FIRST of all I want to make it clear that the Region 6 AFC Councillor, Mr. Haseef Yusuf is my father. I know that he is a man of good principles who is always willing to fight against corruption, even if the odds against him are huge.
Though I was against him from the inception, I also knew that he will never condone wrongdoing, be it within the AFC or outside of it. I could recall as a young person growing up that he resigned from the Masjid that he was going to since he was a child because of corrupt practices of certain office bearers there. He is a most courageous person I have known that he will not mince words when it comes to corruption at any level. I saw him working day and night for months leading up to the last election and now he is spending sleepless nights and stressful days with regard to the Frankenstein he has helped to create.
I am a GAWU representative at the Albion Sugar Factory, East Berbice Estates, and I take my job seriously. Before the November elections my father and I had a loud and heated confrontation at our home with regard to the said MP: our neighbours can vouch for this, but he remained staunch in his defence and support of this ungrateful (namak haram) man. My father would sing his praises on TV and on the campaign trail, yet he is now contending that my father is ‘bitter’ and ‘power drunk’. My father even told me that all those are false allegations which are peddled against this man, but now he knows differently.
However, I want to reiterate at this point that I am extremely proud of my father that he has the courage ‘to bell the fat cat’ who wants to get fatter. The AFC wants to get rid of the ‘fat cats’ in the government, but is unwilling and shamelessly reluctant to get rid of this ‘fat cat’.
Moreover, I want to add here that my father always supported me in my capacity as a GAWU representative and would continuously exhort me never to become corrupted and to represent workers to the best of my ability. He himself would write letters in the press supporting sugar workers because his father was a cane-cutter and he himself cut canes for a while to financially support us. At one time he was doing two jobs: he was teaching at Corentyne Comprehensive High School and working as a guard in the nights at the Albion Estate. He is also an honest husband and even today he will always assist my mother in the kitchen. He would cook on weekends and holidays and invite all his children.
Today, even though he is a Chartered Accountant and a Principal, he has not forgotten his ‘roots.’ Can this MP compare to my father? My father is not a racist, nor is he prejudicial against any religion. In fact, my father studied all the religious books and would quote extensively from them when he was hosting his programme ‘RVC’s Role on the Education System’.
Our Prophet, Muhammad (OWBP) exhorted us in the Hadiths to speak out against wrongdoings and try our utmost to change them, and I know this is the message of all religions, not only Islam. Further, he said that the weakest of faith is to know that something is wrong and yet remain silent. To remain silent is to condone the wrongdoings.
So, in conclusion, I am calling on all the AFC members and AFC supporters to support my father in his fight against corruption in his and your party!