Dear Editor,
Having a passion for politics and things political is one thing. Speaking the truth in the absence of sensationalism and in the presence of empiricism is another.
After all, the withdrawal of the Stabroek News ads fiasco is one which is gaining some degree of currency and while a multiplicity of views will be canvassed, it is expected that truth and sanity characterize all comments.
I make this speech in light of the assertion by Mike Persaud in his letter captioned “The president should apologise for GINA’s unwarranted attack on Rickey Singh” (07.02.02.) that Rickey Singh was exiled from Guyana. That is a mischievous and vexatious statement. I am not sure that anyone was ever exiled from this country and I would therefore invite Mr Persaud to explain what he means and produce the evidence in support of any position he takes.
I rather suspect that Mr Rickey Singh was no more exiled than Mr Mike Persaud himself, whom I believe made a deliberate and conscious choice to be domiciled elsewhere other than the land of his nativity.
In fact it is not Guyana who exiled him or threatened to have him exiled. Rather, it was the Tom Adams government which threatened to expel him from Barbados in 1983 for his criticisms of that country’s role in the invasion of Grenada.
Much of our history is yet to be written and when our youths are exposed to inaccuracies such as that being peddled by Mike Persaud a dispensation of the truth becomes extremely difficult.
The deliberate attempt by Mr Persaud to distort the truth reminds me of a statement made by Ms Charmine McLean who delivered the Valedictorian Oration at the 18th Convocation of the Wesleyan Bible College last November. She said: “How foolish brilliant minds can become when seeking to avoid the truth.”
I can only suggest to Mr Persaud that we should aspire at all times to be truthful to ourselves and those who look to us for lessons in history.
Yours faithfully,
Francis Carryl
