Former presidents in action

Aug 08, 2025 Editorial, News

Kaieteur News – Guyana currently has the combined wisdom of four former presidents at its fingertips. In total, decades of political experience and the visions that are part of such tenures. Three of them are from the PPPC, with the remaining former president from the APNU+AFC Coalition. With Guyana running at close to peak acceleration towards decisive general and regional elections on September 1^st, the contributions of the four former presidents must have some value to their political teams. It would be unwise if they were content to be mere bystanders at this time.

Nothing of the sort could be said about Former President Jagdeo, a bystander he isn’t. The opposite applies, with Guyanese convinced that he is now a bigger president than when he held that office. Jagdeo cleverly gave himself the broadest possible vice-presidential portfolio, which means he runs virtually everything. Former president Jagdeo isn’t resting easy. He is on the campaign trail, he is the busiest PPP bee, and his party’s biggest motivator. Jagdeo does not allow his group to slowdown, and sets the tone for his comrades. Like him or dismiss him, this former PPP president has been a tower of consistency for his party. Someone to be counted on, one who gives his all.

Former presidents Sam Hinds and Donald Ramotar may be retired from Guyana’s top job, but they also didn’t put themselves out to pasture. Though they cannot match Jagdeo for energy and having a hand in every conceivable development, they have not been political wallflowers. The PPP doesn’t even have to call, and they are already in the game, giving everything. Former President Hinds is at the distance of Washington, DC., but still involves himself, from time to time in the big issues on the home front. Whether he is agreed with or not, he makes known that he is for the PPP through and through, and the party’s leadership has his fullest support. Similarly, former president Ramotar keeps delivering for the PPP, though in a more subdued manner, notwithstanding differences with the party leadership, even when his own has been vilified. In former President Ramotar, the PPP has a man who is more for the party than he is for anything else. All in all, the three former PPP presidents have helped their party, carried their party, when there is the need.

We now cast a glance at former President David Granger and the weight of his presence, when so much is happening in Guyana. The first conspicuous note that resonates from Mr. Granger is that he is the same remote, cool to frosted over leadership figure. When he was president, Guyanese sensed the distance in him, a man unbending from the heights to which he was elevated. He was that most curious of national leaders, one that couldn’t warm up, as if to do so would invite citizens to get too close, causing an eruption of cold sweat. Out of government, he has been out of sight and out of voice, and seemingly pleased with himself to be a peripheral figure of little input, consequence.

He has endorsed the APNU group that he had cobbled together, but what else could he have done? There was Jagdeo waiting for him, and even being so bold as to taunt him by saying he failed when the opportunity presented to separate from the party of his youth and his life. What is very conspicuous is how Granger has been a virtual nonperson for Aubrey Norton, party leader and national presidential candidate. When an energetic show of support for Norton could rally the undecideds to the candidate’s corner, add extra vigour to his campaign, there is Granger’s now characteristic silence. If the claim before was that Granger is aloof, now there is strong conviction that he is indifferent to the prospects of Norton. The former PPP presidents all go into another gear seeing that elections are on line. David Granger either goes in circles, sideways, or in reverse. The Guyanese electorate, particularly his own support base, observe this former president and regret how he compares to his counterparts on the PPP side. During this season of elections, it looks like David Granger did his version of defection.

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Bharrat Jagdeo, Editorial, Former presidents, PPP

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