THE JAGDEO CHALLENGE

Part 1

The Guyana Times published a story on Thursday March 20 reporting that the Opposition had caused a poll to be conducted last month which found that “former President Bharrat Jagdeo would be the most formidable candidate that the Opposition parties…could face in any upcoming general elections.” The following day the Guyana Chronicle carried a front page headline as follows: “Jagdeo favoured as PPP’s presidential candidate” in an Opposition poll. The Opposition denied any such poll.

The publications in the newspapers which followed outreaches organized by loyalist Ministers, belie Dr. Jagdeo protestations that he is not interested in a third term. This new campaign was no doubt inspired by talk of a landslide victory if he had been the candidate in 2011, and if he is now the candidate. An expensive campaign was also put together in 2010 which only fizzled out when General Secretary Donald Ramotar took a stand against a third term. Now that elections appear to be on the horizon Dr. Jagdeo is beginning to drool with renewed ambition and hunger for high office.

From the time he settled in to the Presidency and realized its potential to elevate him to ‘greatness’ and wealth (by saving), Dr. Jagdeo set in motion a two pronged strategy. He began to nurture and encourage a group of business people, many of whom expanded through opportunities available from state contracts and other linkages, into massive and still growing conglomerates.  Today, crony capitalism has taken root in Guyana in a big way. This group is personally loyal to Dr. Jagdeo and displays nominal loyalty to the PPP but some are now quietly establishing or renewing links with the Opposition.

Part 2

The second limb of the plan was to break down any independent thinking and resistance to himself from the leadership of the PPP. Party stalwarts were retired, removed or sidelined. Independent voices were driven out, stilled or subverted. The newcomers, enticed with career opportunities and devoid of ideological commitment or political history, easily fell in line and learnt that exaggerated and sycophantic displays of loyalty offered security of tenure and protection, albeit limited, from the great man’s rages.

Unfortunately, the core leadership of the PPP unwittingly succumbed in the early stages of these plans, not realizing their implications. Worse, even after the Party realized their purport, they went along, seeing only short term advantages and not the big picture. They certainly did not recognize that the ambitions of Dr. Jagdeo, who was soon to leave office, could not be contained. The 2011 elections revealed the extent of the damage to the Party.

The open campaign for a third term, the direct challenge to President Ramotar and his leadership and the attempt to deprive him of a second term, whether of a minority government or not, were nevertheless exposed by the publications. But Dr. Jagdeo can only succeed if he divides the Party which he clearly has no qualms in doing. He can make bold to raise this direct challenge because, although President Ramotar recognizes the need to curb his influence, he has taken no decisive action to do so. President Ramotar is now paying the price for inaction, which will probably continue and which will become increasingly costly. Dr. Jagdeo, salivating for office, is not going to give up against President Ramotar and the PPP who are not his comrades, but instruments of his now monumental ego and ambition. Scheming has been perfected into a high art.

Dr. Jagdeo, who now has nothing but contempt for the alleged failings of the leadership of the PPP and of the Government, arrogantly sees little obstacle in his path even though, as one comrade told him immediately after the elections in 2011, ‘it was your mansion and pension that caused the loss.’ The comrade, deprived of high office as a consequence, omitted the cussing out, loud music, lewd dancing, big rallies and years of hostility to sugar workers, all designed by the genius. Dr. Jagdeo succeeded in doing what the British, Americans and the PNC together could not do – deliver an electoral disaster to the Party of Cheddi Jagan. With his usual hubris he now believes that only he can reverse the disaster of his own creation, ‘deal’ with the Opposition and manage Guyana.

The PPP would unfortunately continue to regard an anti-socialist like Dr. Jagdeo as a ‘comrade,’ and defend him, in order to maintain the appearance of unity, even though he has demonstrated by the publications and otherwise, over and over again, that he cares nothing about Party unity. The success of his plan for the Party has weakened it, has caused simmering discontent, has led to the almost total depletion of leadership material which understands the primacy of the PPP’s commitment to the disadvantaged within certain ideological perspectives and underpinnings.

Unless the Jagdeo grip on the throat of the Party and Government is prised open by President Ramotar, finger by finger, and he nurtures the leaders mentioned above, and they in turn show some political courage, the intellectual successors of Dr. Jagdeo will eventually inherit the leadership of the Party and Government, and he and they will have the last laugh.

Well what a put down, theis man got super wealth from saving Raphie mocks.

Well I am telling Ralphie, this man got super rich from tiefing and teking bribe and kick back from people like CLICO and Babby the BUTT plug partner.

The facilitator fo the kickbacks is none mother than the senior Minista of Finance.

Yes, the man who own and concubates the audit office.

Well do not ignore that some of the riches fell into the Minista hand (pocket) too.

DANALD is a weaklin, he cannot wrestle the party from DR DR DR DR DR.

ONLY my boy CLEMENT JAMES got the balls to put DR DR DR DR DR in his place.

Al right I tired of this syte DR DR DR DR DR, from now onwards is "KWAK DR 5."

From Ralpie

Unless the Jagdeo grip on the throat of the Party and Government is prised open by President Ramotar, finger by finger, and he nurtures the leaders mentioned above, and they in turn show some political courage, the intellectual successors of Dr. Jagdeo will eventually inherit the leadership of the Party and Government, and he and they will have the last laugh.

Quote: Dr. Jagdeo succeeded in doing what the British, Americans and the PNC together could not do – deliver an electoral disaster to the Party of Cheddi Jagan. With his usual hubris he now believes that only he can reverse the disaster of his own creation, ‘deal’ with the Opposition and manage Guyana.

The PPP would unfortunately continue to regard an anti-socialist like Dr. Jagdeo as a ‘comrade,’ and defend him, in order to maintain the appearance of unity, even though he has demonstrated by the publications and otherwise, over and over again, that he cares nothing about Party unity. The success of his plan for the Party has weakened it, has caused simmering discontent, has led to the almost total depletion of leadership material which understands the primacy of the PPP’s commitment to the disadvantaged within certain ideological perspectives and underpinnings.: Unquote

How true! 

What puzzles me is the following. After the 1992 PPP/C victory the debt, finance and economic growth were the big ares of focus. Land reform and agriculture would have to rank up there. Now Asgar Ali was pushed out by Janet(?) paving the way for a junior Minister of Finance with the unassuming posture - no ambition, just get the job done. The other big guns in the party - Moses and Ralph (I shall leave Luncheon out of this for a moment) - had to have some muscle (even if they were competitors). But in retrospect they were outgunned by Janet.

Jagdeo then made his move - from unassuming to assertive. The alliance with private shady capital, the destruction of noted civic figures and institutions (government's partnering with established capital), the accumulation of wealth, the building of a support infrastructure in the PPP (the second tier wannabes, the Rohees, the Gails, etc.), and the silent enablement by Luncheon all made Jagdeo what we figured him out to be today.

It is obvious that Donald is a wall paper, and the young guns like Ashni are toeing the line for now. Robert has been strangely silent.

While the PPP family soap opera has been going on, the opposition didn't make hay while the sun shone. Winston passed away, Corbin drank soup, the army and police went private capital (FF versus Phantom), and Moses and Khemraj regrouped in a dance where Nigel looks flawed and questions remain about Trotman.

We know who loses in all this shenanigan - the people. Who wins? I see Jagdeo smiling and saying to himself "ain't shit you could do about it". Meanwhile the GNI theater continues.................and that's why Amral's lock down is so silly.

the comrades is fighting 

Your comment is so painfully TRUE.

The majority opposition continue to squander the HAY.

LOL! Me like dat. Jaggy too self absarb foh know da.

De man save up a lotta money though 

Me ah save TOO!

But me think me got fuh go back Guyana to save some MO.  Interest rate prapaah HIGH, me gun become wan billionaire.

Ralhphie on a roll

From the time he settled in to the Presidency and realized its potential to elevate him to ‘greatness’ and wealth (by saving), Dr. Jagdeo set in motion a two pronged strategy. He began to nurture and encourage a group of business people, many of whom expanded through opportunities available from state contracts and other linkages, into massive and still growing conglomerates.  Today, crony capitalism has taken root in Guyana in a big way. This group is personally loyal to Dr. Jagdeo and displays nominal loyalty to the PPP but some are now quietly establishing or renewing links with the Opposition.

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Clement Rohee on Monday offered no comment on the stinging article written by former Speaker and former PPP Executive Member Ralph Ramkarran on the grip that former President Bharrat Jagdeo is trying to keep on the party and the Government.

At a Monday morning press conference, Mr. Rohee simply said “I am not dealing with that this morning”, when asked for his position on the Ramkarran article. Just last Monday, Mr. Rohee when asked to comment on stories carried by the Guyana Times and the Guyana Chronicle pushing a Jagdeo 3rd term, declared that the PPP was behind President Donald Ramotar. Mr. Jagdeo is constitutionally barred from seeking the Presidential Office again, but some of his close friends have been trying to tell the party supporters that Jagdeo would be best to lead the PPP and the Government again.

The articles triggered a probe by the Office of the President into how the Guyana Chronicle published the story that was reportedly based on a bogus poll and came one day after the Guyana Times carried the same story. The Guyana Times is owned by Mr. Jagdeo’s  best friend.

Writing on his blog Conversation Tree, the former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran sought to explain the Jagdeo obsession with power and why some of his close friends may be pushing an agenda to rally support to get him back in charge of the Government and the PPP.

Mr. Ramkarran said “President Ramotar is now paying the price for inaction, which will probably continue and which will become increasingly costly. Dr. Jagdeo, salivating for office, is not going to give up against President Ramotar and the PPP who are not his comrades, but instruments of his now monumental ego and ambition. Scheming has been perfected into a high art.”

Ramkarran who served as Speaker of the National Assembly but never got a cabinet position under the Jagdeo presidency also wrote that “Dr. Jagdeo, who now has nothing but contempt for the alleged failings of the leadership of the PPP and of the Government, arrogantly sees little obstacle in his path even though, as one comrade told him immediately after the elections in 2011, ‘it was your mansion and pension that caused the loss.’ The comrade, deprived of high office as a consequence, omitted the cussing out, loud music, lewd dancing, big rallies and years of hostility to sugar workers, all designed by the genius”.

President Donald Ramotar is believed to be very upset by the newspapers article since he believes, according to sources, that they bring his management of the Government into question and come across as disrespectful. Ramkarran who is also a Senior Counsel believes there is one way that the President could deal with the challenges that appear to be coming his way.

“Unless the Jagdeo grip on the throat of the Party and Government is prised open by President Ramotar, finger by finger, and he nurtures the leaders mentioned above, and they in turn show some political courage, the intellectual successors of Dr. Jagdeo will eventually inherit the leadership of the Party and Government, and he and they will have the last laugh”, he wrote.

The full article on The Jagdeo Challenge could be read on the Conversation Tree Blog by following the link

http://conversationtree.gy/the...-challenge/#more-948

It is either of two things: anyone who thinks Jagdeo will run again is INSANE OR Jagdeo is INSANE to run again. We will have to wait and see who really is THE MAD MAN and who is not.

I think KishanB or Brian Teekah might be contemplating a run for political office in Guyana. Just a thought.