Oh no! Victor Smith

The Daily Searchlight yesterday quoted the Special Assistant to former President Rawlings, Mr Victor Smith as saying that he is not sorry about the accident President Kufuor was involved in, recently. The story further quoted Mr Smith as saying that President Kufuor would not enjoy his sympathy. He said the letter he sent to him (Prez Kufuor) last week was merely a formality because he was under instructions from the former President. If one looks at what they have done, it would be hypocritical for somebody to wish him well and to also say that we are sorry, the paper again quoted him.
We wish to state that if, indeed, Mr Victor Smith did say what has been attributed to him by the paper, then it is very unfortunate. This assertion has confirmed earlier speculations by the same paper that Victor Smith was inwardly jubilating over the President's accident.

Under normal circumstances, your political opponent would not be your enemy. Like in the game of soccer, one is only competing for something, and that is political power. Former President Rawlings has been a leading critic of the Kufuor government. In fact, he has on several occasions attacked the policies of the government. Despite this rivalry, Mr Rawlings still found it necessary to console his opponent and that is the mark of a good politician. Unfortunately, Mr Smith does not share his boss view but rather wishes his opponent the worst. What he seems to have forgotten is that as a spokesman for a high profile personality like the former President, whatever he says is deemed to have come from his boss. The Chronicle therefore reckons Mr Victor Smith is disgracing Mr Rawlings with such public utterances.

Indeed, during the NDC presidential race, Mr Victor Smith launched a vitriolic attack on one of the aspirants, Dr Ekwow Spio Garbrah. His action compelled the former President to come out to state that whatever comment he (Smith) made about Mr Garbrah did not represent his views. For Mr Rawlings to come out to dissociate himself from that comment alone should have informed Mr Smith that his boss is sometimes not happy with some of his comments.

It is not Ghanaian for one to jubilate over another's misfortune. That is why The Chronicle finds Smith's behaviour unfortunate. We do not think President Kufuor would come to say that he would be a happy man if Victor Smith or even former President Rawlings were involved in an accident.We seem to be taking our politics to a certain level that must be condemned in no uncertain terms. Surely, Mr Kufuor would never pass by unconcerned should he find former President Rawlings lying down and writhing in pain, likewise the latter.

Whatever be the case, we are all Ghanaians. It is only politics that seems to have divided us and so we must be careful the way we speak in order not to jeopardize the peace we all are currently enjoying in the country. Certainly, the comment made by Mr Victor Smith is an unfair one and we urge him to publicly retract it.