PPP Executive Navin Chandarpal says he is not accustomed to “gutter politics” and will therefore avoid reference to several remarks attributed to President Bharrat Jagdeo and reported today on www.demerarawaves.com.
In a letter today to Stabroek News, Chandarpal noted in a response to his (Chandarpal’s) letter of January 20th, President Jagdeo made a series of accusations against him. “I am not accustomed to gutter politics and will therefore ignore some of what was said but there are a few issues which need to be addressed”, Chandarpal said.
Jagdeo and Chandarpal have had an increasingly acrimonious exchange of views extending to last year’s strike by the sugar union GAWU.
Chandarpal said the reason Jagdeo advanced for removing him as presidential advisor on science and the environment was that Chandarpal had engaged in open public criticism of the President. Chandarpal said he had never been accused by Jagdeo of non-performance as was reported on the Demerarawaves website.
“I am not bothered about his excuse about non-performance. Those involved in the areas of environmental and natural resources management know better. I remain proud of my contributions to this field and I’m humbly appreciative of the expressions of appreciation by the people who matter in Guyana, the Caribbean and beyond.
“Many are aware of the real reasons for my removal. The President in informing me of his decision to relieve me of the position of Adviser never mentioned `non-performance’. Instead he accused me of being openly critical of him, which is ironic since I have been careful to restrict my criticisms to the internal PPP and Cabinet forums.
“It seems as though my `non-performance’ has been this speaking up in the internal forums when I did not agree with the views and actions of others regardless of their official status”, Chanderpal declared.
In relation to remarks where the President mentioned “rum-shops”, Chanderpal had this to say.
“Once again, the President talks about `rum-shops.’ Like most Guyanese, I socialize in public places with my friends and enjoy running into old friends and acquaintances of all walks of life. I do not hide and have nothing to hide. Maybe, in this new period of Exquisite Hangouts for the more financially endowed, the status of the places where everyone else hangout have been downgraded to Rum shops. I prefer to be surrounded by the average Guyanese than the new elites.” The exquisite hangouts appeared to be a reference to facilities of friends of President Jagdeo in places like Pradoville and elsewhere.
Noting Jagdeo’s accusation that he was being bitter and vindictive, Chanderpal said “I am accused of being bitter and vindictive. The vindictive part has to be an attempt at a joke. Every Guyanese knows who is the most vindictive of all”, the latter remark a clear reference to Jagdeo.
“It is probably felt that I am bitter because I have numerous reasons to be. But I have been brought up to recognise that bitterness is self-destructive. Instead of being bitter, I was taught to be resolute and principled. Unlike many people, I can hold my head up and walk with confidence and self-respect surrounded by an abundance of genuine friends.
“I am not bothered by the personal attacks since it is his preferred method. But I must deal with the political accusations made by the President.”
Chandarpal noted that Jagdeo has claimed that he (Chandarpal) is suggesting that “other members of the central committee are all cowards who are afraid to speak freely and openly about who they want to support.”
Said Chandarpal “What a deflection of the guilt. He is the one who initially stated that CC members could be induced by a promise.”
Chandarpal also noted that the President has said that “I am resentful and jealous of young people taking leadership positions.” Chandarpal declared this as absurd and said the President is aware of the high esteem in which he held the Head of the PYO – the youth arm of the PPP.
“I was personally involved in the growth of many youth leaders, and have always opposed measures which stultify youth, kill initiative and treat them as robots”, Chandarpal said.
The exchange between the two is the bitterest between the President and a senior member of the PPP in recent years. Though there had been one with AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan which led to his expulsion from the party, the blow-up with Chandarpal is of a different magnitude, observers say. Chandarpal, along with his wife Indra, had been very close to both late presidents Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan. They, among others, are seen as protecting the legacy of the Jagans and have support at all levels of the party. Navin Chandarpal has been a consistent high vote-getter at party congresses. The present contretemps, observers say, not only points to an internecine fight over who the next presidential candidate will be but finally lays bare the deep division between the Jagan loyalists and President Jagdeo.
Observers say the impending PPP meeting to decide on the presidential candidate will be a major test of party unity and could see protracted exchanges over whether the candidate is picked by secret ballot, as insisted upon by presidential candidate-hopeful Ralph Ramkarran and others or by an open vote as urged by candidate-hopeful Donald Ramotar and Jagdeo.
The observers say the unpresidential remarks by Jagdeo about Chanderpal are also unlikely to play well within the party.
