A month has passed since the National Elections and people are already asking whether B.J. has already ridden off into the sunset. He handed over the mantle of power to his successor and simply disappeared…at least from public view.
It’s hard to imagine a few days going by, far less several weeks without hearing from the Republic’s longest-ever serving Head of State. Is it just likely that there might be the odd morning when he gets out of bed perhaps thinking that he is still the President, dresses himself and summons his driver only to get told that the guard has changed?
There are things that one has to wonder about the life of a recently retired President. Like whether or not he might be seen walking into a Supermarket, pushing his shopping cart up and down the aisles and queueing up at the check-out till like any other citizen of the Republic. Or whether or not he might get into his track suit and go jogging on the Sea Wall without his retinue of security guards, having all the time to make gestures to people who might just want to say “hello Mr. President!” Or is he likely to pop into some variety store to buy few lengths of PVC pipe to try his hand on some DIY work at home. Or will Mr. Jagdeo perhaps turn up at the Kashif and Shanghai Finals and sit on the mound and bellow for his favgored team. Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.
No one, however, is fooled by BJ’s low profile. There are signs that he is pulling strings, ‘fixing’ things. And why not? Didn’t Mr. Ramotar promise that his predecessor would play a key role in his administration?