Dear Editor: Kudos to ‘a leader of considerable courage, wisdom, and grit’


“[…] A decision to shut down a nation can never be taken lightly or without consideration of the variety of implications, coordination of the various governmental functions, and severe inconvenience to the population.

“But he delivered the decisions of his government with such equanimity, calmness and poise, he instantly transformed into a statesman who understands government, and he proceeded fearlessly to do what is in the best interest of the nation…”

The following Letter to the Editor on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s leadership during the early stages of the Covid-19 crisis was submitted to Wired868 by David Brizan, a leadership and life coach and workshop facilitator:

Photo: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley (centre) stands between his wife Sharon Rowley (far right) and Chief Justice Ivor Archie (far left) during the Independence Day Parade on 31 August 2018.
(Copyright Ministry of National Security)

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has emerged as a leader of considerable courage, wisdom, and grit. His sense of humour is still suspect, and his demeanour seldom reveals the usual social niceties or even the profundity of his thinking.


A decision to shut down a nation can never be taken lightly or without consideration of the variety of implications, coordination of the various governmental functions, and severe inconvenience to the population.

But he delivered the decisions of his government with such equanimity, calmness and poise, he instantly transformed into a statesman who understands government, and he proceeded fearlessly to do what is in the best interest of the nation—blind to cultural preferences and the political divide that often renders governing unnecessarily difficult and, for the most part, foolishly racially partisan.

He spoke to us as a people undivided by the foolishness of race or metaphoric stupidity. He kept his calm, so that we could keep ours.

I deeply long for a post racial society in which the contribution of persons is not a function of race, gender, skin colour, or party affiliation, but of merit and the ability to make a difference, the uncompromised disposition to lead with accountability, respect, integrity, a commitment to service and effectiveness.

Photo: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley fields questions from the media.
(Copyright AFP)

Do you recall the times when we felt that Dr Rowley was too black to be the leader of our nation, too confrontational to be evenhanded? Now? You be the judge.

As a Sandhurst graduate and a highly qualified leadership and life coach, I am proud to call Dr Rowley my leader; and I am happy to conclude that he does know a lot about government and leadership. He has demonstrated it.

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2 comments

  1. Dr. Rowley simply followed the lead of all the other countries in the world. He had no other choice as failing to shut down the country is a suicidal move. It did not require any “considerable courage, wisdom, and grit”.

    In the circumstances, to conclude that he does know a lot about government and leadership on this basis only, is regarded as quite a stretch.

    • “The following Letter to the Editor on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s leadership during the early stages of the Covid-19 crisis…”

      The Editor’s reading of the letter is that it deals with the whole period LEADING UP TO AND including the then latest announcement coming from Govt and differs from yours ( on this basis only”).
      Without conceding the substantive point about how much the Prime Minister knows about government and leadership, I should be interested to find out how many people agree with your reading and how many others agree with ours.

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