WHEN will Freddie Kissoon experience enlightenment? He is now trying to get in on the Rodney Commission of Inquiry. This man behaved as though he ‘knew it all’ as regards the assassination of Dr. Rodney. He threatened that he would not have anything to do with the ongoing inquiry and this was a pompous position he took. The reason is that in no facet of politics was this man a major player. He is more like a gleeful Brian Lara fan who keeps boasting that he was around when Lara made his 400 not out. Kissoon is not privy to any special knowledge. Has anyone even made mention of him thus far? I think he is feeling how insignificant he truly is. However, he goes on with his empty rantings.

I see he wrote in the K/News that, “It is not credible Rodney was assassinated by state actors and Burnham didn’t know about it.” Is this supposed to be any kind of deep analysis? I think not, but why I am taking him up is that he is claiming that his statement that Burnham “… was a seriously committed nationalist, who cared intensely about the life and condition of the working people. He was committed to the preservation of the African race but he was not racist against East Indian people.”
First problem I have is that I need facts regarding what he did for the working people. The sugar workers were always on strike and at one juncture, Burnham had to call on his army to go out and cut the cane. Then he emptied the kitchen of the Indian work force – dhal, potatoes and flour, mainly Indian staples, were banned. This had a terrible impact on Hinduism as well. So I cannot see how Freddie’s Burnham was so nice, compassionate, worker-oriented and patriotic.

The next thing is that of comparing Burnham with Jagdeo. Just for starters, I am going to ask Freddie to go to the international community and let the ones in leadership come out and say who was confided in (more) and why. The magnitude of Bharrat Jagdeo is extra immense that Burnham pales in comparison. Then what nonsense is Freddie talking about ‘lust for power.’ If Burnham had not died so early, Guyana may have never ever enjoyed ‘fair and free’ elections. Desmond Hoyte, Burnham’s successor was less power crazy, but he too was not really for ‘fair and free’ election. I tell people that Jagdeo never even hinted at disenfranchising the people and always pushed for ‘fair and free’ elections.

I can go on to other areas of comparison, but my point will be the same. It is that only under the PPP leaders can Guyana be termed a democratic nation. The fact that so many people now have loud mouths and that they can even abuse ‘freedom of speech/expression’ is more than enough to set apart this Government as one that is most respectful of its people.

BALDEO MATHURA