Dear Editor,
In light of events since the election, I am asking a legitimate question on the minds of many Guyanese: who is really in charge of Guyana, Mr Ramotar or Mr Jagdeo? Firstly, Donald Ramotar’s selection (not election) as the PPP’s presidential candidate was made by the PPP’s executive committee dominated by Jagdeo loyalists and appointees. Donald Ramotar could not have become the PPP’s candidate and the nation’s president without the backing of these Jagdeo loyalists in the executive committee. Secondly, Mr Ramotar’s campaign was controlled and managed by Jagdeoites with Mr Jagdeo’s closest protégé and family member by marriage, Robert Persaud, acting as campaign manager. Thirdly, Mr Ramotar played a secondary role to then President Jagdeo during the campaign, with Ramotar standing in Jagdeo’s shadow. Fourthly, Mr Jagdeo made Mr Ramotar a presidential advisor during the election campaign, which in turn made the president-to-be a subordinate and reliant on the Jagdeoites for guidance, thus making him more amenable to their influence. Fifthly, the majority of President Ramotar’s ministerial appointments have been Jagdeoites, who credit their advancement and status to Jagdeo. In fact, it seems that the Jagdeoites have strengthened their influence with Mr Ramotar handing appointments to Jagdeo inside man at the OP, Dr NK Gopaul, Jagdeo’s lawyer Mr Anil Nandlall and Jagdeo confidante, Bishop Juan Edghill. Robert Persaud got an entirely new portfolio that not only conveniently controls the nation’s natural resources when Guyana may be on the verge of discovering oil and is ramping up gold production but which also took away responsibilities from the Prime Minister and the Office of the President. I do not find it inconvenient that Mr Robert Persaud obtained this newly created position that weakened the hold of the presidency on our natural resources. No president and definitely no president with a minority Parliament to boot, should ever agree to such a loss of power at such a pivotal time.
Sixth, the majority of Mr Ramotar’s advisors, the men and women who frame policy for the President, are Jagdeoites. Seventh, Mr Ramotar is not a known academic or independent thinker, which will force him to rely heavily on Mr Jagdeo himself and the Jagdeoites. Eighth, Mr Ramotar’s inexperience with the workings of government due to lack of previous appointment to government posts by the Jagans puts him on an intense learning curve and creates a dependency on support from those experienced with government. Significantly, Mr Jagdeo and his allies have positioned themselves to be the only force delivering that knowledge to the President. Ninth, President Ramotar stated during the election campaign that Mr Jagdeo will serve as an advisor to him. If Mr Jagdeo has taken up this role, it would put former President Jagdeo directly in the Office of the President, giving advice along with the rest of the Jagdeoites.
Tenth, recent decisions made by the Ramotar government and characterized by their vindictiveness and fundamental unfairness strongly suggest the continuation of the pattern of governance which obtained under the former president. Was Fip Motilall’s contract cancelled to prevent a full examination in Parliament? In any case, the main hydroproject contract continues at an outlandish cost despite Mr Ramotar’s promise to review contracts. Kaieteur News and Stabroek News were denied radio licences by Mr Jagdeo while the Guyana Times got a licence. President Ramotar did not amend that decision to allow, in fairness, other newspapers similar radio licences. Then there is the contract termination by the UG Council of known critic, Freddie Kissoon, and the advertisement of APNU/PNC’s Vincent Alexander’s Registrar position despite the alleged renewal of the contracts of the Director of UG Berbice Campus and UG Bursar without similar advertisement.
These decisions reek of the victimisation that saturated the Jagdeo administration and in particular, its vile attacks on the media. After a period of quietness, the Ramotar regime is lurching surely and clearly in that direction. These acts suggest it is business as usual at the office of the presidency, which is not unexpected considering the same set of personalities that inhabited it on November 27, 2011 continue to dominate it after November 28, with the exception of a new face in the presidency. Eleventh, the policies to date have shown no real change. Twelfth, all of Mr Jagdeo’s projects are still proceeding even when serious questions accompany them. I ask the Guyanese people to review these factors and to reflect on who they think is really in charge here. The 1966 hit song ‘I’m Your Puppet’ for some reason is playing in my head as I write this letter. Also, circling in my head is Article 111(1) of the Guyana Constitution which commands the President to “act in accordance with his own deliberate judgment” when making decisions. Many Guyanese are also familiar with Vladimir Putin’s puppetry in relation to Dmitry Medvedev.
Yours faithfully,
M Maxwell
