ANYONE who abuses children and disrespects women has no leadership qualitiesMoses Nagamootoo’s tirade against Elizabeth Harper comes as no surprise to those who heard him admit, in the National Assembly at that, to using abusive language to a tired little grandchild whose only offence was incessantly asking when they would reach a destination after a long drive.

‘Shet yuh so-and-so mouth’ Nagamootoo admitted to telling the child; and one can only imagine the tone he used and the actual words he used that he replaced, for propriety’s sake, with ‘so-and-so.’
Career diplomat Elizabeth Harper would be known by Moses Nagamootoo, who was once part of the PPP/C Government structure and would have become very familiar with the woman who was integral to many events where she officiated as representative of Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.
He therefore should be aware that Harper is a very deserving prime ministerial candidate because of her commitment to a work portfolio, her integrity as a person, her patriotism, and her years in a public domain where she never faltered in her duties; but instead worked always with a calm and pleasant demeanour.
His public persona, on the other hand, cannot bear scrutiny, for a multiplicity of reasons that space does not permit to elucidate herein; yet he dared to compare himself with her and derogate her credentials as a prime ministerial candidate of this country.
Apart from the fact that Nagamootoo’s personality and character cannot be equated in any shape and form with Elizabeth Harper’s, because the woman stands head and shoulders above him in every way that matters, he disdainfully repudiated her credentials as a worthy opponent.
The prime ministerial candidate of A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition on Sunday 29th March lambasted Mrs. Harper at a rally held at Whim.
“Do you know me? Do you know who Elisabeth Harper is… Well, this Harper lady says she wants to be Prime Minister because she was a victim of domestic violence.”
This horrible man has reduced, by his gross insensitivity and subversion of Mrs. Harper’s words – typical of Moses Nagamootoo, all the efforts of the myriad of people striving to empower abused women.
It takes great strength of will for a woman to stand on a public platform and confess her vulnerability by admitting to allowing the abuse of herself; and she has thus displayed with her courage more testicular fortitude than Nagamootoo has.
A country needs leaders who can empathize with the plight of its people, and abuse of women is a plague that is destroying families, communities and consequently entire societal constructs, because of the fallout of delinquent children and perpetuation of abusive situations by the children who have lived in that environment.
Ms. Harper numbered several areas of particular interest that she will personally take interest in, apart from her mandated portfolios when (not if) she becomes Guyana’s next Prime Minister.
She has therefore, even from the inception, signalled the type of proactive prime minister she plans to become; while Moses Nagamootoo has once again underscored another glitch in his personality – that added to his being a self-admitted child abuser, he is also abusive of strong women, whom he has not qualms in degrading.
Nagamootoo is always attempting to portray himself as propagator of Dr. Cheddi Jagan’s legacy. Well, among Dr. Jagan’s legacy was a Janet Jagan – first female President and Prime Minister of Guyana and the Women’s Progressive Organization, and a powerful youth unit in the Progressive Youth Organization. Dr. Jagan never abused women and children, but always facilitated their empowerment and upward mobility.
Conversely, the PNC, Nagamootoo’s current political allies, has a track record of abuse of its female and youthful members.
Only a weak man abuses women and children; so judge the calibre of of Nagamootoo against that of Elizabeth Harper. On this basis, one can answer Nagamootoo’s question at the coalition’s Whim rally: “Do you know me? Do you know who Elisabeth Harper is…?”