Dear Sir,

They say we should lead by example. Do I need to add a superlative to suggest the kind of example that’s best?

Another thing often said is that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and therein, my friends, lies a huge disparity. Our history is seen from numerous angles, each holding their own validity and bias.

Let’s take the glaring disparity between the views on Sally Bassett, a slave burnt at the stake for allegedly attempting to poison her master’s wife. The blacks see her heroism, while the whites, in the main, see a criminal.

Black heroes may be seen as antagonist and white leaders as market leaders or oppressors, etc. It may be difficult or not even necessary to have consensus on who or what is a good example of a leader, but I think there are some character traits that define and distinguish the good from the bad. Without going into the forensics of our past, the optimum utility would be to determine what we need and consider as good for us now.

I remember some years ago a white person saying to me, “We need a strong leader like Bob Richards”, and I can recall thinking there are too many in the black community who would not consider him as strong.

Then there was of late the comment “Michael Dunkley will be good because he is hard-working and a straight shooter”. Hard worker may go uncontested, but straight shooter probably will not become his legacy.

The black community can be summarised as needing a messianic figure for leadership, but who will fall at times for modern-day gladiators.

Unfortunately, real differentiators such as one who is honest, trustworthy, humanitarian, seeker of truth, or just and selfless are put aside for loyalty to a party.

Hence, it is difficult, if not absurd, to create expectations for exemplary behaviour when there is no structural way to attain such. In fact, by recent examples in both parties, there is every indication that structures are built to protect leaders at all cost, even that of our integrity.

So like in the song The Greatest Love of All, I can only suggest that we take oneself and decide on the type of example that is needed. I have to set my own standard and live by it.

I think we are all called to do the same. I don’t see the kind of leadership within my own community which I can look up to, so, like the song, I decide to depend on me and look inward for the best example I can draw from myself.

KHALID WASI