The real…

Burnham
Hamilton Green claims “the real Forbes Burnham is hardly known”. Makes you wonder as to why Green, who was certainly one of Burnham’s thugs, hasn’t been a bit more conscientious in rectifying that lacuna. Could it be that the “real” Burnham wasn’t such the stand-up guy Green claims he was?
Let’s consider the views of Burnham’s sister Jessie, who was certainly closer to Burnham than Green. The following are excerpts from what she wrote just before the 1964 elections:
“… had (Burnham) coupled (his) ambition with a genuine concern for the welfare and needs of the people, giving him all he sought, in life. But along with ambition, he developed certain slickness, a sly glibness. He began, even as a boy, to depend more and more on his skills with words to achieve his goals…
“The issue of party leadership came to the fore immediately after the election. It has always been interesting to me that Forbes, alone among our key People’s Progressive Party (PPP) leaders, did not go to jail following the suspension of the Constitution. Could it be, I’ve frequently asked myself, that when Governor Lungley Savage remarked that “certain ministers have come to me,” he might possibly have had in mind my brother? Could it have been his hope to shatter the party, bring down the government in disgrace, and then perhaps, be around to pick up the pieces? “It’s leader or nothing!” he angrily shouted.
“When I heard him, I smiled. It was so typical of my brother. This was indeed the moment of truth: leader or nothing. It was, perhaps then, for the first time, I became fully aware of his “winner take all” attitude, his unending zest for the trappings of power, the frightening egotisms of the man.
“Eventually, in a move mediated by Aston Chase, Burnham backed down and accepted the Ministry of Education. But things were never again quite the same. That his love for personal power is so great he will trade anything to achieve it. That nothing is safe, no person, no liberty… that stands in his way. That is why I say, in all sincerity, “BEWARE, MY BROTHER FORBES.”
“Behind that jest, that charm, that easy oratory is a certain dark strain of cruelty which only surfaces when one of his vital interests is threatened. There are two Burnhams: the charming and the cruel. I say BEWARE of both.
“I do not want to see my country become a police state, where a power-hungry man can sacrifice our liberty for his personal gain… our beloved country cannot tolerate such men as LEADERS.”
The lady certainly knew her brother.
…shadow
On the opposition’s benches in Parliament, there are a lot of shady characters. We’re talking about all the “shadow” positions they’ve doled out… shadow minister of this and shadow minister of that. Joe Harmon’s billed as the shadow minister of public works. But from the way he’s carrying on you’d think he’s taken over Basil Williams’ wuk as shadow attorney general. And he hasn’t even taken up wearing spiffy suits.
He pontificated at length about the opposition’s bills the president has refused to sign. We don’t mind he’s disagreed with the president – that’s his right which the government’s been strenuously defending. But the way he took it upon himself to advise the president, you’d think he’s even looking for the real job.
Harmon says the president must be acting on the advice of Attorney General Anil Nandlall and since that advice is bad, the president should fire Nandlall. And maybe hire Harmon? But first he should look at Williams and Nandlall and get some good suits.
…coward
Freddie Kissoon of the Muckraker maligned Mahatma Gandhi by calling him a “racist homosexual”. He and his paper refused to apologise even though they print a daily quote from the great man. Friday, he called the Mahatma “great”…yet, no apology. Pride cometh before a fall. What a cowardly wanker!!!