GRIGO, a digital television channel, exactly one year ago, asked a former black Assistant Secretary to the late Senator Edward Kennedy to pick five American presidents that top her list of doing positive things for Black Americans. Obama came last on her list.
I got the idea from her choices to look at some politicians that I believe were/are good in character, not racially driven in any philosophical sense, inclined to be nice to people and generally were and are substantially positive humans. My list is taken from my interactions with these people both of what I know of them and our personal exchanges on politics and life. Other researchers may not like my choices because they can argue they do not meet the objective criteria.

I understand this. I used subjective criteria also. I concede that there may be others who are excellent humans as those in my enumeration but because of the lack of personal knowledge of them, I have no thoughts of them. Here are the politicians in Guyanese history I think, based on my experience and what I know of them, top my list.

Anil Nandlall – PPP. I really do like Anil for one fundamental reason which resides in my philosophical outlook. I believe he favours the downtrodden, the poor and powerless, the working people and will use his power to empower them. This was the original intention in the formation of the PPP more than 70 years ago.

On a personal level, he has been politically nice to me. I took UG to court after a father told me his daughter was unfairly overlooked for a place in the law programme. Anil took the case and did it pro bono. He defended me when Tacuma Ogunseye sued me. It was Anil that facilitated the land that I bought in Turkeyen after I told him I wanted to move out of Wortmanville. He will make an excellent president.

Anil is deep down, a good soul. I know this unlike so many others who don’t know him. He has done a lot for me the past 35 years which is nobody’s business so I would not venture into an elaboration. Yes, I agree there are analytical dimensions here that are personally based. But objectively, I think he is superb man.
Irfaan Ali – PPP. Dr. Ali has an opportunity sitting right on top of his lap to carve out one of the best legacies a CARICOM leader can have. Dr. Ali means well for Guyana and has the quality and capacity to transform Guyana into an inclusive terrain for all Guyanese. I have never written about what is to be revealed in the next few lines. I have had a few long, private sessions with Dr. Ali. Because of my age, experience and training in philosophy, especially reading all the works of Sigmund Freud, I sense this is a soul-searching human that wants to do good for Guyana
In my reflecting discourses with Dr. Ali, I discussed three things. The State must use its reach to share the wealth of a country. The ordinary folks must feel they have access to justice. The working masses must never be neglected. He has promised that and I have seen the results the past three years.
EMG Wilson- PPP. He was the former Minister of Communication under the Jagan premiership. A lovely soul, EMG liked me like a son and made sure that I was nurtured politically. This was a man who was incapable of being nasty to anyone. And he was incapable also of being unprincipled.
Cheddi Jagan- PPP. Deep down in his soul, Cheddi was a beautiful human. Whatever shortcomings Cheddi had, he was a fine human that held no contempt in his heart for people. He will remain an international icon forever.
Desmond Hoyte – PNC. Mr. Hoyte if given a chance after 1992 to rule Guyana would have brought about serious ethnic reconciliation. He was a decent man who didn’t have time on his side. He was prepared to stand up for what he believed in.
When I returned to Guyana in 1984 from serving the Maurice Bishop Government in Grenada, President Burnham blocked me and my wife from working in both public and private sectors. Hoyte felt it was wrong to do that to my wife. He defied Burnham and employed her at GUYMIDA, a state agency which he, as Vice-President, had jurisdiction over. When he became president, he removed the ban Burnham put on me from teaching at UG.
Brian Rodway – WPA. What an incredible human. He was definitely one of the best that politics in Guyana produced. He taught me to remain true to the poor and powerless.
Boyo Ramsaroop – PPP. I would have ended dead or in jail if it wasn’t for Boyo. He made something out of a half-starving Wortmanville boy who was going nowhere fast.