In the political landscape of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, the Vice President and former President, has often been attributed with orchestrating the alleged evils perpetuated by the PPP government. While it is tempting to lay the blame solely at his feet, history will not absolve the merry band of collaborators who enable and carry out these purported misdeeds. Jagdeo’s influence may be significant, but the actions of his accomplices cannot be absolved.
Priya Manickchand, for instance, may have been advised to convey her displeasure to the US Ambassador, but the manner in which she executed her command – the flair, the attitude, the vile language, and the fury – those were entirely her own. Jagdeo cannot be held responsible for that. It seems he possesses a knack for selecting like-minded individuals, those with a natural inclination towards malice and wrongdoing. If it were not for their inherent malevolence, no member of the PPP government would find it acceptable to dispossess African communities of their lands. None of them would turn a blind eye when Minister Kwame McCoy assaulted a female minister with a cell phone. None of them would remain silent regarding the PPP’s involvement in the tragic deaths of 20 young indigenous children. Nor would they stay mute as the PPP engages in extrajudicial actions, racism, and corruption.
Albert Einstein once said, “The world is too dangerous to live in if good men do nothing.” It becomes evident that the PPP politicians are not good men and women.
Silence in the face of evil is not neutrality; it is complicity. By choosing to remain silent, we inadvertently allow evil to flourish. We must summon the courage to speak out against injustice, even when it is arduous. We must be unyielding advocates for what is right, even if it means going against popular opinion. It is our duty to lend a voice to the voiceless.
Edmund Burke wisely stated, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” This serves as a poignant reminder that we all bear the responsibility of combating evil. While we may not be able to single-handedly change the world, our collective actions can make a difference. Let us start by condemning the injustices we witness in our daily lives. Let us stand up against political bullies in the PPP who seek to harm others. Let us speak out against inequality and champion those who fight for justice and if we cannot speak out, then let us go to the polls and vote against the PPP.
In this battle against evil, we must remember that it is not solely Jagdeo who should shoulder the blame. The complicity of his collaborators cannot be disregarded. It is time to unmask the truth and hold all responsible parties accountable for their actions.
