OPINION: Bharrat Jagdeo running scared, even running mad – PART II

Last Updated on Thursday, 11 July 2024, 17:37 by Writer

By GHK Lall

In this continuation of yesterday’s contribution on Bharrat Jagdeo’s reaction to Nigel Hughes’ ascendancy to leadership in a major opposition party, the focus is limited to two issues: conflict of interest and interests.

Jagdeo has driven himself into a frenzy about Nigel Hughes’ seeming conflict of interest in his professional (legal) relationship with Exxon. Interesting! This is beyond a coal pot calling a stove black. This is the man, Jagdeo, who is the epitome of all that is complete darkness in Guyana labeling a Guyanese who may hold a ray of light for all the citizens of this distressed State. For sure, Hughes’ ray may be tiny, a candle flickering only, but it is still better than the impenetrable darkness than my brother Jagdeo has come to be in the national leader he has always been, is even more so today.

Jagdeo must be given credit: he has the nuts to talk about conflict of interest, as such involves Nigel Hughes. My God! What is the world coming to, when a man that has more conflicts of interest than a small army of cockroaches could open his mouth and talk about conflict of interest. One of his closest friends got huge and unequalled business opportunities when Bossman Jagdeo was the chief mover and shaker, and there was no conflict. Not one of his old and newly diehards had much objection to offer when that surfaced. When the Chinese Dragon in Guyana, Mr. Su, a tenant no less of a fine landlord by the name of Bharrat Jagdeo, not only got a bag of rich Guyanese gifts, but also disclosed how there was a juicy sharing arrangement involved. Only a Biblical character of Jagdeo’s standing could not see a conflict of interest in that setup. A Chinese tenant who became a Guyanese tycoon. God bless Guyana! And the fertile mind of Bharrat Jagdeo to be the biggest man in this town when things like these happen, and there is no conflict of interest. Where are his people then? How come not one of them any longer can find the analytical and critical parts of their minds? Have those been overtaken by spirits? In thinking about spirits, I urge my fellow Guyanese to think of Bee Gee rum or bush rum. It duz mek peeple with warped minds fugget… A li’l money, a quarter rum, and some Guyanese suddenly lose consciousness and conscience.

It was Dr. Jagdeo who put on his white gown and run to upend Justice Sandil Kissoon’s ruling on full parent company coverage in case of a ruff oil spill. No conflict as a Guyanese and as the ranking national political leader, comrades? It was Dr. Jagdeo himself who out on his green mask and blue gloves rushed out to employ Guyana’s assets (AG Nandlall, money, time, systems) to defend Exxon. No conflict, my fellow citizens, for a man who once swore to defend the Constitution of Guyana above and beyond all other interests? It is okay to think of me as limited, but never make the mistake of taking me (and the rest of Guyana) for either a fool or a dunce. If there is one leader in this land who shouldn’t pronounce upon conflicts of interest, it is Dr. Bharrat “Conflict of Interest” Jagdeo. Apparently, the Hippocratic oath doesn’t apply to him. For the enlightenment of everyone, it reads like this: if good can’t be done, then do no harm. At least, give it the best shot.

On the matter of interests, this is twofold: American and my own visions of what should be. I warned brother Jagdeo: deze Yankees doan have permanent friends. They only have permanent interests. If he is half as smart as he thinks he is, he should have no difficulty discerning what Alistair Routledge (sorry, President Routledge) was doing when he made his public remarks about Nigel Hughes not having any conflict of interest in his Exxon linkage. I hear America talking. I hear America come calling. I hear America telling Jagdeo: interests always trump insider relationships. Stone the crows… (in Guyanese parlance, if maan can kick dawg in chuch…), then matters have deteriorated to the depths with Jagdeo left looking naked and all on his own. Yeah, the corruption catastrophes under his policymaking watch are that kind of killer.

Last, my abiding interest is in what is good for Guyana. What is good for Guyana is good for me, justifies my presence here, in this country, in the Guyana media colosseum. I had the courage to hail David Granger publicly, then I had the strength to tell him he did wrong with the 2020 elections, when all the marbles were on the line. I got cursed for my troubles. It would be inspiring to know of any PPP bigshot who can say that they have broken ranks and told Jagdeo to his face that he has done some things (many) wrong. The record is there: former APNU+AFC ministers Khemraj Ramjattan (prison fires), Winston Felix (passport lines), and Yvonne Yearwood (spousal award) to be fired. The caller was yours truly. Will somebody help me locate one of Jagdeo’s media worshippers who said a tenth of the same when it was their own involved? I stand for who and what I believe is good for this country and its hurting citizens, whether it is David Granger or Nigel Hughes. And by God, I have the manly fortitude, the masculine attitude, to rise and assert that I believe that they have faltered, done wrong. And with that I will keep no company. Who else can say that in this country, having thought so highly of them? Guyanese must learn to cultivate, begin to make a start, with being honest with themselves.