Jagdeo is a liability to Irfaan Ali

Jan 06, 2025 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Peeping Tom…

Kaieteur News- Bharrat Jagdeo has long represented an unsettling paradox in Guyana’s politics.  He is a former President whose shadow looms larger than his office once did, casting an inescapable pall over the presidency of his successors, Donald Ramotar and Irfaan Ali.

For all his assurances of a retreat into an international career during Donald Ramotar’s tenure, there was then and remains the widespread perception that he was still exercising influence. This perception has not only persisted but has become more entrenched under Ali’s leadership, raising fundamental questions about where real power resides in Guyana’s government.

If a poll were conducted today, it would reveal what many already suspect: a significant proportion of Guyanese believe that Jagdeo exercises overwhelming influence over the state’s affairs.  President Ali cannot be ignorant of this perception.  While he may wish to dismiss it as mere conjecture or the paranoia of political adversaries, he has an obligation—both to the office he holds and to the people of Guyana—to confront and dispel this narrative. Failure to do so is undermining his presidency.

Ali’s advisers and confidants, if they truly care about the longevity and credibility of his administration, must implore him to take decisive action.  The first step in this process is acknowledging that perceptions are often as potent as realities in the world of politics. It is not enough for Ali to assert his authority in private; he must project it publicly and unequivocally. His actions must convey to the nation that he is not a marionette whose strings are being pulled by his predecessor but a leader in his own right, capable of steering the government and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPPC) toward a future unencumbered by the baggage of its past.

Yet, the roots of Jagdeo’s influence is not merely personal but structural. The PPP, once a bastion of the working class, has been co-opted by an oligarchic elite whose primary allegiance is not to the party’s founding principles but to their own economic interests.

This class, which gained ascendancy during Jagdeo’s presidency, has not only captured the party but also the apparatus of the state. Any attempt by Ali to extricate himself from Jagdeo’s influence must therefore, contend with this entrenched economic elite. Downsizing Jagdeo’s role within the government inevitably entails confronting the broader oligarchic structure that underpins his power.  This is no small undertaking, but it is a necessary one if Ali is to reclaim the PPP as a party of the people rather than the privileged few.

Jagdeo’s continued presence at the centre of power is a political liability for President Ali.  Jagdeo’s tenure as President was marred by all manner of allegations that allowed the Opposition to seize the majority in parliament and hamstrung the Ramotar presidency. The 2011 elections was referendum on Jagdeo’s rule.

To salvage his presidency, Ali must not only distance himself from Jagdeo but also articulate a vision for Guyana that breaks decisively with the past. This vision must prioritize the interests of ordinary Guyanese over those of the oligarchic elite.

But doing so requires a strategic recalibration of power within the PPP and the government. Ali must identify and empower a new generation of leaders within the party who are committed to its founding principles and willing to challenge the entrenched interests that have come to dominate it.  He must also build alliances with civil society, labour unions, and other stakeholders who share his vision for a more equitable and inclusive Guyana. These alliances will be crucial in countering the influence of the oligarchic class and demonstrating to the public that his government is serious about charting a new course.

Ali’s presidency stands at a crossroads. He can either allow himself to be defined by Jagdeo’s legacy, perpetuating the perception that he is a mere figurehead in a government controlled by others, or he can take bold action to assert his independence and redefine the trajectory of his administration.

The stakes could not be higher. At a time when Guyana is poised to benefit from unprecedented economic opportunities, the country needs a leader who can unite its people and chart a course toward a shared and prosperous future. That leader must be Irfaan Ali, not Bharrat Jagdeo.

The path forward will not be easy. Confronting Jagdeo and the economic elite that sustains him will undoubtedly provoke resistance and backlash. But history has shown that leadership is defined not by the absence of challenges but by the courage to face them head-on. If Ali is to fulfil the promise of his presidency and secure his place in history, he must rise to this moment with the conviction and determination that it demands.

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

 

(Jagdeo is a liability to Irfaan Ali)

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