Dear Editor,
President Bharrat Jagdeo’s successful travel schedule during the past year adequately demonstrated why the presidential candidate of the People’s Progressive Party for the 2011 general elections must be a member of the young brigade. The candidate that is most qualified is Mr Robert Persaud, Minister of Agriculture.
A snapshot of President Jagdeo’s globe-trotting agenda during two weeks last July indicates why a young gun is required. The President came to New York and attended a United Nations meeting, flew to China and presided over the signing of four agreements. On his way home he had a successful town hall meeting in New York’s ‘Little Guyana’ (Richmond Hill). He reached home in the nick of time to welcome the Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait, the fifth richest country in the world. (The five agreements they signed resulted from the seeds planted by President Jagdeo when he visited Kuwait earlier this year.) And then two days later he went to oil rich Venezuela and presided over the signing of another series of agreements. And boy, oh boy, did we need that Venezuelan oil. Our energetic President got it! A young gun, Minster of Agriculture Robert Persaud, was among those who accompanied the President to Venezuela.
Only a young gun such Mr Robert Persaud can emulate President Jagdeo’s remarkable level of energy. The Guyanese people now expect the President to go here, there and everywhere gathering the goodies for them. Of course, if there is a crisis somewhere in Guyana, they expect the Head of State to be there, regardless of the time and place. This requires energy, something only the young guns possess and the ‘geritol’ generation does not have.
Some of the PPP veterans under consideration are Speaker of the House Mr Ralph Ramkarran, Member of Parliament Mr Moses Nagamootoo, PPP General Secretary Mr Donald Ramotar and Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee. These stalwarts have a common, golden thread: they have faithfully served the PPP and Dr Jagan through thick and thin. This is highly commendable and we are extremely grateful to them. However, they missed their chance for the top job in 1997 when a young gun – Bharrat Jadgeo – was selected to replace the then President Janet Jagan whose health was failing her. It ushered in the era of the young brigade for the PPP and Guyana politics.
This is the age of almost instant communication. Elec-tronically, it is done via cellular phone, BlackBerry and the internet. And physically, it is done by land, water and air. Berbice and Demerara have faster access to each other via our spanking new bridge across the Berbice River. Our Amerindian community has the Takutu Bridge. A fleet of speedboats connect Demerara and Essequibo. Our improved roadways permit faster travel across the country. And Cheddi Jagan International Airport and Ogle airstrip are now easily accessible. So our people all across the land expect visibility from our leaders. Only a young gun has the energy to efficiently fill that role.
And so currently the ‘young gun’ criterion fits Mr Robert Persaud. He is experienced in managing a key ministry, is personable and intelligent, and does not carry unwanted baggage from the old days; above all, he is energetic. It is comforting to note that in the wings of the PPP are other very young but equally industrious ministers such as Dr Frank Anthony, Mr Irfaan Ali, Mr Robeson Benn and Ms Priya Manickchand. The future of Guyana and the PPP is assured. For now, the next presidential candidate of the PPP ought to be Mr Robert Persaud. As they say in boxing, “Let’s get it on!”
Yours faithfully,
Vijay P Kumar
