OP-ED: ‘Low-life’ Governance; Reflecting on Jagdeo’s Tenure, The Tumultuous Appointment of Henry Greene Revisited

In recalling Bharrat Jagdeo’s tumultuous influence on the chapters of Guyana’s political history, the controversial appointment of the late Henry Greene as Commissioner of Police is a decision that, to this day, remains a stark reminder of Jagdeo’s alleged determined strategy to make sure that any Chief of Police under his watch was sufficiently compromised so that he could be effectively used as a political weapon and essentially controlled by the ruling PPP party.

Years ago, a leaked U.S. Embassy cable, made public by WikiLeaks, shed light on a decision that seemed to underscore the paucity of good governance and the weight of allegations ignored by the Jagdeo-led PPP government. The cable revealed that, despite clear warnings from international partners and the revocation of Greene’s U.S. visa over allegations of involvement with drug traffickers, Bharrat Jagdeo proceeded with his appointment. All reasonable readers should ask themselves why the leader of a purportedly democratic nation would not wish for his police chief’s record to be spotless.

This decision reflected Jagdeo’s governance style marred by alleged corruption, obstinacy, and insensitivity to both international relations and internal policing integrity. When the revelations first surfaced, they sparked a wave of unease, casting long shadows over the credibility of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the judgment of its highest office.  According to a US Embassy report revealed in WikiLeaks, “This issue reveals a real stubborn streak in Jagdeo — he is doggedly sticking with Greene, knowing that he is corrupt and incompetent – that doing so strains Guyana’s security situation and its foreign relations, and imperils GPF operational efficiency.”

Greene, who had broken down in tears upon learning of his visa revocation—fearful of the scandal rather than remorseful of the alleged misconduct—is now deceased, a death described by most as suspicious, but the legacy of his appointment continues to invoke critical discourse about a past era, heavily influenced by Jagdeo’s domination and lack of regard to ethics.  Bharrat Jagdeo’s influence and behaviors remain unchanged in 2023. It was a period marked by corruption, drug dealing, money laundering, resistance to external advice, and a reluctance to confront allegations head-on, as detailed in the diplomatic communications of the time.

The aftermath of Greene’s appointment, as viewed through the lens of history, should remind the public and potential investors of Bharrat Jagdeo’s character and of the commitment of his cabinet to reform and transparency. It is also a potent reminder of a time when foreign diplomats from the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union were poised to withdraw support for the GPF, signaling a significant fracture in international trust, a position which seems to have changed since the discovery of significant oil resources in Guyana.