Nadira and Maria: Contextual silence

Mar 08, 2013 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Nadira Brancier is the daughter of Cheddi Jagan. Maria van Beek is the niece of Cheddi Jagan. Maria van Beek almost lost her life when a bullet barely missed her lung in a violent assault on Lombard Street, not far from where Dr. Joshua Ramsammy was shot at in similar circumstances in 1973. His wound was uncannily similar to Van Beek’s
At the time of the attack, van Beek was investigating the collapse of CLICO. Whatever van Beek stepped on, it was information that would have embarrassed a powerful figure in the corridors of power. Maria van Beek knew who he was, became scared and migrated to Europe. She has not said a word since.
You would have thought even if van Beek was afraid, through some indirect channel, maybe a bit long after, she would have helped her country by alerting us to what her country had become. She probably comes to Guyana often to see her parents and is probably feted by the so-called crème de la crème. She will come and go but her secret will remain buried in her mind.
Maria van Beek is a Jagan and a Jagan would not ever want to see a weakened PPP or a Guyana without the PPP in Government. In fairness to her, she probably detests the persons who continue to besmirch her uncle’s legacy, but like her cousin Joey Jagan, she is trapped. She wouldn’t want to see a Guyana without a PPP Government.
This is exactly the way Joey Jagan behaved in the 2011 elections. Despite his clownish deportment, Joey Jagan knew what was expected of him in the last elections. After spending ten years criticising the PPP leadership and calling them the Gang of Eight, Jagan joined the PPP election campaign in 2011 to make sure there was a PPP Government in Guyana.
Jagan was no fool. He chose to campaign in Berbice where his father has his greatest support. Berbicians rejected him in favour of Moses Nagamootoo but come a snap election, Joey Jagan knows where his ultimate loyalties lie.
Enter Nadira Brancier. She exclaimed in tears at an event of the women’s arm of the PPP to observe the death anniversary of her mother last year that the people who have inherited her parents’ party have scandalised it with their corruption culture. She went on to add that those who control her parents’ party are not concerned with the welfare of the poorer classes, which was the essence of her parents’ politics.
The timing of Nadira Brancier’s remark had to arouse curiosity. It came just three months after the national elections. The corruption index went through the skies under the Jagdeo presidency since 2000. It took Mrs. Brancier eleven years to lament the corruptibility that has drowned her parents’ organisation.
After that March revelation, no one heard from Mrs. Brancier until it was reported by Denis Chabrol that she attended her father’s death anniversary last Sunday at Babu John.
Will the press seek her out? Will she speak about the PPP’s descent into hell? I doubt it. Nadira Brancier may be more hamstrung since she made her grief known last March. With the likelihood of a snap poll, she knows she can devastate the PPP.
Unlike her brother whom few Indians have respect for, the PPP cannot survive an onslaught from Cheddi Jagan’s daughter. It may become virtually impossible to sell the PPP in an election campaign if the daughter of Cheddi Jagan accuses them of treasonable betrayal. The absence of even one sentence against Ralph Ramkarran by President Ramotar at Babu John last Sunday was quite noticeable.
Ramotar knew that touching Ramkarran was suicidal, because where is the baggage he carries that Ramotar and his ministerial underlings could exploit? If Ramkarran could pose problems for a PPP snap poll, think of what Nadira Brancier could do. But it will not happen.
In the end, Maria van Beek, Nadira Brancier and Joey Jagan will fall prey to sentiments. Guyana must have a PPP Government because Cheddi and Janet Jagan created that party. A PPP Government, never mind the depravities, evil and despicable clothes it now covers itself in, is more emotionally appreciated by the three Jagans (mentioned here) than its competitors.
Nadira Brancier ought to know, though, that even if she remains silent to allow the PPP to survive, the writing is on the wall. It is doubtful her reticence can save the PPP. Ramotar was all worked up at Babu John. He saved his most poisonous moments for Moses Nagamootoo. Ramotar knows that in Berbice, Nagamootoo is the PPP’s Achilles’ heel.

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