Life is all about making decisions, decisions, decisions. What to study, what to wear, whether and where to work, how much to confide in your doctor or attorney-at-law, when to marry (and sometimes whom), when to divorce and so on. One of the most difficult decisions that many in high office sometimes have to make is when to quit.
Way back in 1959 my father had been appointed the first Guyanese Director of Education by the British Colonial Office. He served many years in that position when suddenly in 1963 he found himself in parallel appointment as Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education under the legendary and redoubtable Balram Singh Rai. Within weeks of his new appointment as PS my father, FWE Case, realized he could not manage a relationship with his boss, the young, ambitious Minister of Education whom my father considered to be extremely idiosyncratic. After less than 6 months my father stood down. He was not an ego-driven man.
He was more Guyana-driven, if such a state of being is understood today by those in public office. Over that short period my father realized that his relationship with Rai would, or could, stand in the way of Guyana’s educational progress and development. In other words FWE knew when to go.
Sadly not many country leaders, leaders of political parties, sport or entertainment icons or those who have tasted power and popularity have this instinct for timely departure. They remain in office either because of egocentricity, fear of returning to mediocrity or because the spoils of office are too sweet to abandon. While being dilatory they often become anachronisms, obsolete or pathetic shadows of their former selves. In some instances they become pathologically unable to enjoy the very spoils they crave.
The world produces both types of individuals and parades them before our eyes. Mandela in South Africa knew when to go. Britain’s King Edward VIII knew when to abdicate in 1936 because of disagreement over his proposed marriage to an American. And, I remember in 1963 at the height of the Christine Keeler affair John Profumo knew when to go and launched himself into community and social work at which he became extremely successful. Harold Wilson resigned as Britain’s Prime Minister in March 1976. Many other Brits in public glare or high office have, or have had this valedictory gift. In fact Britain seems to have a monopoly on the instinct for timely departure.
It may even have rubbed off on world heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis, who as a sports icon and at the pinnacle of his craft knew when to quit the ring.
He recognized to his credit that it is always better to leave on a high note in one’s career – be it after a notable success, a spectacular achievement, a recognizable moment of triumph, sacrifice or selflessness, or after receiving a coveted accolade or prize. Leaving on a low note does not infuse history with kindness. France’s Charles de Gualle, general and statesman extraordinaire, was taken by surprise by an uprising of students and workers in 1968 and resigned after losing the referendum in 1969. Prime Minister Dr Mohamad Mahathir of Malaysia knew when to leave and retired in October 2003. He was then awarded a ‘Tun’-ship, Malaysia’s highest civilian honour. President of Senegal in West Africa, Leopold Senghor, resigned his position before the end of his term in December 1980 and was awarded France’s highest achievement as a poet and cultural theorist. India’s Sonia Gandhi was elected India’s Prime Minister in 2004 but turned it down fearing that the question of her nationality would tear the Indian nation apart.
Perhaps this is the purest form of self-sacrifice – stepping aside for the benefit of a nation, an institution, a people, a collective. Sometimes it is necessary to step aside for the advancement of an idea or the advancement of hope, sometimes purely to give younger or more mature aspirants a chance at becoming you. Sometimes it is imperative to avoid humiliation, ignominious defeat or public ridicule. Whatever may be the reason for going, knowing when to go will always be the most difficult decision some people in office have to take. Very often, the higher the office the person holds the more difficult it is to give it up. But, give it up they must.
Yours faithfully,
F Hamley Case
