The envious man grows lean at the success of his neighbour

Dear Editor,
I would like to respond to an article in a section of the media on December 25, 2018 edition, entitled “Rejecting Irfaan Ali as presidential candidate”. The article, inter alia, clearly sought to tarnish the image and reputation of the sitting MP with its vile and rancorous undertone.
As a party member, and having known Irfaan for over eight years. I personally found the article very misleading and despicable. As Pliny the Younger once said, “envy always implies conscious inferiority wherever it resides”.
Irfaan Ali, presumable is one of the most experienced, shrewd and humble politicians of all the potential candidates for the top post as leader of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). Hailed from a humble family, Irfaan worked his way up through the ranks of the PPP and became one of the youngest MPs, holding various portfolios, including Housing and Water Minister and, Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister. At one time, he was the Minister of both Ministries, simultaneously.
As the Housing and Water Minister, he spearheaded one of the most successful housing programmes ever. Tens of thousands of house lots were distributed, specifically targeting low and middle-income families, young professionals, teachers and our medical personal. According to the 2012-2016 Country Programme Evaluation Report, the Low-Income Settlement Programme II, a multibillion-dollar IDB programme initiated and executed under Irfaan’s tenure as Housing and Water Minister, was deemed one of the most successful housing programmes ever.
I recalled at one of the ‘One Stop Shop’ a single parent mother who was too overwhelmed with euphoria, shed tears as she praised the then Minister for providing her with an opportunity to own her own home. Though there are countless similar success stories of this kind, there are a few who didn’t get the opportunity to benefit due to the inability of the Government to match the overwhelm housing demand, which unfortunately precipitated premature resentments amongst some non-beneficiaries.
Nonetheless, there is no doubt that hundreds of thousands of lives were positively impacted through improved standard of living and wealth generation, and in the eyes of the beneficiaries, Irfaan is viewed as a saviour.

Yours truly,
Ian Persaud