Remembering Mairoon

Mairoon Ali was the last media person to interview me before I left for vacation. I had emerged from hibernation to do a few radio and television interviews. This was prompted by two burning issues: the exciting news about the challenge for leadership in the UNC, and the brazen attempt by the Government’s spin doctors to explain away the discriminatory secret scholarship PNM slush fund. News of her sudden and untimely passing shocked me. Mairoon was an amazing and incredible woman and a true patriot. She frequently e-mailed me in order to comment, criticise, and compliment the work I was doing. She made frequent positive mention of my efforts towards the pursuit of social justice in the courts, on behalf of the downtrodden in her talk shows, and I was encouraged by her kind words.

I had completed a hectic schedule of activities when Mairoon’s assistant from Gayelle TV called to invite me to her programme on the day before I was scheduled to travel. I initially refused, but Mairoon e-mailed and personally called me, reminding me of the fact that Gayelle was the only true indigenous TV station (and one that was not owned by some conglomerate). It was difficult to resist her charm and sincerity, so I agreed to, once more, battle the notorious PoS traffic, in order to appear on her early morning programme. Before the programme started, Mairoon told me that her son was a beneficiary of the very secret scholarship programme that I had been instrumental in exposing.

Sensing my awkward reaction, she quickly reassured me that this did not alter her appreciation of my criticisms about the secrecy and prejudicial nature of the fund. My respect and admiration for Mairoon hit the roof; she was not going to defend the indefensible. She was not about to sing for a supper that she had eaten from a PNM plate. Au contraire; she was quite prepared to bite the proverbial hand that fed her, because it had dipped into an illegitimate kitty to buy the food. Mairoon went on to explain that she had learned about the scholarship from a prominent PNM supporter while she was working in Louis Lee Sing’s I95.5 FM radio station.

She gratefully accepted the financial assistance, because she was struggling to educate her son, and was oblivious to all the shenanigans and political corruption involved. I quickly explained to Mairoon that she and her son were eminently qualified to receive such financial assistance, and I had no problem with her benefiting. I was, instead, concerned with the secrecy, political and racial bias, and the inherently discriminatory attitude of the Government in the distribution of this financial assistance. Unlike Mairoon, there were many who were plainly not qualified to receive such financial assistance, but nevertheless received the same on the strength of their PNM connections.

There is a huge invisible price tag that is attached to making one’s views publicly known. As you step out of the shadows of anonymity, you unfortunately expose not just your views, but your personality and life to attack. Most people are content to whisper their views in hushed tones in the privacy and comfort of close family and social gatherings, and to never risk ridicule, public criticism, and contempt. Mairoon was always under the microscope, and sometimes attacked by all sides for the views she articulated on her radio and television programmes. She bore it all with a graceful smile and continued to speak her mind.

There are not many like her in our petty, half-baked society, where entrenched biases and feigned loyalty to the party in power influence and dictate the public (as opposed to personal) opinion of so many in our validating intellectual elite. The Government’s reaction to any form of criticism is that “if you’re not with us, you’re against us.” This gives licence to attack with full force, with the full might, power and resources of the State. Meaningful dialogue is a political illusion, as the state machinery is surreptitiously activated to undermine perceived opponents. The selective revelation of independent Senator Dana Seetahal’s legal fees (which probably pales into insignificance when compared with PNM lawyers whose fees were not revealed), the targeting of Dr Keith Rowley and the slandering of President of the Law Association Martin Daly, SC, are a few examples.

As the new year dawns, I wish that we mature as people and start listening to the message, instead of concentrating on the messenger. We can agree to disagree without becoming disagreeable. The Government needs an attitude adjustment and should listen, instead of handcuffing itself to an immovable party position, regardless of the merit and validity of public criticism. In short, we need to remember that people like Mairoon are the indispensable grease that makes the wheel of democracy turn. Without these voices, the political ground is fertile for dictatorship. May you rest in peace, my sister.

By Anand Ramlogan