By Abena Rockcliffe
I had decided that Guyana Standard would spare no further editorial space for the political disappointment that is Dr. Asha ‘squatter’ Kissoon. I felt as if Guyana Standard did its part to adequately highlight this woman’s behaviour as she betrayed her political partners to remain seated in a House which requires all its members to be referred to as honourable.
I was befuddled when Dr. Kissoon endorsed the incumbent President, Dr. Irfaan Ali for a second term. I questioned, why would a party, presumably as strong as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) welcome an endorsement from someone whose claim to fame is her lack of scruples. My colleague, Kemol King, dubbed her endorsement most worthless. We thought that would have been the end of commentary on Dr. Kissoon.
At the very least, onlookers expected that Dr. Kissoon would have tried to rebrand herself, especially given the flack she received for refusing to leave parliament after her time was up in 2023. But no, not her. This woman is as unremorseful as she is unreasonable.
During an interview with News Room, Dr. Kissoon accepted that she broke the agreement but said she has no apologies, a stance reminiscent of that taken by former Minister of State, Joseph Harmon after the APNU+AFC raised its salaries by 50 percent.
Dr. Kissoon argued that it would have been dangerous for her to hand over the seat. Luckily for her, the journalist did not ask her to identify that danger.
She went further to say that her covetous behaviour was justified, being that her replacement would have been from A New and United Guyana (ANUG) which has since joined the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party. This stance reminds me of that taken by persons who, in private conversations, seek to justify APNU+AFC’s attempt to rig the 2020 elections. They reason that such derailment of the will of the people could have saved Guyana from the evil that is the PPP.
Just when I thought this tale of the _barefaced squatter_ could not have gotten worse, Dr. Kissoon went on to say she would do it all over again. She said she played the game that is politics, “it’s not church.”
There is so much to unpack from that statement, mainly the delusion that she was any skilled player and her apparently genuine belief that politics has no place for morals and integrity.
After reading that, I immediately recalled one of the insightful things said by James Spader while starring in the series “The Blacklist” where he plays Raymond Reddington, a notorious criminal.
Reddington said he always despised the saying, “there is no honour among thieves.” He was emphatic, “…there are lines that even criminals should not cross, a standard of conduct even for those who earn their livelihood by breaking the law.” He said that those who violate that standard should be held accountable for they have forfeited the right to operate freely. He said those people are lucky to be held to account by others instead of being held to account by him.
As I meditated, for the second time on that speech, I realized that for whatever reason unbeknownst to me at this point, the PPP has decided to save Dr. Kissoon. That party saved her from being held to account by the electorate. In 2020, when Dr. Kissoon was in her prime, because there was no public stain on her character, her party—the New Movement—managed to secure 244 votes. She was the underdog in the joinder that’s why she was only entitled 91 days in the House. Not only did Dr. Kissoon usurp the seat, she did practically nothing useful with it.
From the looks of things, had Dr. Kissoon faced the electorate as TNM presidential candidate, she would have lost, at minimum, 224 votes. Depending on the human being she is in her personal life, her closest friends and family members might have still voted in her favour.
Dr. Kissoon thinks she played the game well. I hope she knows that unless she has a God Father in the PPP, she does not have much further to go.
Even the critics, not Guyanese Critic, critics of the PPP, can see Dr. Kissoon is out of her depth. She has now entered a party that sports heavy weights like Gail Teixeira, Priya Manickchand, Susan Rodrigues, Carolyn Rodrigues and Jennifer Westford. Not forgetting those who have passed on like Janet Jagan, Philomena Sahoye and Bibi Shadick. There is no programme over at the PPP to suggest no politician left behind.
Further, General Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo says no one is promised anything. If you agree with the philosophy of the party, you work and excel.
Well, one of the strengths of the PPP is its ability to stand on its promises. Dr. Kissoon does not seem too fond of that.
PPP purports to believe in the will of the electorate. Dr. Kissoon does not seem too fond of that.
PPP takes care of its own and places a premium on loyalty, Dr. Kissoon…you see where I am going with this.
Dr. Kissoon is a misfit and I fail to understand the desperation of the PPP to welcome her with open arms. Call me old school if you must, but I missed the breed of politicians who had shame; and, even more importantly, respect for the population. The proliferation of barefaced politicians worries me at a level that undermines my peace. The only thing that consoles me at this point is the fact that now in the big leagues, Dr. Kissoon will understand that she was not playing any game. She simply took advantage of a group who trusted her. The real game would swallow her alive.
