Has “not Dr. ” Vieira Been Influenced By MPD To Do This Show? That Is The Question!

Agnelo A. Montrond


“… a bizarre practice in Cape Verde of addressing government officials as “doctors” when in fact these lack the academic, honorary or any right to the title of Doctor …”, Miguel Vieira.

Herein is my formal reaction to the article “Dr. or not Dr? That is the question”, written by Miguel Vieira, FORCV columnist, which is still posted on FORCV.COM.

Columnist Miguel Vieira was quite unfortunate (and perhaps negatively influenced) to have chosen such a superfluous subject. In fact his text is emptied of content and constitutes an attack on all Cape Verdeans residing in the islands, who hold either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. Mr. Vieira was even more unfortunate when he mistakenly inspired on the American educational and cultural system to undertake such a pessimistic, displaced, and imprudent reflection and analysis of the titles associated to the academic degrees of our current government members.

And now I ask: why only now, is Mr. Vieira coming with these disparaging topics to politely insult the PAICV government? And why aren’t contemplated the former MPD government members, neither the recently elected mayors of the municipalities ruled by MPD, nor the members of the Cape Verdean parliament, or the Cape Verdean politicians in general, etc., in this analysis? This is like the Original and deadly sin committed by Miguel Vieira. Does it signify that FORCV is being used for doing campaign against PAICV? Has Mr. Vieira been influenced by MPD to do this show?

This practice of using titles of Dr. and Eng. to indicate respect to all those who earned a college or university degree does not happen exclusively in Cape Verde, but in all the Portuguese speaking countries, including Portugal. In spite of what Mr. Vieira thinks, in Cape Verde, the title Dr. does not necessary mean PhD, or another equivalent academic degree in the American system. If he didn’t know, he has created his own opportunity to learn it now. It has always been so, both in Cape Verde and in Portugal, as well as in other Portuguese speaking countries. A more pedagogic and careful criticism, without outraging our current government officials, would have done a better job, especially at this time where one of our government’s endeavors is developing our higher educational system. Hence, we are aware that whomever is concerned, especially the Cape Verdean Scholars, will deal appropriately with this issue.

Why didn’t the columnist target the Portuguese, Angolan, or any other government members? The answer is very simple: because he wants to get involved in petty politics. Please, do not even try to convince anybody that it is not a preconceived strategy aimed at mocking and disparaging the PAICV government members.

And the columnist decides to write this whole text solely in English and not in Portuguese or in Creole of Cape Verde. If the subject concerns the Cape Verdeans living on the archipelago, whose majority does not understand English, it is even more than an insult to address them in English. I suggest that this text be interpreted and published in Portuguese and / or in Cape Verdean Creole.

As if that was not enough, Mr. Vieira goes even further and attacks the whole class of the Cape Verdean journalists using insulting adjectives and predicates when he attributes them the practice of “journalistic dishonesty; lack of journalistic accuracy; infantile practice; disingenuous vanity and flattery by massaging the ego of the Cape Verdean government members by calling them Doctors, who pretend that they are truthful bearers of the title of doctor.” And he adds more to his plate when referring to this practice as being a pathetic example of a disillusionment of grandeur. What a tremendous irresponsibility is such a negative contribution dealing with titles and labels? It is a pity not to have chosen another subject instead of this washing of dirty clothes in a public arena.

Agnelo A. Montrond