The Trump Factor

Mar 02, 2025 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

---

Hard Truths…

 

By GHK Lall

Kaieteur News- It’s time that I talk about Trump: the one genuine American superhero, President Donald J. Trump.  For those licking their lips in anticipation of Trump trashing, fuhgeddaboudit.  Not happening today, must disappoint.  Trump and Guyana, meaning, Trump and the PPP Government.  Government leaders are taking a calculated gamble with Mr. Trump.  Though it could backfire badly, I like the odds, am putting my money with the PPP in this instance.  The government of Ali, Jagdeo, and Nandlall could erase some of its past blotches, end up looking as good as an American hundred-dollar bill, and just as reliable.  I call it the Trump Factor.

Drs. Ali, Jagdeo, and Nandlall, Guyana’s three musketeers of law and order, as interpreted by them, have shown their hands early.  We are for the Donald.  We love New York’s finest son.  A full-page ad in the Stabroek News, then a billboard, paid fulsome homage to DJT.  The American is heroic, he is democratic, he is majestic, and he is capitalistic.  Any kind.  Any way.  Every day.  When I first saw that obsequious tribute to Master Donald, I cringed, with skin crawling.  As an American, I also must recognize the new US president, but groveling has its willing subjects.  Even a tough character like the Donald would be appalled.  His idea of Making America Great Again doesn’t need any crawling on the belly from the PPP Government.  Things are already in hand, will continue to be, with interests magnified, PPP hero worship or no worship.

Nonetheless, I find no fault with the Ali-Jagdeo-Nandlall triumvirate putting their cards on the table early.  The PPP stumps for Trump.  The PPP jumps for Trump.  The PPP slumps for Trump.  For contrast, I recall and reintroduce to my fellow Guyanese a prince of a fellow from colonial India.  He was the Gaekwar of Baroda, who in 1911 refused to pay obeisance to visiting British monarchs, turned his back on them, and was insolent enough to laugh while leaving.  If only Messrs. Ali, Jagdeo, and all local pols were of that stoutness, I could hail them.  Incidentally, it is the American way: checkback and see what the Patriots did to England’s King George III during their Revolutionary War.

Personally speaking, all this belly dancing by the PPP Government is to signal to the new Americans that there are great partners here.  American interests are safe and as sound as Fort Knox.  Untouchable!  The preferred local word is sanctity.  Then, American businesses are welcomed here and have carte blanche to operate how they please.  Just like they have done under different Republican Administrations.  From the money side, I stepover to the quality, regulatory side of things.  The hope, unadvertised prayer of the Ali-Jagdeo-Nandlall trio has several stanzas.  No more stopping, please, of PPP ministers at American ports of entry.  May thy will be, Big D, of no more questioning of PPP public servants, PPP friends, and PPP partners at JFK, or by the US Dept of Justice.  Let there be a cessation of all this hard talk about scoping out, blacklisting, and sanctioning Guyanese with long and deep links to the Guyana Government and the ruling party.  Corruption in Guyana means nothing.  Guyana is for America, to hell with China, and the PPP is for Trump all the way up to their elbows.  Those who wish to ask where those elbows are and how far up, are redirected to Freedom House, Office of the President, and the lair of the Vice President.  Those highest places in Guyana’s hierarchy have all the answers and all the rationales.

Whatever has to be done to stay in power will be done.  If it means that the PPP Government has to crawl the whole length of Washington, DC’s Pennsylvania Avenue, on hands and knees, it is a small price to pay to retain office.  Remember: as America goes, so goes Guyana.  Its politics, that is.  It is why I think that this mating game between the PPP and Mr. Trump (yessir!) has all the hallmarks of a lasting romance.  From the PPP’s point of view, the new motto is: we rump with Trump.  Like the song said: back-to-back, belly-to-belly….  There is no better leader than Trump who has a keen eye for that kind of business.  It is the perfect storm.  The people in charge here are into fancy business, while Mr. Trump is into every kind of business.  Being a dealmaker has been one of his best leadership attributes.  Other people call that the art of negotiation.  New Yorkers and Wall Streeters have the best description encountered to date for that kind of business: an offer that can’t be refused.  No questions asked, no reasons given.  Just do it, baby.

In all of this wooing of and kowtowing before Donald Trump, PPP Government leaders have a huge head start over the PNC and AFC.  The PPP put its money (the people’s money, really) where its mouth is: a full-page ad and a big, bright billboard.  The PNC and AFC sent a congratulatory letter through the Post Office to the US Embassy.  They are not taking any chances with email.  Not with intrusive Israeli technology at the disposal of the government.

(The Trump Factor)

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

---

• American superhero, hard truths, PPP Government, President Donald J. Trump.

---