POLITICAL leadership carries a very grave responsibility because
of the close scrutiny such office entails, in terms of every utterance made, and directive given.
For since these are specifically meant for emotive appeal to constituents’ guidance, there is need for whatever message is intended, to be carefully considered, taking into consideration, the possibility for extreme consequences.
The recent, reported utterances in the social media by leader of the APNU coalition, without wanting to repeat such, because of its laden fulminations and potential for great provocation, falls into this particular category.
It defies good reason, that someone of Mr. David Granger’s calibre, first a highly respected academic of proven research, who has a more than clear understanding of the nation’s passage along the thorny avenue of ethnicity challenges, can release the kind of thoughts that he has.
Secondly, as the Leader of the nation’s Political Opposition, a position that makes him a very important national leader, how can he speak such dangerous language which, without much examination, is inherent of a race appeal? He must know, based on his academic readings, that such cannot be in Guyana’s national interest, and poses a clear threat to the peace and racial harmony which all the races do enjoy with one another.
If this is Granger’s best as Leader of the Political Opposition, then his many followers, ought to be warned, least he leads them into a dangerous political cul-de-sac.
His parochial and anti-national mindset is again revealed in his New Year greetings to the local media. How can he qualify such a salutation, by stipulating that the State press is excluded from this tradition? This is definitely Granger espousing an immature and childish persona, even grudging.
It is indeed worrying, particularly coming so soon after the Linden and Agricola incidents – the latter, where citizens of a particular group suffered criminal attacks, and which the APNU leader never condemned.
But what all of these incidents do prove, is Granger’s continuing proclivity to show total disregard and disrespect for a particular group.