awards and the Caribbean Voice Business Awards, all of which I was a founding member.
Others associated at one or another time include business persons Ramesh Kalicharran and Lal Somwaru; academic and social/cultural activist Dr. Juliet Emanuel, photo journalist Roland Hyde, journalist and social/cultural activist Matie Singh; anger management specialist Dr. Latchman Narine; social activist Margaret Goldstein; journalist Andrea Bullen; social and cultural activist Juneth Webson; academic and motivational writer/speaker, Dr. Anita Defoe; journalist and innovative entrepreneur, Felicia Persaud and a host of others drawn from the many groups within the Caribbean Diaspora. Outside of these organisations my association has been with/is the United Federation of Teachers; Caribbean American Domestic Violence group (CADVA) and a peer mediation/anti-violence entity set up by former New York City Mayor, David Dinkins. Incidentally, it is a moot point to indicate that all of these have been/are all multi-ethnic and multi-national bodies.
Editor, Guyanese have a saying that if you give a man long enough rope he will eventually hang himself. Freddie’s recent outburst at City Hall is very revealing indeed, even though the more discerning would have inferred that reality a long time ago. So now I guess I’ll have to sit back and wait for Freddie to deal with me, which, unlike journalism per se, is the nexus of Freddie’s columns – to deal with those who disagree with him, who do not see reality through his lenses, who challenge his perspectives and who show him up in one way or another.
However, it comes as no surprise that Freddie continues to engage in one of his favourite pastimes – manufacturing ‘facts’ to bolster his verbosity. After all this is the same person who presents ‘facts’ on the makeup of business in Guyana on the basis on his say so and nothing more; yet he challenges others to provide evidentiary basis for their conclusions. This is the same individual who boasted about lecturing to a full house at UG. When challenged, by the newspaper for which he writes (and others) to provide proof, he promised to either produce a supporting video or to stop writing. To date that video is still missing but Freddie continues to pound the keyboard.
Also this is the same man who swore that an OAS conference at a university in Miami included a discussion of Vishnu Bisram’s polling on the agenda and rejected an email from OAS number two, Albert Ramdin to this writer, that Bisram was neither on the agenda nor was ever discussed. He claimed that Annan Boodram was a nonentity who would never be acknowledged in any communication by Mr. Ramdin yet sadly it was Kissoon, himself who was not acknowledged when he wrote Albert Ramdin. Of course Freddie does not know that Victor Ramdin was once nominated for an award by The Caribbean Voice Awards committee.
Furthermore, Freddie Kissoon it is who continues to insist that Bisram is not a teacher despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Kissoon even wrote the principal of the school at which Bisram teaches, but like Albert Ramdin, that gentleman too ignored poor Freddie.
By the way, it is also Freddie who dismisses polls that actually prove to be on the money while touting polls that are so out of touch with reality that they end up being ludicrous – remember that infamous Dick Morris poll? The list of Freddisms is an infinite one indeed!
Mr. Editor, let me hasten to add that I bear Freddie no personal ill will. As a professional journalist, I do understand how daunting it is to write a daily column, a task that persons more able than Freddie find challenging. No wonder Freddie has to engage in a range of infotainment tactics: manufactured ‘news’; baptizing of opinions as facts; statistics pulled out a hat; dramatic headlines that often have little to do with the thrust of the ‘columns’, themselves; baseless accusations and malicious labeling; presenting a few trees as the forest; regularly crying ‘wolf’; commodifying himself and a hefty dose of Goebbelism!
Besides I’m a bit fond of dear Freddie, not only because he taught me at UG and gifted me a book prize for being one of his best students; not only because he once defended me against the PPP but also because he is so reminiscent of Spanish author, Miguel de Cervantes’ legendary character, Don Quixote, one of my all time favorites.
However, just to set the record straight, for the benefit of the few, who may give Freddie some credence: organisations I have been involved with are the Caribbean Voice, Caribbean Network Enterprises, The Caribbean Voice Awards and the Caribbean Voice Business Awards, all of which I was a founding member.
Others associated at one or another time include business persons Ramesh Kalicharran and Lal Somwaru; academic and social/cultural activist Dr. Juliet Emanuel, photo journalist Roland Hyde, journalist and social/cultural activist Matie Singh; anger management specialist Dr. Latchman Narine; social activist Margaret Goldstein; journalist Andrea Bullen; social and cultural activist Juneth Webson; academic and motivational writer/speaker, Dr. Anita Defoe; journalist and innovative entrepreneur, Felicia Persaud and a host of others drawn from the many groups within the Caribbean Diaspora. Outside of these organisations my association has been with/is the United Federation of Teachers; Caribbean American Domestic Violence group (CADVA) and a peer mediation/anti-violence entity set up by former New York City Mayor, David Dinkins. Incidentally, it is a moot point to indicate that all of these have been/are all multi-ethnic and multi-national bodies.
Editor, Guyanese have a saying that if you give a man long enough rope he will eventually hang himself. Freddie’s recent outburst at City Hall is very revealing indeed, even though the more discerning would have inferred that reality a long time ago. So now I guess I’ll have to sit back and wait for Freddie to deal with me, which, unlike journalism per se, is the nexus of Freddie’s columns – to deal with those who disagree with him, who do not see reality through his lenses, who challenge his perspectives and who show him up in one way or another.
