Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, at his press conference on Thursday, lashed out at Mr. Rickford Burke, President, Guyana Caribbean Institute for Democracy (CGID). The attack was with particular reference to a conference planned for September 27-28 in Washington D.C, USA by the United States-based CGID and other organisations in the diaspora.
The Conference, billed to “examine U.S policy on Guyana amidst rising autocracy and racial discrimination” is being held under the theme, ‘Promoting Inclusive Governance And Economic Growth, Equal Justice, Social Equality & Sustainable Development For All Guyanese In The Era Of Oil And Gas.’
Keynote address will be delivered by Democratic Leader, in the United States House of Representatives, Hon. Hakeem Jeffries and a high-level Biden Administration official. According to the release, issued by CGID, several individuals and organisations in Guyana and the diaspora will address the conference.
“Delegates will also brief White House officials, as well as officials from the State Department, Justice Department and FBI and US Exim Bank on the situation in Guyana. Delegates will travel to Capitol Hill to meet with key Members of Congress and US Senators, and there will be a meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).”
The Vice President, visibly upset at the upcoming event, lashed out at the CGID President, calling him a “criminal,” accused him of running a “criminal network” and said he should “be locked up.”
Village Voice News reached out to Burke for a response to the VP’s comments. He said Jagdeo is “a deranged man and is obviously unnerved Guyanese can stand up for themselves, if not in Guyana, at least in the USA where democracy works, and I want him to know the criminal network is the PPP, headed by him and Irfaan Ali.”
According to CGID President, the VP’s attack on him sounds like someone who is running scared and whilst he would rather not respond to someone who does not respect the office he holds, Jagdeo’s comments are proving to the world why there is need for the conference.
The VP’s continuous “attacks on any Black man or person who does not support the PPP, calling persons names and stooping to the level to seek to criminalise them, are even more reason why the conference must go ahead because not only is freedom of speech and association under threat, but the right of all Guyanese, particularly Black Guyanese and Opposition supporters, to equally benefit from Guyana’s resources.”
Touching on issues of criminality and who should be locked up, Burke reminded this publication of the US-based VICE News “exposé of the high level of corruption in the PPP government in the awarding of contracts and the Chinese businessman, [Su Zhirong] a friend and former tenant of Jagdeo, making known he [Jagdeo] was the kingpin of corruption. He, Jagdeo, should be locked up.”
In June 2022 VICE News, in an investigative report, ran a story of alleged corruption between high-level PPP government officials and Chinese businessmen. Going undercover and posing as potential investors, the journalists captured Zhirong on tape, referring to Jagdeo as his “boss,” and reportedly promised to connect potential Chinese investors to the VP for “the right price.”
The VP, who acknowledged Su as a friend and tenant, has denied allegations of corruption. Last year he filed a multi-million defamation lawsuit against Zhirong. The matter has not yet come up for hearing.
Shooting a personal message to Jagdeo, before concluding the interview, Burke said he wants to remind the VP he “was never impressed with his intellect as a teacher when he taught me at high school, as finance minister, president, vice president or leader of the PPP. He has never been good at anything other than corruption and cursing out people.”
