Dear Editor,
SO, Kaieteur News columnist Freddie Kissoon could criticise my letter published in Sunday’s edition of this newspaper only by resorting to name-calling and hypocrisy in his column in the Monday edition of KN. He says I should stop writing about Guyana, because I don’t live there.

But this is the same Freddie Kissoon that so often offers opinions on issues and events in countries that he has never even visited. Yet he suggests that I, who was born and grew up in Guyana, and who perhaps has done more and continues to do more for Guyana and Guyanese than he does, should stop writing about Guyana. Has Freddie Kissoon ever facilitated a single investment in Guyana? Well, I have! Has Freddie Kissoon ever gone to the halls of a Parliament or Congress of another country to lobby for laws, or the change thereof, to benefit Guyana and Guyanese? Well, I have, and continue to so do! Has Freddie Kissoon ever facilitated the overseas training of Guyanese? Well, I have, as recent as a few weeks ago! Has Freddie Kissoon ever facilitated his nice friend, and my dear brother, Dr. Mark Kirton in meeting high- ranking officials of any US university to explore the possibility of collaboration? Well, I have. Has Freddie Kissoon ever negotiated for UG to get free registration and display space at any international conference/expo? Well, I have. And there is so much more that I can say that I have done and do for Guyana, which I don’t brag about.

He also sinks into his own filth by resorting to name-calling. He says I am a fool. But this is the same Freddie Kissoon I had to admonish for advocating in one of his columns that his daughter (and others) should disobey a police request to pull over while driving, since unwarranted stops by the police are illegal, according to the then Commissioner of Police. He then went on to advise that a copy of the article quoting the then commissioner should be kept in everyone’s car and shown to the same police, should they pursue the driver for not pulling over. So, Freddie was in fact encouraging his daughter and others to create a situation that would necessitate a police chase, thereby exposing his daughter and other innocent people to danger and even death. So, tell me, who is the fool and who is really the one making sense?

I am not in the habit of characterising people. I might say someone did something foolish, but would never call anyone a fool. While I disagree with Freddie on many issues, I respect his right to express his views. I strongly believe that “even the dull and the ignorant, too, have their story”.

He asked who paid for the lunch I had with the VC. UG nor the VC paid for the lunch. The one full quote from my letter he published in his column included the words, “jealous admiration”. Oh, how accurate are my thoughts! And, just so Freddie should know, I have been spending most of my time in recent years in Guyana.

Regards,
Wesley Kirton