Is Nigel Hughes responsible for the new Jagdeo?

Jul 29, 2024 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

Hard Truths by GHK Lall

Kaieteur News – Really, Mr. Hughes? Look at all this trouble that he has caused with his announcement. Nigel Hughes decided to dip his toe into politics, and Bharrat Jagdeo fell on his head with his hysterics. Had Hughes stayed in his profession, Jagdeo would have stayed on the same page with Exxon. Now legal professional Hughes has professional political prevaricator Jagdeo changing his tune, dancing on his head, and singing the Blues to Exxon.

When Hughes came back, Jagdeo jumped right back in his face: recycled and rejects. I had no problem; par for the Guyana political course, and good for the fun of it. Guyanese need a little excitement to spice things up. When Alistair Routledge, Exxon’s emperor in Guyana came out and stuck his nose into Guyana’s politics, then the koker door collapsed into a heap. Exxon doesn’t have a problem with any conflict of interest with its Guyana counsel, C.A. Nigel Hughes, and his running for the presidency of Guyana.

Did he actually say that, did Mr. Routledge dare? Oh yes, he did, and that is what sent Jagdeo into convulsions. He has never been the same since. To repeat what I said earlier: Nigel Hughes mek Jagdeo do dah. That is, turn against Exxon and beat the daylights out of the company at every turn that he gets.

What GHK Lall, Glenn Lall, Harrilal, Mack Lall, and all the other Lalls in Guyana could not get Jagdeo to do, Nigel Hughes returned to the fray, barely said a word, and Jagdeo was driven to extremes of dementia, paranoia, and paralytica. I urge all Guyanese, especially those in the PPP band of comrades, to study the reaction of Jagdeo to Routledge (Mr. no conflict of interest), and all how three of those extremes now apply to him.

The new Hughes-created Jagdeo developed dementia in a hurry. Dr. Jagdeo forgot how he always stood by Exxon’s side through thunder and lightning, even when Guyanese interests had to be pushed into a corner and covered over with a slab of stone. The now new and reborn Jagdeo has difficulty breathing, has problems keeping himself under control, whenever the name of Exxon comes up in a conversation.

He fugget how Alistair (no conflict) Routledge was his best friend, his most treasured American partner and fellow traveler with whatever they cooked up together, then dished out to the Guyanese people. Of all the people in the PPP Government, Jagdeo now sees jumbies and banshees and perversities in everything that Exxon does.

For the longest while, a handful of Guyanese have been telling Jagdeo that Exxon’s public consultations are a comedy and more of the company’s dirty trickery dumped on Guyanese, making total fools of them. Jagdeo did nothing; in fact, he attacked and abused any Guyanese who had the audacity to assert that Exxon is a hooker, i.e., performing tricks on the hopeful and gullible people of this country.

Today, the new Jagdeo is working himself up in a righteous rage: somebody from the government must be at the public consultations to hold the company’s feet to the fire. To elaborate: Exxon must be carefully watched so that it does not engage in any hanky-panky that misleads naïve locals. Imagine that it is Jagdeo saying suh: all but accusing Exxon of taking advantage of Guyanese, taking them for a ride.

The phrase Guyana’s biggest oilman used was “all kinds of stupidness” and it was in the context of Exxon’s public consultations. I like this change in Jagdeo, showing the Yanks who is boss around here. But I must put this on the table also: whoever is the obeah man or woman that Nigel Hughes using, I want an introduction. I ain’t dealin wid no chuch no moh, ah dealin with Nigel peeple; dem peeple gat powah. Look wha deh gah Jagdeo doing….

As I welcome my prodigal brother Bharrat Jagdeo back into the Guyanese fold, I hope it is not short-lived, that he backslides into Exxon’s corner. Still, it is warming to see that the paranoia that was so characteristic of him, as hurled against Guyanese he found aggressive and too offensive, is now aimed at Exxon.

If anyone had said to me that “no conflict of interest” would have brought about this change in Jagdeo, I would have all kinds of doubts. Overnight he has gone from Exxon’s oil chumto Guyana’s oil champ. He keeps this up and I am coming out of my voting pasture and voting for de big maan. Sorry, Nigel.

Whereas Jagdeo was the picture of paralytica when Exxon was the subject, he is now a raging bull. Say Exxon and he sees red. It is not PPP red, but how Exxon (Routledge’s) no conflict of interest made his elections prospects deader than dead.

The bossman and badman cuss man now shakes off his paralysis and swings hooks and right crosses and left uppercuts, and a knee or two in the groin to get his messages across. Those dreadful, full-of-wickedness billboards by the company are now an eyesore and redeye for the man of a thousand tongues. Careful, brother Jagdeo: don’t taak to dem peeple suh haad, bass.

Remember, investors are spooky people, spook easily. That was not coined by me but is rightfully owned by Bharrat Jagdeo. Whatever the presence of Nigel Hughes means, wherever it leads, I am glad he came out of the political closet.

I am glad my good American friend, Alistair Routledge also came out of the shadows (no conflict, folks). Look at the difference those made in Jagdeo. It is worth a million laffs and it is all thanks to Nigel Hughes fuh mekking Jagdeo do dah.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

Alistair Routledg, Bharrat Jagdeo, Exxon, Guyana, Hard Truths by GHK Lall, Nigel Hughes, Politics

Latest News