Former president Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday took aim at the opposition criticism over his prominent involvement in the PPP/C’s election campaign, reiterating that he was not interested in any constitutional posts and was satisfied that the incumbent can win the May 11 elections with its present list of representatives.
“I know they are worried but I am not on the ticket. I said that before. I am not interested in any constitutional post,” Jagdeo stated at a press conference he called at Freedom House yesterday.
His response came on the heels of APNU+AFC Campaign Co-Chairs Raphael Trotman and Joseph Harmon calling for Jagdeo to come clean about his stance and intended position in the incumbent’s election ticket.
“I need to know if it’s Mr Jagdeo running for president or Ramotar, because I see Jagdeo challenging people to debates, coming front and centre. So, is it that he is overshadowing Ramotar and bringing himself back as the president…? The public needs to know,” Trotman had said in response to a question from Stabroek News.
He also suggested Jagdeo’s pronounced presence was “causing a lot of discomfort in the Office of the President because it seems that two people are holding up the flag saying I want to be the president of Guyana.”
Last month, President Donald Ramotar announced that Jagdeo would chair a new National Economic Council (NEC) to accelerate the modernisation agenda and that he would also help with the preparation of the PPP/C manifesto for the elections.
Jagdeo would be working on a pro-bono basis, Ramotar said, and the council is to begin work “almost immediately.”
The surprise announcement has prompted questions about the purpose of the NEC with general elections just months away and Parliament suspended.
Observers also pointed out that when Ramotar was selected to succeed Jagdeo, the then president created a special advisory post for Ramotar in the run up to the 2011 general elections. This enabled Ramotar to campaign around the country with Jagdeo. The exact thing appears to have been done by Ramotar for Jagdeo.
Jagdeo yesterday said his role was one of support for his party, explaining that while he will be joining its official campaign launch today, which would see him speaking at rallies and other forums as an executive of the party, he is not seeking employment in any sector.
“I am prepared to help my government in a capacity. I believe I have some skills. I do not want a full-time job… I will not be on the ticket. I will not be on the list because I am not interested in going into parliament,” he informed.
“We are one ticket—Donald Ramotar as President and Elisabeth Harper as the prime minister—I am supporting that,” he added.
Jagdeo also took jabs at former finance minister Carl Greenidge and APNU+AFC prime ministerial candidate Moses Nagamootoo. Of the latter, he said much of his talk is rhetoric and not based on policy.
“He does not deal with policies; he makes good ‘rah-rah’ speeches, meaningless ‘rah-rah’ speeches,” he stated.
Jagdeo cited recent comments made by Nagamootoo that should the coalition be elected, public servants can expect a 13% increase. “Ask him numbers; ask him what 13% means in dollars terms, he would not know. He would not know what fraction of the budget deficit it is. He just plucks these numbers from his head. He is a rabble rouser, nothing on policy,” he stated.
