The question no one asked about Sam Hinds

Apr 06, 2015 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

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The consensus in Guyana is that after so long in power and with energy, ideas and spirituality gone, the PPP needed a new national face as its Prime Ministerial candidate to entice voters.
The PPP wanted to change Ramotar (they will regret they didn’t) but that was not possible because Ramotar was furious when the idea was floated. Ramotar’s side-kicks argued that it could backfire in the elections because it was an admission of failure.
Such an argument was silly in the first place. If you admit the incumbent did not succeed and you are introducing a new dynamic leader, that factor is more likely to bring you victory. It happens all over the world. Side-stepping a President who didn’t perform and offering the electorate a politically winnable alternative is commonsense that obtains in all countries.
Ramotar had to stay. Hinds had to go. But were there any factors that could have engendered a fierce exchange for Hinds to be retained? After twenty-three years as Prime Minister, Hinds did not produce a substantial constituency that the PPP benefited from. Secondly, Hinds did not add dynamism to a bandwagon that never had dynamism in the first place.
When Jagdeo descended to depraved, repellent, tyrannical, immoral levels of governance and corruption took over the collective mind of the PPP leadership, the PPP’s leadership became jejune, burdened and politically ugly. Luncheon’s physical health deteriorated and his weekly press conference was a sad affair.
Gail Teixeira was never a popular figure because she appeared un-Guyanese and lacked the common touch. Few Guyanese saw anything positive in Rohee. Mrs. Jagan’s age took her away from active politics. Without being insulting to Navin Chadarpal, he became self-effacing because of excessive indulgence in another occupation.
The middle age leaders of the PPP were not interesting personalities on the political stage. But unfortunately for the PPP, the younger brigade did come in the tradition of the vibrant and dynamic Forbes Burnham, Hamilton Green, Cheddi Jagan, Eusi Kwayana, Llewellyn John, Walter Rodney, Moses Nagamootoo, Rupert Roopnaraine, Andaiye, Boysie Ramkarran, Father Malcolm Rodrigues and a host of other dynamic national leaders.
With Jagdeo creating growing hostility to his rule and an immobilized middle age leadership, the younger brigade of the PPP did not fill the void. Robert Persaud failed to garner national admiration. Ashni Singh was seen as a tool of Jagdeo. Frank Anthony had no political elegance or vibrancy and Priya Manickchand became Satyra Gyaal.
Sam Hinds, as the only one without sticky fingers and controversy, unfortunately did not carve out a name for himself.
He was lacklustre, boring and appeared intellectually low. He cut a figure of a decent man but he just didn’t have political clout, political ideas and political substance. In other words, Sam Hinds did nothing to cause an argument among the PPP’s hierarchy that he should be retained because he brought something to the face of the government.
What was worse was that in 2006, he didn’t take Linden for the PPP which is where he was expected to produce. The AFC, in fact, had a big showing in 2006 in Linden.  In the next election in 2011, Linden rejected Sam Hinds. After twenty three-years in power with a crumbling edifice, the PPP needed a Prime Ministerial candidate who could evoke a feeling of hope in PPP’s voters. Sam Hinds then had to go.
Interesting to note that while Hinds’ fulcrum was slowly eroding, the other high profile African-Guyanese in the PPP’s sultanate, Odinga Lumumba, was doing what Hinds failed to do – try to get a constituency which you can bargain with if you become dispensable. Lumumba maintained two forms of activities which kept him politically alive. He had an entertainment company which he handed over to Jagdeo.
Secondly, he kept his sphere of sports going and he did so in depressed areas where he could find some useful targets among deprived young men. In cultivating these young men Lumumba brought to the PPP a third value.
He arranged a form of political activity for the PPP from these young men, a discussion of which cannot be pursued here. I don’t want the newspaper to end up in the court.
When the No-Confidence Motion was announced, the PPP knew the writing was on the wall. No amount of bullyism could have prevented the curtailment of Ramotar’s term. The opposition would not have tolerated two years of a prorogued Parliament. As the results of the 2011 closed in on the mediocrity of Ramotar’s tenure and sought to close off his Presidency, the PPP knew that in the upcoming battle, Hinds had become expendable.

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