Dear Editor,
A keen political observer would not fail to recognise that there has been backpedalling by the Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the PPP/C Bharrat Jagdeo on a number of issues of national importance. The most recent took place at the party’s Albion rally when Jagdeo stated, that President David Granger has, “dictatorial tendencies”. This was reported in Stabroek News Jan 13th 2020 edition in an article captioned, `Jagdeo flays Granger for dictatorial tendencies – at Albion rally’.
Before examining the Opposition Leader’s contention it is pertinent that I list a few examples of Jagdeo and the PPP/C backpedalling on positions they took since the election season began with the successful no-confidence motion.
These are as follows: (1) when Professor Clive Thomas predicted that the country will get huge revenues from the oil and gas discoveries, the opposition response was, “the revenues will be insignificant.” Now they have changed their tune faced with the overwhelming evidence in support of Thomas’s contention
(2) When the professor and the WPA called for cash transfers to Guyanese households, that is, one million in Guyana dollars annually, Jagdeo and the PPP/C claimed that the economics of Thomas was flawed. And now they have included cash transfers in their manifesto
(3) The PPP suddenly changed their hostile opposition to ex-military officers’ involvement in politics with Brigadier Mark Phillips as PM candidate
(4) Jagdeo/PPP/C accused the Guyana Elections Commis-sion of intent to rig the elections: now comes the successful nomination day process that received high praise from the International Community, Jagdeo said he is confident that GECOM will deliver credible elections
(5) Now the PPP is no longer committed to the reopening of closed sugar estates of which they were previously highly critical
The above examples are sufficient to establish the premise of my argument.
Let me return to the central theme of the letter. Jagdeo’s stated position at the Albion rally is that Granger has dictatorial tendencies. Subsequent to the no-confidence motion, Jagdeo and the PPP/C deemed President Granger a dictator. Now, in a significant shift, he says that Granger has “dictatorial tendencies.” In political terms this is important. The President is now not a dictator but has inclinations of being so. This new articulation by Jagdeo puts the president in a better light since he is now seen like presidents worldwide, who are often accused of having dictatorial inclinations. Put another way, having dictatorial tendencies may be a red flag but it is far from crossing the “line”. What is responsible for this about-turn and its political significance? Bear in mind the opposition leader was addressing supporters in his party stronghold. His new description of Granger if not a slip of the tongue, is a major victory for the President and the APNU+AFC coalition in this election season.
Politicians and commentators must be trying to understand what is driving this new articulation by Jagdeo? My sense is the PPP/C ‘s leadership are faced with the reality of real politics. They are preparing in the event they lose the elections in having to deal with Granger as president post-elections and are thus resetting the political engagement. In other words, Jagdeo and the PPP/C are doing so to facilitate post-elections realities. At the Albion rally, the PPP/C’s leader is quoted as saying the PPP will be in power for “20,30,40 years in the future.” Jagdeo while engaging in his fantasy of election victory, knows too well that the government to hold office after the elections will most likely be an APNU+AFC government.
As recent as their election launch at the Kitty rally, the PPP/C called Granger a dictator. A few days ago at Albion in Berbice, their stronghold, Jagdeo modifies the party’s position. If he had done so in Georgetown or Linden, coalition strongholds in political terms, it would not be significant, since it could be seen as a tactical adjustment in the context of being in APNU+AFC territory.
On the other hand, doing so in Berbice signals a retreat by the PPP/C leadership and an attempt by Bharrat Jagdeo to reposition his party’s politics for post-election survival.
Yours faithfully,
Tacuma Ogunseye