Dear Editor,
I have noted with much concern the recent comments made by Mr Lincoln Lewis – General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress, with regards to the comments made by Prime Minister Mia Mottley who is also the Chairman of Caricom in relation to the ongoing elections situation in Guyana.
Mr Lewis seems to be of the opinion that both Ms Mottley and Caricom do not reserve the right to comment on the negatives of the elections that have placed not only Guyana but as she stated the rest of the region in a bad light.
Since Ms Morttley’s statement, there have been a lot of derogatory comments on social media levelled at her, many coming from the very quarters that before now have applauded her for her esteem leadership to the extent that she was awarded our country’s highest award – The Order of Roraima – earlier this year.
However, it is seemingly now the belief of some that her comments and reprimand on the recent General and Regional Elections held on March 2 and which is yet to have a declaration made after over 100 days is out of order and baseless. That she like so many others have no right in Guyana’s political affairs.
Mr Lewis seemingly feels that as Head of Caricom, Ms Morttley has compromised her position and the process by speaking on the issue since it is awaiting a hearing before the CCJ. That Guyana will not tolerate what he termed as the disrespect of Prime Ministers Mottley and Gonsalvez and any other Caribbean leader, political interference and diplomatic bullyism and that we deserve the right to resolve our conflicts judicially.
It is obvious that Mr Lewis since after receiving his national award – the Arrow of Achievement – went into a deep slumber or self-quarantine. It is hypercritical of him to lash out at Caricom or any other organisation for that matter, which stands up for the preservation of democracy. Where was his voice when this despicable cabal unleashed its venomous tentacles on the electorate of our country by openly engaging in fraudulent actions to deprive the will of the people to prevail. Where was his voice when this uncaring cabal used the COVID-19 pandemic situation to invent laws that had nothing to do with the health status of the nation but rather as a political tool to aid and abet fraudulent political schemes.
Many workers are at home, unable to earn an income to meet the basic needs of their families, yet the nation heard nothing from him. As General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), one would have felt that there would have been the call from the GTUC for an engagement with the relevant personnel to find a way to bring some level of assistance to workers across the country and to plan a way forward to deal with crisis situations that will certainly arise in the aftermath of this pandemic.
The silence of Mr Lewis on these important issues is deafening, disgusting and unacceptable for someone who is known for venomous attacks on some of our political leaders. Are we to assume that his recently bestowed national award has now transformed him from boisterous and aggressive to silent and petrified? Mr Lewis is known to accuse persons, especially trade unionists, of self-aggrandisement and jumping onto the gravy train. Sadly, he has found himself in that very situation to the extent that he has been elevated from the status of a passenger to that of train conductor on that very train since the bestowing of the national award.
The unwarranted attack on Caricom leaders by Lincoln Lewis leaves much to be desired coming from one who served as the General Secretary of the Caribbean Congress of Labour some years and who during that tenure lobbied Caricom to give Labour a seat on that very organisation. In like manner, his reprehensible comments directed to Prime Minister Mia Mottley must not go unnoticed. Lincoln Lewis needs to understand that Caricom is not GTUC which he has over the years removed from the status quo of a public entity to that of private property, his private property where he is the alpha and omega.
He must also come to terms with the reality that Prime Minister Mottley in her capacity of Chairman of Caricom is one of our region’s top women in leadership and by way of her office reserves the right to speak out and call a spade a spade.
He must also come to grips with the glaring reality that stares him directly in his face that in this day and age, many women in leadership on attaining high office will not stand idly by and allow egotistic, arrogant and chauvinistic men like himself to transform them into women of tokenism and window dressers whilst he carries on his charade. This is a new era.
The role of female leaders is more critical than ever before and when afforded the opportunity to lead it must be done without fear or favour. They are expected to deliver and deliver is what Prime Minister Mia Mottley did.
Yours sincerely,
Gillian Burton Persaud
