HERE are the words of Nigel Westmaas in his dolichocephalic, sesquipedalian letter on me in the Stabroek News, the day before it closed (March 14, 2026): “To his credit, Kissoon once held positions forged during long struggles over Guyana’s political and social direction. Yet the present government is now departing from long-standing patterns in Guyana’s relations with CARICOM, in its foreign-policy posture, and in other areas of national domestic life.”
Nigel Westmaas and the WPA once embraced actions and beliefs that were shaped by the instinct to fight for freedom so people could be free.
These very people like Westmaas retreated from their lived experiences, admirable struggles and nightmarish ordeals that the world admired them for.
Westmaas quoted from my praxis when I was a confrontationist during the PPP’s periods in power. He accuses me of now supporting the government of the PPP.
I am going to quote from four books to let people know where the WPA and its leaders were, and look at what they became after 2015. As readers digest the quotes from these four books, they must bear in mind that for all my 60 years in politics, I never held office or allotted some form of power by a government in Guyana in my entire life.
I think all, without exception, who look at the Freddie Kissoon Show and read the Freddie Kissoon Column, know that I have no formal or informal relation with the ruling party or the state.
I possess not a residue of authority assigned to me by the state.
The WPA leaders that were almost destroyed by the PNC government of the 1970s and 1980s, joined the PNC in power.
The power they acquired was not put in service of liberation. A story of sugar workers being forced into a trench in 2016 will be described if space permits. Here are the quotes.
- Clairmont Chung, “Walter Rodney: A Promise of Revolution.”
Quote from Clive Thomas: “During that period we were fearful for our lives… fear that attempts would be made to assassinate us…”
- Maurice Odle, “An Eventful Life.”
Quote from the author: “I was the principal editor of “Ratoon” then Josh Ramsammy took over…. This prominence of the Ramsammy role may have contributed to the regime’s attempt to put an end to his life… men in a vehicle said to include the third highest ranking of the PNC leaders, opened fire on Ramsammy who barely survived.”
- Rupert Roopnaraine, “The Sky’s Wild Noise.
Quote from the author: “In those 13 days of terror, at least 30 homes were searched. My own home was searched. I was detained and held for four days at Eve Leary. My home was searched again.”
John Gimlette, “Wild Coast: Travels on South America’s Untamed Edge.”
Quote from Rupert Roopnaraine: “I wanted an armed insurrection. We’d been stockpiling timers, arms and explosives, right here in the room upstairs.”
This is just a brief sample of how the WPA leaders were oppressed under the PNC government and could have been killed.
Three of the WPA leaders quoted above – Rupert Roopnaraine, Maurice Odle and Clive Thomas – aligned the WPA with the PNC and acquired state power in 2015.
None of these three great revolutionaries from the anti-dictatorship struggle of the 1970s that almost lost their lives in those days played any role in transforming Guyana and its political economy when they had state power after 2015. Here is the incident with the sugar workers mentioned above.
When Clive Thomas was chairman of GuySuco, a number of sugar estates were closed without the necessary legally required compensation. The sugar union had to go to court to secure it and they won.
One day, the sugar workers were picketing the Office of the President on Vlissengen Road over that required compensation. The police kept pushing them further [sic] east on the parapet near to the trench.
They kept pushing them so they fall into the trench. This was under a government in which WPA leaders had power.
Now for Westmaas himself. His best friend in Guyana had always been Walter Rodney’s brother-in-law, Keith Scott.
During Scott’s time as Labour Minister, I got complaints from Tacuma Ogunseye, and second-tier leaders from the AFC that Scott was impossible to relate to. During the APNU+AFC’s time in office, Westmaas visited Guyana each year in which he spent his time with Scott.
At his hotel, I implored Westmaas to talk to Scott to remind him of his obligation to the working people of Guyana. Westmaas told me he cannot do that because it means mixing friendship with politics. Westmaas has the temerity to tell me I am a PPP supporter. What was he and what he is now?
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
