The Jeffrey syndrome

Mar 26, 2011 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

In 1992, Dr. Henry Jeffrey became a Minister in the PPP Government. He held senior portfolios in that regime for seventeen years. I remind readers that seventeen by world standards is a long time for a Minister of government.
After a disagreement with his President over the EPA between Caricom and the European Union, Mr. Jagdeo asked Mr. Jeffrey to resign. Dr Jeffrey was offered the post of envoy to Suriname. He wrote that he tabled a proposal for some more resources to be added to his new job offer. It was rejected and he separated himself from any form of occupational connection with the government.
Since leaving the Cabinet, Dr. Jeffrey has given an interview to Denis Chabrol and one to Mark Benschop in which some indictments were made against the PPP regime. In addition he has been writing letters in the two independent dailies at a frenetic pace. When all his deliveries are taken together, a huge picture of inconsistencies, moral dilemmas, political contradictions and open opportunism emerge.
It is outside the scope of this essay to elongate on all four areas. I will isolate number two – moral dilemmas – for further discussion
My feeling is that Dr Jeffrey is angling for a place on the election slate of either the PNC or AFC. It would be counter-productive, though, for either of these two parties to embrace Mr. Jeffrey. He brings nothing to the table except an obsessed desire to project and protect his own future. Dr. Jeffrey told Denis Chabrol that there was no formal concretization of the entity called the Civic Component.
He plainly said there was no such living organism. When asked why he didn’t help to formalize it he replied that seeing that Dr. Jagan was not interested then why create tension. So Mr. Jeffrey was living a lie for seventeen years when the PPP went around the world and spoke of a coalition in government.
Next, he brought out in discussion with Mark Benschop the fact that the PPP has been engaged in marginalization against African Guyanese. He intoned that the Jagdeo presidency is problematic for this nation.
But let us look at the facts. He was Jagdeo’s Minister for just under ten years. Where was Dr. Jeffrey all this time when marginalization was in full swing and the Jagdeo presidency was hibernating from its democratic nest? If you think Dr Jeffrey is an innocent guy then look into the mouth of Jeffrey and you will see some horrible statement that disqualify him from being part of any solution to Guyana’s problem.
Here are some manifestations of the moral quicksand in which Jeffrey finds himself. Before you read the quote I will offer, you need to be reminded of three potent statements Dr Jeffrey made to Mark Benschop.
Both the PNC and PPP have blood on their hands. 2. The PPP has engaged in marginalization against African Guyanese. 3 – The Jagdeo presidency is a problem for Guyana. Here now is an observation by this very gentleman carried in the letter pages of the Stabroek News (Jan. 29, 2010).
“I have said before and I feel compelled to repeat; I do not believe that our country is in this condition because over the last half of a century our politicians have been wicked.”
Dismissing public servant employees because of their race, locating a bridge away from a community in order to cripple it because of race, denying innocent citizens a place in the sun in their own country because of race are not wickedness.
Isn’t racial marginalization evil and wickedness is a mild word to use to describe it? If Mr. Jagdeo’s presidency is a dilemma for the nation (Mr. Jeffrey use the word “everybody”), then isn’t some form of wickedness implied? Can someone ask Jeffrey what he means by wickedness? This I can tell Jeffrey; I see wicked policies, designed to be wicked everyday from New Garden Street. These policies I would chose to say are evil.
By now readers would know that if Jeffrey’s request for more resources was acceded to, the gentleman would have been in Surinam and Mark Benschop would not have heard what he heard a few nights ago.
As it relates to me, Dr Jeffrey wrote that I tried to justify my unlawful (his word) act of stealing a book by claiming poverty as the reason. In the same letter he wrote this, he whitewashes Mr. Jagdeo’s autocracy by claiming if other Guyanese were in Mr. Jagdeo’s position they would have done the same.
I urge the PNC, AFC and everybody – beware of Dr Henry Jeffrey.

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The Jeffrey syndrome

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