The third stakeholders’ meeting

Oct 12, 2008 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

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So there is a steady flow of criticism against Mr. Bruce Golding, Jamaica’s Prime Minister in the state media since Mr. Golding referred to certain Caricom Heads who are always begging the international community. It brings into focus a comparison between Mr. Golding and Mr. Jagdeo and Jamaica and Guyana.

During his press conference, last Wednesday, Mr. Jagdeo, while touching on his relationship with Mr. Golding, referred to me as a fool. Later on, he made another snide remark about me and he was all in smiles.

Before we move on to the third stakeholders’ meeting let us talk a little bit about the comparison between the two leaders. Some analysts take the position that Mr. Golding won the Jamaican election after he outshone Portia Simpson in the election debate. Our President has contested two elections and has not agreed to a debate with other contestants.

In 2011, his reign comes to an end. Not even a Putin/Medvedev arrangement can prolong his rule because Opposition Leader, Mr. Corbin has finally put the third term rumour to rest by saying he will not give support to the altering of the Constitution to allow Mr. Jagdeo to contest another general election as the PPP presidential candidate.

When 2011 comes, Mr. Jagdeo would have completed three four-year slots in office if you look at it in the American presidential format or the West Indian Westminster system.

In Guyana, he would have served two five-year periods plus two years as interim leader when President Janet Jagan resigned.

If between now and 2011, Mr. Jagdeo eschews a public debate with those who are critical of the PPP performance in Government, then he would have had the stain of never participating in an open forum in front of the Guyanese people. He should be asked what he was afraid of.

Bruce Golding was not fearful of Portia Simpson. Even a novice like Sarah Palin took on a firebrand politician like Senator Joe Biden.

I saw the satisfaction on Mr. Jagdeo’s face as he made his second cynical remark about me at his press conference.

My reaction to what he said will be the same as when he attacked me at another press conference in which I was labeled a sleaze ball.

Mr. Jagdeo will continue to derogate his detractors but on his turf. He will not take them on like Senators Obama and Mc Cain at a town hall venue.

Let us now look at the third stakeholders’ meeting. At his Wednesday press conference, the President announced that he will be convening a meeting with stakeholders on the global financial meltdown.

Should this materialize, it will be Mr. Jagdeo’s third stakeholders’ confabulation. Let us examine the fate of the other two.

The first one was after the mass murders at Lusignan and Bartica. Nothing, absolutely nothing, came out of it. One of the biggest casualties of that failure was the Human Rights Commission.

The Human Rights Commission, like the granting of radio licenses and the Freedom of Information Act, will not come under the Jagdeo presidency.

That is my opinion. Then we had the EPA “consultations” at the Convention Centre. The PNC endorsed the President’s stance. But it seemed that some stakeholders had second thoughts. The consensus fizzled out.

The TUC, AFC and PNC are in favour of signing. It does not look like the business community will back Mr. Jagdeo on his refusal to ink the document. It cannot because failure to sign will decapitate Guyana’s exporters.

Now we have a third meeting of minds. The President wants to build a firewall to protect the Guyanese economy against the consequences that are coming from the American slump.

Will the nation see success at this third attempt? Collapse can be predicted once Mr. Jagdeo sticks to the old formula of those who possess power should rule. This was the definition of government.

The concept of government has been replaced with the process of governance. Governance involves the state, stakeholders and other sectors of society sharing an arrangement that involves quid pro quo.

To put it another way, it is about giving and taking. Modern politics is about that. The American presidency is a perfect example of realpolitik in modern times.

Mr. Jagdeo’s two previous engagements failed because he understands only the role of government and not the meaning of governance.

If a leader is going to sit down with the crucial actors in society to find a way out of a crisis that will drown the entire country, then the resulting policy cannot come from him alone.

The other parties have constituencies that make demands on them. Why should stakeholders accept one radio station in a country in this, the 21st century?

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