Dear Editor,
It was with a mixture of amusement and disbelief that I read Ms. Akola Thompson’s thin, verbose and pathetically transparent attempt to create ethnic strife in my country, using the Kissoon family as traditional bait.
One presumes at the very least that persons bent on mischief would research the credentials of the chosen bait. Ms. Thompson’s ludicrous attempt to pit African against Indian in the age-old war against ethnic unity in Guyana falls far short of this basic requirement and fails for that reason. Among other things.
I doubt very much whether there is another prominent and wealthy Guyanese ‘Indian’ family which is less suited to being targets in this fight in which Ms. Thompson is but the latest, not to mention least intelligent, protagonist. As Ms. Akola Thompson remains blissfully unaware, Mrs. Lyla Kissoon was an early and lifelong member of the People’s National Congress, as well as one of its Chief Financiers. Additionally, several of her progeny are married to Guyanese who are either African or of Mixed Race.
I had the honour of meeting Auntie Lyla when I was uncharacteristically an idle sixteen year old who had just written her GCE O LEVELS and was facing the difficult decision of whether to continue on to A LEVELS, as I wanted to, and subject my single mother to further economic hardship or to pray for 5 passes which would guarantee me a good entry level job. So conflicted was I that I completely neglected the small art and craft business that I had started years before and on which, first Bookers, then the former Guyana Stores depended for Home Furnishing, ‘Hippee’ Accessories and Babywear supplies. I was therefore spending my days idling in a neighbour’s Hair Salon listening to very adult talk.
Mrs. Lyla Kissoon was one of the clients and, progressive as she was, was disturbed at this perceived waste of youth and did something about it.
Auntie Lyla offered me a job as salesgirl in her store. I accepted the offer with alacrity and gave no thought to remuneration, which, as it turned out, could not compare with what I was used to earning.
As it happened my Summer Job coincided with a wildcat strike and I became a scab. It was interesting to run the gauntlet every morning as I headed in to insert my card into the Time Machine, as I dubbed it.
As result of the job requirements at this time, myself and the only other loyal junior employee, a young lady of African descent, learned a tremendous amount about preparing wages and calculating NIS deductions and other valuable skills.
Of most value to me were the large signs on every post throughout the store which loudly proclaimed that “The Customer is Always Right”. This lesson has served me well in every difficult job I have since held and, not least, in my own businesses.
Mrs. Lyla Kissoon, who breezed into the store every morning looking and smelling like a million dollars, hardly said three words directly to me at that point in time. She had a business to run. But, she taught me by example and I learned.
I will be eternally grateful to you, Ma’am.
To elucidate who I am. I am a member of CIVIC and Parliamentary Candidate for the People’s Progressive Party/ CIVIC which, under the Leadership of General Secretary, the honourable Bharrat Jagdeo, and President Elect, Dr. Irfaan Ali, has vowed to stamp out the scourge of ethnic hatred and mistrust in this Dear Land of Guyana, once and for all.
I have vowed similarly. Ethnic hatred and mistrust have touched my life from in my mother’s womb and, If it takes my last breath, I will see true unity and togetherness in the country of my birth before I take my Final Rest with God/Allah/Shiva/Jahweh
Make no mistake. This is a war. When none other than my Friend, Winston Jordan, got up on a podium after a simple but eminently successful No-confidence Motion and told a crowd of APNU supporters of African descent that “War Break”, he set free the “Dogs of War” upon this land. I never pick fights and avoid them at all costs but, when war is declared in my land, I fight, and I dislike losing though sport taught me to be a good loser.
Racism made me, first a bastard, then a little embarrassment to my various Indian, Black, Mixed, White and Whitish
relatives, then finally a lifelong outsider belonging to no clan and unable to celebrate any of the traditions or religions that I inherited from my diverse ancestors.
It has even affected my work life. On my first real job after graduating from high school I was not white or Indian enough to be accepted. On my second, which I held for 22 years, I was not black enough. In my last job, which I held for 13 years, I was a “Wannabe Indian” and was fired for being a member of an erroneously perceived “Indian” party because I was the face of the organization which could not afford to be seen as supportive of one “side” in the war of ethnicity.
One Love.
God Bless You All.
Yours faithfully,
Elizabeth Alleyne
