Dear Editor,
What will Jagdeo’s legacy be when his term expires next year? Will it be his ‘Champion of the Earth’ title which resulted in billboards mounted all over the country? Or will it be President Jagdeo’s unmatchable ‘cussing out’ ability?
After, the National Cultural Centre ‘sour people’ comment, and the prolonged ‘cuss out’ he inflicted on Mr Christopher Ram at that forum, I can only conclude that President Jagdeo has decided probably that he must go down as the most disrespectful president in Guyana’s history. My two most recent experiences of President Jagdeo’s less than presidential behaviour was a few weeks ago. The first was on September 1, 2010 at the Sophia Exhibition Site during the opening ceremony to mark Amerindian Heritage Month. On that occasion the President, in his usual style, decided to ‘dig a fine cussing’ on Dr George Norton, who, a few minutes earlier extended greetings on behalf of various Amerindian organizations he represented. When President Jagdeo took the podium it was clear that he would not disappoint us, and as we had anticipated, the ‘cuss out’ started. The President changed the whole tone of the activity. It did not matter that this was an occasion of great significance to Guyanese, and more particularly to our Amerindian brothers and sisters. That very evening, I had several short conversations with some persons in attendance, and everyone seemed to have the same position, that President Jagdeo’s behaviour was unbecoming and unstatesman-like.
The second occasion was the one I referred to earlier. On that occasion, the President was addressing policyholders of Clico at the National Cultural Centre. Many anxious policyholders attended the meeting anticipating that the government would bail them out, as was being touted in the country. The President told policyholders that they would get back every cent they paid into the company. When President Jagdeo was satisfied that he had made his story, the floor was opened for questions and comments from participants. While Mr Jagdeo entertained a few questions from some policyholders, he blatantly refused to acknowledge Mr Ram, who was consistently indicating that he had an intervention to make. The President let the entire country know that he was deliberately refusing to allow Mr Ram to speak. He let Ram understand that anyone who challenges his words, whether by past or present action, must be ignored and, in his mind ridiculed publicly. So no attempt by Christopher Ram to ask the President a question or make a comment could have been entertained by President Jagdeo; question and answer time was clearly a time for the president to deal with those who dared criticize him or his government. What a democracy! What is wrong is that as a society we have become so fed up with this state of lawlessness that we are beginning to accept what is abhorrent as normal and ok. This situation is dangerous as we begin to set very low standards for our leaders at the highest level in society. What are we saying to our children?
Yours faithfully,
Lurlene Nestor
