Jagdeo’s volte face and his credibility

Two weeks ago, former President Bharrat Jagdeo met with the press to restate his conviction that he had had enough of political office. In fact, even before he demitted office back in 2012, at a press conference in Trinidad he said that when his term as President came to an end, he would be walking away from political office. This question about him seeking a third term was to haunt him throughout the rest of his presidential life. In fact, the question continued even after he left office. Then came the campaign for the May 11, 2015 elections. Speaker Raphael Trotman suggested that Guyana had not seen the last of Bharrat Jagdeo in political office. So two weeks ago, Jagdeo met with the press to say, “Just to assure my friends in the opposition that some of their concerns and some of their worries will not materialize. The first is that, Trotman said, that I should stay out the race… I know that they are worried about that. I am not on the ticket; I said that before, I am not interested in a constitutional post… I will not be on the ticket. “They are still worried about it, that somehow I will spring a rabbit out of the hat and appear on the ticket on April 7 in some capacity; No. That is not going to happen. I will not be on the list. The last time I did not go on the list because I have no intention of going into parliament.” Well it turns out that Jagdeo did spring a rabbit out of the hat; he is on the ticket despite his conviction that it is not going to happen. One is now left to consider whether anyone could take Jagdeo’s comments seriously. How serious is he when he says that he is not interested in any constitutional post? One is hard pressed to name any President outside of Russia where Vladimir Putin played musical chairs with the presidency to find any former President returning to office. In the United States when a President leaves office he does not even return to either Congress or the senate. Jagdeo appearing on the list now casts doubt on every statement he would have made about his political ambition. He attracted controversy during the latter part of his tenure in office and from appearances he presided over corruption. He said that he would deal condignly with anyone whom he finds to be a corrupt officer. He never caused the prosecution of anyone and for certain, he intervened when any of his friends was fingered. One recalled when Secretary to the Treasury Nirmal Rekha was said to be the signatory to a number of forged documents authorizing duty free concessions; Jagdeo soon caused Rekha to return to the job. He then spearheaded a number of projects among them, the Amaila Falls hydroelectric project, the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the construction of the Marriott Hotel and the construction of the Skeldon sugar project. He spoke of getting the best possible deals but one must now question those comments. When he selected the Chinese company ahead of the Indian company to construct the Skeldon sugar factory at an even greater cost, people believed that he was acting in the best interest of Guyana. Now it would not be unfair to suggest that the comments on the funding for these projects, as announced by Jagdeo, were not necessarily the truth. Even Jagdeo’s staunchest supporter should now take offence when people insist that he is making another run for the presidency. His actions suggest deceit. The question being begged, now, is why does Jagdeo think that people would accept him after his volte face about appearing on the list of candidates for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic? He might have had some impact on the campaign trail since he has the support of some young people. Now he could be a liability and one who’s very utterances do not mean anything.