Jagdeo is fighting for political survival and relevance

Jun 27, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
It should come as no surprise. Today, the Caribbean Court of Justice announced its decision on the so-called third term ruling that once and for all answered the questions of former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
There is no amount of white-washing that Jagdeo can do to overcome this disrespect that he has foisted on Guyanese. It is clear that his hands are in the case brought on by Cedric Richardson, who burst out to the sunlight from nowhere.
Jagdeo and his party were in Government when an important agreement was brokered to ensure that no president should have more than two terms, period. The reason for this is clear. No president, and for that matter, no Government or political party should believe that the offices at Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Bourda belong to them.
It is not a birthright. The CCJ rightly struck down Jagdeo’s attempt today.
Jagdeo came into power suddenly and there were many who looked upon this young man with hope, for the status quo to change. His ideas seemed out-of-the-box and welcomed. But something happened in the mid-2000s and something of a dictatorship was birthed.
Jagdeo and his party seemed on a runaway train to create an elite group of party people, and contractors whose waterholes on Main Street and in Kitty were indicative of the sad state. The crime wave, the seeming protection that a few powerful minions enjoyed, galled Guyana.
It provoked the people so much that the 2011 dismal results came as no surprise to Jagdeo’s handpicked man, Donald Ramotar. Everybody knew who the real president was between 2011-2015.
The radio licences were but one example of how petty the party leaders descended. Let us not even talk about the Guyana Sugar Corporation. For a party to sit and do little while the corporation crumbled under its feet is unforgivably.
The blame has to be laid fully in the lap of the PPP executives who ruled this country for two decades. The writing was on the wall long before the Coalition Government took office.
We will not even talk about the financing structures of the Berbice Bridge and Marriott. Jagdeo (not Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, Doctor as he would prefer) attempted to prepare the way if the CCJ did not rule in the favor of Richardson.
CCJ’s decision will have implications for Jagdeo, the Politician. It is simple. He is not as well liked as he wants Guyana to believe. He is popular but not liked. The old heads view him with deep suspicion and there is an uneasiness in the party.
The reality is Jagdeo is running scared. It will be all over for him today if the decision does not go his way. He made it clear over the weekend that he will continue to serve in the party come 2020. Jagdeo made it clear that he is unwilling to give up the party’s top position, that of General Secretary.
Who do you think will be the real president? And why does Jagdeo insist on remaining General Secretary?
Mike Singh Sr.

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