Dear Editor,
FOREIGN Affairs magazine, published by the Council on Foreign Relations and the LEE KWAN YEW School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore have announced their 2016 Student Essay competition, which is open to undergraduate students graduating no earlier than December 2016. The essay topic is : What global issue should world leaders be paying more attention to? The deadline for entries is October 15, 2016. To submit entries go to:www.foreignaffairs.com/essay 2016.
Earlier this week, Foreign Affairs held its Graduate School Fair which was preceded by a panel discussion on a new U.S. Grand Strategy. I encourage Guyanese undergraduate students at home and in the Diaspora to enter this essay competition.
Next, Guyana’s former president and current opposition leader Bharat Jagdeo has been invited and will deliver the 18th annual Eric Williams Memorial Lecture at Florida International University (FIU) on Friday, September 30th. I shared this information on my and other Facebook pages and several Guyanese resented the fact that I shared this information, accusing me and the organisers of the lecture series (I am not part of the organisers) of legitimising Jagdeo. Some have called me all sorts of names for indicating that I will attend, alleging that the former president is responsible for some 400 deaths carried out by the phantom squad which operated in Guyana during his tenure.
Kindly allow me a few lines to make it clear that I am in no position to legitimise or dismiss anyone. Former President Jagdeo has been legitimised by a significant percentage of the Guyanese electorate that has voted for and supports his People’s Progressive Party (PPP). He is legitimised by several international governmental and non-government agencies that apparently value his contributions to their deliberations and quite rightly, as I do, take the position that a person is innocent of allegations levelled at him or her until and unless found guilty in a Court of Law. I encourage Guyanese in Florida to attend the lecture for which there is no fee and to respectfully pose whatever questions they need answered by the former president.
During the presidency of Desmond Hoyte, several members of the U.S. Congress were written to by Guyanese-Americans, in some cases one person using different names to send several letters, requesting that the U.S. suspend aid to Guyana pending free and fair elections. And the aid was suspended. Shortly thereafter, I was on Capitol Hill for a reception one evening and took along my visiting friend Neville Bissember Jr.
As we were leaving the Hill I stumbled on then Senator Bob Graham and we engaged him in conversation. I asked the Senator, who knew me as the Caribbean News Agency (CANA) Washington correspondent, how come he could vote to cut off aid to the Hoyte government when in fact Hoyte was embarking on a number of reforms in keeping with the strengthening of democracy. His response was “My office has been receiving letters from all these Floridian Guyanyans (meaning Guyanese) about rigged elections and we don’t ever get the other side of the story.”
So, those who feel so strongly about Jagdeo’s alleged wrongdoings and the fact that he continues to be legitimised by reputable institutions, should present to these institutions whatever evidence they have against the former president and request that he not be “legitimised”. But instead these political sycophants choose to characterise me on social media simply because I share information on an event at which Jagdeo is the featured guest. Fortunately, I am an independent thinker and I take positions on issues based on what I feel is best for Guyana. My positions may not always be right, but these are never influenced by any partisan political, ethnic, religious or gender considerations. I will be attending the lecture by former President Jagdeo and intend to ask a question or two. I care less about who or what anyone has to say about my attending.
Finally Editor, I also would like to share some information about next month’s annual Florida International Trade Conference and Expo (FITCE 2016) to be held October 19-20 at the Broward Convention Center. This year, the Florida Conference on the Caribbean: The Diaspora Discussion, at which Vice-President Carl Greenidge was the featured speaker last year, has been incorporated into FITCE to provide for a single robust event that is expected to attract over 600 participants from around the world. Also, this year’s event will highlight the Caribbean and a special pavilion will be mounted for the Region to display its goods and services. I have secured 10 display booths free of cost for the Guyanese private sector and two for government agencies. I have also had Broward Commissioner Dale Holness extend an invitation to the Honourable Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin. I hope that both the private sector and the government accept this invitation.

Regards,
Wesley Kirton