It takes a lifetime to forge exceptional political leaders

Dear Editor,

As a Guyanese lawmaker, Mr. Sherod Duncan would, or should have one solemn oath sworn to “serve without ill-will or favour” the People of Guyana.

In a recent missive (SN December 3, 2020, “The return of Dr. Luncheon”), the Alliance for Change politician bemoaned (among other gripes) that the former HPS and Cabinet Secretary from 1992-2015 would be returning to the Office of the President.

As a context and binary Mr. Duncan references two main issues (Derrida/ Soyinka), first that PPP leaders from the pre-2015 era are prominent as executives in the Irfaan Ali-Mark Phillips administration. Second, that there is currently no substantive agenda for the 12th parliament. He is mindful of acknowledging the interconnection between longevity and experience (as a value) and institutional knowledge (IK).
In citing a section or paragraph from the book ‘We shall Not Fail, The Inspiring leadership of Winston Churchill’ -by Celia Sandys and Jonathan Littman, Mr. Duncan perhaps as a contradiction veers into the realm of intellectual commodity markets.
Evidently, the AFC legislator’s advocacy at the socio-political gradient is subjective, possibly euro-centric and therefore flawed. One must express a relative consternation that he would support his opening premise giving the contemporary Black Studies as well as BLM by relying on the racist, imperialist Winston Churchill at a time when radical and even so-called neolibs publicly support the dismantling of Churchill’s statue from its place of prominence in London. Recall the Tory leader’s description of Mahatma Gandhi as “a half-naked fakir”.
But that could complicate at least partially, the conversation. Has Mr. Duncan made efforts to listen or access the Freedom Radio Luncheon on Government weekly and bi-weekly broadcasts? These informative and multilayered analyses commenced from mid-2015 right up until early 2019.
If we accept that as a member of parliament he has access to the national budget and estimate interventions of PPP representatives even though the COVID protocols may have constrained such, Mr. Duncan certainly would be au fait with the rhetoric of Ministers Anthony, Benn, Manickhand, Sukhai and Teixiera, especially the latter as Chief Whip.
This is not a question of conjecture. Luncheon’s perspective on the political behaviour of the APNU-AFC is as profound as any, whilst Teixiera’s resume in elaborating the roots of APNU-AFC tactics and demagoguery has served as essential guidelines for governance reforms.

In conclusion it is worth noting that longevity measured in terms of political leaders including Mohamed Mosaddegh (86), Jawaharlal Nehru (74), WEB Dubois (93) and Guyana’s foremost freedom fighter Cheddi Jagan (79) is reproduced by historical forces and class struggle. It takes between 10-12 years to forge a CEO but a lifetime for exceptional political leaders of the people.

Yours truly,
Eddi Rodney