THIS IS NO LONGER A CASE OF MISCHIEF

Oct 20, 2009 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

When select members of the media received a flyer and a button plugging a third term for President Bharrat Jagdeo, the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party denied that his party had anything to do with the coalition and said it was mischief at work.
Well the Donald had better take a second look because what we have afoot is not mischief but an orchestrated campaign.
This newspaper is in receipt of information that a person who ran on the PPPC ticket in 2006 elections was behind a recent attempt at circulating paraphernalia calling for a third term for President Jagdeo.
And as if to confirm that senior PPP members are also plugging for President Jagdeo, a most amazing thing happened at the largest Diwali motorcade. At the cultural presentation which is held at the conclusion of this parade, a senior leader of the PPP, called for a third term for President Jagdeo. This appeal by this aging but venerable PPP leader was carried in the front page edition of the pro- government Guyana Times which is owned by a close personal friend of the President.
A similar appeal, it is understood, was made from the floor of the last Congress of the PPP.
So what we have now is an open campaign promoting a third term for President Jagdeo, even though the President has indicated that he is disinterested in a third term. There has equally been a shift in focus. Instead of simply calling for a third term, there is now also a call for a referendum to decide whether there should be a third term.
The leaders within the PPP are silent about what is taking place. This may have to do with a commitment given at the level of leadership not to campaign personally for the presidential slot.
It is an approach fraught with dangers and unfairness since we have an open campaign being launched for a third term and we have what many see as a certain minister using his official work to promote a favourable image for himself.
Now that the claim of mischief-making has been demolished by this orchestrated campaign for a third term, the Donald needs to revisit his contention that this campaign is not the work of his party.
While it may not have the official sanction of the party, there are party persons who are leading the way in calling for a third term for President Jagdeo.
The General Secretary needs to make an official pronouncement of these latest developments since they are not without significance. If a group or groups within and outside of the party are being allowed to plug for a third term for the President, permission should equally be granted for others within the party who may have aspirations to be the party’s presidential candidate for the 2011 elections to also come out and campaign.
Prospective candidates are shooting themselves in the foot by now beginning their own campaign. They are also making a terrible mistake by leaving the decision as to who will lead the party into the next general elections and ultimately to victory in those polls, to the executive of the party.
Congress should have insisted that it choose the party’s presidential candidate but it seems that certain forces have already hijacked the party and thus neutralised the need for Congress to make this decision.
The General Secretary should therefore issue an instruction to all party leaders to desist from supporting a third term for the President since this decision has, as far as is known, not sanctioned by the leadership of the party.
This issue should also be placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the Central and Executive committees of the party. These committees should be asked whether they support a third term and whether such a proposal is achievable, given the constitutional constraints and the time available before the next elections.
A definitive decision should be taken as to where the leadership stands.
If the party is going to allow time before it make such a decision, and if it feels it is too early for the party to decide, then it also needs to allow those persons within the party who are interested in becoming the party’s presidential candidate to openly campaign.
There are powerful business interests who are keen to have President Jagdeo back. They should not be faulted for this since they have their own interests to safeguard. But the leaders of the party also have interests to safeguard and they also have to consider the future of the party and the need for new leaders to emerge.

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