Dear Editor,
One got the sense that some supporters of the Coalition thought that with the united slate in place the upcoming elections would have been be a walk in the park. Even those who knew differently seem to have taken the PPP for granted. They were obviously taken aback by Mr. Jagdeo’s presence in the campaign. This is surprising. A party that governed as harshly as the PPP did for 23 years should be expected to defend its regime just as harshly as it governed. The PPP’s campaign is an extension of its governance mode. From all indications, it has a clear political strategy—attack with full force. And in the process push the limits of political decorum, show your opponents that you are not a wimp and play to all the insecurities and fears of your traditional constituency.
The PPP has three important weapons at their disposal—control of the armed forces of the state; a well-oiled state and non-state media and Bharrat Jagdeo. Mr. Jagdeo embodies the new PPP in every way. But most importantly he embodies a street-smart PPP that is prepared to fearlessly slug it out. Anyone who is faintly familiar with Guyana’s political history would understand why Jagdeo and the Jagdeo way is at the core of the PPP strategy. Jagdeo’s presence on the PPP’s platform is no accident. Jagdeo touches a nerve. He resonates with the PPP’s target audience. He skillfully exploits the fears of the PPP’s traditional supporters while attempting to drive fear and uncertainty into the minds of the Alliance supporters and potential supporters.
But the Coalition seems to have no answer to Jagdeo. They are not fighting back. You are not going to overcome him with press releases or by brushing him aside; you have to reduce him down to size in the eyes of his supporters and your supporters. Vanessa Kissoon has his number; she has given the Coalition the “Jagdeo narrative”—fight a bad man like a bad man. Vanessa, Rupert Roopnaraine, Chris Ram and Freddie Kissoon, in their separate ways, have shown how you deal with him. Chris Ram’s court action is a master stroke; he has shown the attack dog that there is counter-attack. Every time Roopnaraine urges the Coalition supporters to revolution, the PPP gets nervous. They understand the power of that word in appealing to the consciousness of the Coalition’s supporters. And Freddie Kissoon ridicules them with reason.
There are still three weeks to go.
Yours faithfully,
David Hinds