Dear Editor,
I had deliberately refrained from writing on the ongoing controversy over the Bharrat Jagdeo government’s decision to withhold ads from Stabroek News because I felt that this decision was such a profound attack on the freedom of the press and democracy in Guyana that it was bound to create new contradictions in the body politic of the nation. I wanted to see how these contradictions would develop in the society, international community, the government and the ruling party, because I believe, we in Guyana had arrived at another defining moment in the political life of the nation, dangerously poised in the slide to dictatorial rule.
My decision to wait and see was rewarded with the surprising and timely intervention on this matter by none other than PPP/C leader and former President, Mrs Janet Jagan, who publicly disassociated herself from this most backward and undemocratic policy decision by President Jagdeo, which was made in the name of the government and by extension the ruling party. Mrs Jagan’s call for a reversal of this policy, emanating as it did from her exalted position in the party, underscores the depth of the crisis in the ruling party.
A lot of the negative developments that had taken place in the government and ruling party since the passing of the late President Cheddi Jagan had been justly or unjustly attributed to Mrs Jagan’s influence in the party. And in keeping with her reputation as a hardliner in politics, she has warily publicly challenged the above perception of her dealings in the government and party.
Her decision to publicly disagree with her younger comrade, Mr Jagdeo, and his cabal in Freedom House, is not without political significance. The question that must now be asked is this – is Mrs Jagan using the opportunity provided by the introduction of Jagdeo’s misguided and unpopular policy decision to reassert her control over the ruling party and government?
Is Mrs Jagan also signalling to her younger comrades that she is not to be written off as an important player on policy both in the party and government? Can it be that the experienced veteran in her deliberations concluded that this new policy position is not only bad for the PPP/C, but if prolonged, can be fatal, and has decided that because retention of power at all costs by the PPP is an absolute prerequisite for its continued existence, to use her position as de facto leader of the party to come to the rescue of her younger comrades?
I cannot with real certainty speak to the concerns that drove Mrs Jagan to intervene in Jagdeo’s mess. However, her call for a reversal of his new policy decision is a brilliant political stroke by her that will be remembered for a long time to come.
As a believer in the role contradictions play in politics I will continue to pay keen interest in this saga as it continues to unravel. My bet is that Mrs Jagan’s position will win out and the President, in spite of the political embarrassment, will be forced to retreat in the interest of party unity.
If Mrs Jagan had taken a similar public position on the issue of the Black Clothes Police and the phantom executions, the recent sad events in Guyana might not have occurred. She has also failed to give leadership on the issue of the prolonged incarceration of political prisoner, Mr Mark Benschop. Positive leadership on these matters would have gone a long way to improve the PPP/C’s relationship with the African Guyanese community.
My gut feeling is that we are in for more surprises from Mrs Jagan once her health holds. We may yet see more significant political contributions from this veteran of Guyanese politics. Mrs Jagan, like all good politicians has a sense of history. They consciously seek to secure a special place for themselves. It may be fair to say that Mrs Jagan has already achieved this. I believe that for as long as Mrs Jagan is alive and in good health she will continue to push towards new horizons. In my view her final place in Guyana’s history will be decided on her final public posture on the important issues of national reconciliation and executive power sharing.
Yours faithfully,
Tacuma Ogunseye
