It certainly represents one of Aesop’s most unforgettable fables; be careful what you wish for, lest it comes true. Which conveys the meaning that one ought to be wary in what is desired, since there may be unforeseen and unpleasant consequences. And such a consequence has unquestionably befallen yet another democracy fighter, who fought tooth and nail to oust APNU+AFC from power.
In fact, the person in question, now topical in our news cycle, is none other than Melissa Atwell, who answers to the moniker Melly Mel. For Melly Mel exhorted every bodily sinew, peddling PPP propaganda, even as she abused social media to compose, mostly of poor grammar, false narratives on President Granger’s government.
But even as Melly Mel denigrated President Granger’s administration, I stood not as a silent bystander to her false narratives, and evidently hurtful concoctions.
For there was this one of many occasions when I challenged her, in retrospect unwisely so, on PPP murderous and discriminatory 23yrs. Where her response to my otherwise polite enquiry, shocking as it may be, was that I irrevocably lived in the long distant past.
So, reflected I did on her insensitive utterance, questioning myself how one could move on from the past, when one wasn’t afforded closure. In fact, closure is never possible when over 1000 were extrajudicially murdered, without any recognition of their deaths. Moreover, closure is never possible when those extrajudicially murdered, mostly of one phenotype, are mischaracterised with a racial underpinning.
Having said that, many are offering unwavering, if not ironclad support, for the reborn Melly Mel, as an anti-corruption champion, working tirelessly to expose PPP excesses. And to such an assertion, concur I would that yes, she positioned life and livelihood on the line, toiling resolutely to expose the PPP unrestraint kleptocracy.
However, even as she stood fervent in our struggles, I would doggedly argue that Melly Mel’s motives were mostly personal, driven by a fiery anger towards PPP not living up to their quid pro quo. For it was conspicuously evident, with her unjustified attacks on APNU+AFC, that she was dancing to the tune of the PPP pied piper. Which means, having done the dirty political bidding for the PPP pied piper, she anticipated handsome rewards, which unfortunately for her, weren’t forthcoming.
Now, having unashamedly besmirched, for political expediency, those extrajudicially murdered, she has to confront the painful realisation that this installed government, unlike President’s Granger’s, is without democratic principles. For undoubtedly, Melly Mel was freely allowed, as she should be in a democracy, to denigrate, even as she fabricated stories on President Granger’s administration. And even as she denigrated with fabrications, Melly Mel, in a true democracy, never faced persecution or prosecution for her dangerous narratives.
In fact, who can forget her troubling fabrications, dangerously posted on Facebook, that Linden Hospital is in crisis, without sterile gloves among other basic medical necessities, forcing management to publicly repudiate her story. Moreover, who can forget her troubling fabrications, again dangerously posted on Facebook, that the West Demerara Hospital and vulnerable patients were in a state of Noahic deluge, with torrentially leaking roofs.
Thus, considering her minimising of the more than 1000 extrajudicially murdered, along with the unjustified attacks on the then APNU+AFC government, I, admittedly with a hard heart, cannot muster that Jesuit spirit of forgiveness. In fact, so unforgiving I stand with her desecration of those extrajudicially murdered, that even as she now redirects her venom at PPP, I am reminded of those who have tragically lost loved ones.
And it’s for these reasons, of innumerable mourning for their loved ones, that I stand in the minority, not joining the chorus in singing Melly Mel praises, nor offering an iota of sympathy for her demise. So, even as she now feels the hellish wrath of her erstwhile political masters, I shall take the opportunity to once again remind her of the Aesop’s fable; be careful what you wish for, lest it comes true.
