Only a jumbie would enter the kingdom of Bharrat Jagdeo

Mar 09, 2018 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

One of the positive outcomes of politics in the current era in Guyana is the assignment of the PPP to long years in the wilderness. The first brutal reality is that with the economic transformation that oil income will bring (look at Trinidad; it has first world infrastructure), the incumbent party is not going to give up that gold mine, so the PPP should prepare to be in the opposition after 2020.
The second brutal reality is that certain powerful governments in the world, with formidable influence in Guyana, will not allow the PPP back in power with Jagdeo in the driving seat. These global giants will not accept Jagdeo’s reign again. If there are PPP leaders who think that the PPP has a chance in 2020, then they had better start doing something to stop a mental breakdown from destroying them. The PPP will not be in power in 2020. Those who want to see the PPP regain office have one act to perform; not two or three, but just one thing to do – radically transform the hierarchy of the PPP that may (I say may) allow for a rethink on the part of these powerful countries.
Such a transformation is impossible in the coming years, because Bharrat Jagdeo’s hegemonic control of a political party in Guyana only had two previous examples – Jagan in the PPP and Burnham in the PNC. No other situation in the history of Guyana produced such an all-encompassing towering figure of domination in a political organization. Not D’Aguiar in The United Force, not Desmond Hoyte in the PNC, not Walter Rodney in the WPA (because Clive Thomas, Rupert Roopnaraine and Eusi Kwayana had serious clout in the leadership), not Khemraj Ramjattan in the AFC, not Raphael Trotman in the AFC, not Robert Corbin in the PNC, not David Granger in the PNC.
Only Jagan in the PPP was the omnipotent leader and only Burnham was the undisputed Leviathan in the PNC. Bharrat Jagdeo holds complete sway over the PPP. Even if there is an attempt to dilute his autocracy, Jagdeo will decapitate such a conspiracy. Simply put – Jagdeo will remain the devouring machine in the PPP, and the PPP will remain in opposition. This will be the scenario for decades to come. Such an outline is good for Guyana. With oil money flowing into the treasury in 2020, it would be a monumental disaster to have the Jagdeoites in power after 2020.
Based on fifteen years of disastrous reign, one can demand the following – Mr. Jagdeo has no right to be the PPP’s leader; no right to be opposition leader; no right to be immune from criminal prosecution; no right to be perambulating the streets of Guyana preaching to the Guyanese people. This man took the treasury of this country and used it as a lollipop in his mouth. Jagdeo destroyed the economy of Guyana. Sugar was ruined because of the Skeldon factory. NIS is on shaky ground because Jagdeo denuded it. Limited funds of a poor country were put into building a hotel that Guyana did not and does not need.
A conspiratorial labyrinth between the state and narcotics traffickers and money-launderers was concretized during Jagdeo’s reign. A drug trafficker was summoned to use drug money to finance a confrontation war with the Buxton gunmen. The saga of Roger Khan reminded one of the adventurers of mercenaries in the sixties who were hired to topple certain African governments. That was sixty years ago. In the 21st century, Jagdeo’s regime brought that violent anachronism to the Caribbean. The chief mercenary is in an American maximum security jail where his plea bargaining with the Americans will come back to haunt and hunt down Jagdeo.
Against this pathological backdrop, Jagdeo announced last week that government supporters are flocking to the PPP. In common parlance, we say that Jagdeo is smoking conga pump. The coalition regime may have made terrible mistakes and continue to do so. I could understand if they transfer their support to an upcoming party or some small, unknown entity, but not the PPP.
Jagdeo and the PPP lost power less than three years ago. The traumas are still fresh in the minds of Guyanese. This was the man that rode over this nation like a rampaging elephant. One remembers what he told the protesting air traffic controllers when he arrived home after a visit abroad – “if you had strike I would have fired all of you.” One remembers what he did to his common-law wife. One remembers only too well what he did to our country. Only the jumbies from Le Repentir are flocking to Jagdeo.

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