Bharrat Jagdeo in New Delhi

Mar 02, 2026 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

(Kaieteur News) – O happy day! Vice Pres. Bharrat Jagdeo went all the way to New Delhi to show his face. I am glad that he did. Talk about a ‘roots maan’ and Bharrat Jagdeo is he. After all the speculation about his welfare, it is heartening that he endured traveling almost two days by air, managed several time zones, and hopefully will think of a stopover by the Ganges and have a dip. I humbly recommend that to one of Guyana’s most honourable sons. Though I haven’t had the privilege of a bath in the sacred waters of that fabled River, it does have considerable cleansing power. If it can do me good, it would be even better for a man like Dr. Jagdeo who carries the world on his head, much on his mind, and a great deal in his hands. There’s my straight talk, immovable position.

Here’s another: Guyana’s Vice President is treading on dangerous grounds. I do him a favour with a caution: proceed carefully and smartly with that climate change position taken. The Americans are watching and reading. They are not going to be too pleased. Especially when a Guyanese national leader with the stature of Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo-climate change admiral of the atmosphere, former commander-in-chief, and chief national oil and gas major general-plunges ahead on climate change, while the U.S. drags it feet, even have serious doubts about the heating of upstairs, despite the devastations that are obvious downstairs. That is, in the neighbourhoods, in countries more distant, and Guyana’s own difficulties with changing climate patterns right here.

We cannot have this. Where, on the one hand, Excellency Ali (another of Guyana’s very honourable sons) has almost nothing of substance to say these days on climate change and the urgent need to do something about it. Then, on the other, the same PPP that is in the seat of government has its number one, General Secretary Jagdeo braving the winds and telling the delegates of the Global South to forge ahead without the U.S. buy-in and backing. It is unlike Dr. Jagdeo to play with political fire. What is he trying to do? What is he trying to prove? He has always been his own man (El Numero Uno), and I wonder if going it alone is his way of registering his disapproval of his new secondary station in Guyana’s political life. For there he was before, having a huge say, maybe the only say, in who must be the next ambassador for over there and everywhere, only for him to be relegated to the role of a roving ambassador for climate change. If ever there was a man making a statement after his reinstatement into the public spotlight, Bharrat Jagdeo just did so.

Keep him out, and he still does alright. Push him to the side and he knows how to glide back into the limelight and rise with his old flair. When I tell Guyanese that I miss the man, they don’t believe me. Dr. Jagdeo traveled inside Guyana from New Amsterdam to New Canaan to Little Guyana in New York, and never, ever, said a word that differed from any American position on anything. But the newly surfaced and new and improved Bharrat Jagdeo apparently broke from his past. He is worth quoting. “I think the challenge before this gathering here and over the next couple of days is to find ways where we can move forward even without the participation of the United States of America at this point.”

Say what? Did the astute, cover all the bases, don’t rock America’s boat, actually say “even without the participation of the [gulp] United States of America?” This is asking for trouble, and the vice president knows it. If inciting the forward march on climate change today, notwithstanding the U.S.’s claim that it is a hoax, then where else will he dare to go next? I don’t mean travels and another summit outside New Delhi, but in what will he dabble next? Oil contract? Environmental rules and regs that follow the law? He bears close watching. How will this playout? For there was Excellency Ali giving full-throated voice to what keeps him in the president’s chair by talking up the Guyana-American relationship. And there was Excellency Jagdeo mucking up the waters with his climate change charging ahead, U.S. or no U.S.

I’m watching Dr. Jagdeo, working out what he has up his sleeve. Welcome back, sir. Let the games begin.

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

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Bharrat Jagdeo, GHK Lall, New Delhi

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