There is a Guyanese colloquial saying which states, “Moon ah run till daylight ketch am.” For this colloquial saying, applicable with Bharat Jagdeo and his best mate Zhi Rong Su, is of the inference, all dark practices do come to light, with time. In which the story, one with an international flavour, saw VICE News doing an explosive XXX exposé, on Bharat Jagdeo. Which captured Bharat Jagdeo with his pants down, and vulnerability exposed, while making a transaction, through a naked middleman, most Guyanese opined to be corrupt. But despite loud choruses of corruption, with supportive recorded evidence, PPP provided Bharat Jagdeo with nothing less than full-throated support. Then with the controversy in an apparent quiescent mode, a nervously stuttering Bharat Jagdeo, protesting his innocence, assured the understandably sceptical nation, that the ‘slanderous’ Zhi Rong Su, was sued. And having ‘sued’ the mysteriously vanished Zhi Rong Su, Bharrat Jagdeo went into a mode of quietude, cognisant that the court case will never be brought to light. However, this period of quietude was interrupted, when the UN Human Rights Commission interrogated Gail Teixeira, with a most pointed of question for comment, on the lack of investigation into Bharat Jagdeo’s corruption.
And Smoky Gail, no less naked than Bharrat Jagdeo, comically commented for all to hear, but in so doing, conclusively announced to the world, she has been inhaling toxic levels of carbon monoxide. For it has to be toxic levels of carbon monoxide, or some other hallucinogenic agent with cognitive side effects, explanatory to her brainless comment, no police report was made into the Bharat Jagdeo’s corruption allegation, hence no investigation was mandated. Therefore, confronted with such an asinine response, one would be wholly justified in querying, why such serious allegations, made by an Internationally reputable News Outlet, aren’t grounds for a thorough independent investigation? Moreover, during the exposé, this controversy was most topical, both locally and internationally, so much so, that there were voluminous letters to the Editors, along with column inches, calling for Jagdeo’s resignation and investigation? Thus, we query, weren’t those grounds to undertake a thorough independent investigation, or at a minimum, interview VICE News, who were making these damning allegations?
But neither was undertaken, evidencing PPP was hellbent on sweeping the corruption controversy, like other corruption controversies, under the proverbial carpet. However, even as PPP undertakes to sweep another corruption controversy under the carpet, the recollection must be ours, whenever PPP is in power, installed or elected, there are always loud cacophonous cries of grand corruption. And it’s not that these allegations aren’t corroborated, for they are supported by data emanating from Transparency International, which registers the installed PPP, as one of the most corrupt governments, in this hemisphere. In fact, this history alone, should’ve been more than enough impetus, for PPP to undertake an investigation, by a reputable independent body. A reputable independent body, with the requisite international experience, to thoroughly investigate these serious allegations of grand corruption.
Mark’s Take
The fact is, what we are witnessing on a daily basis, camouflage as infrastructure developments, is PPP complicity in grand corruption. For grand corruption, as expounded on by Transparency International, is characterised by the systematic abuse of the country’s resources, benefiting a few, at the expense of the impoverished many. And with the benefits being siphoned off to a selected few, consequentially the hungered masses suffer, as public servants are underpaid, even as critical sectors e.g. healthcare, lack investments. As a result, those enduring the economic squeeze, are our public servants and teachers, who have never seen a liveable wage, for which they are presently striking. In fact, it was during this teachers’ strike, Bharrat Jagdeo argued, there isn’t fiscal space to facilitate such pay increases. Thus, the inquiry needed to be made is, why a country rich in oil, cannot afford to invest in its public servants and critical sectors? And the answer lies with underfunding, where through grand corruption, vast amounts of public monies are systematically siphoned off, to the accounts of a few powerful individuals, at the expense of public servants and critical sectors.
Thus, the incontrovertible conclusion is self-evident, grand corruption under PPP, is having a long-lasting negative impact on our country’s economy, and citizenry. And it’s for this reason, recognising the irreversible damage, such large-scale corruption is having on our international image and economy, the installed government should’ve investigated Bharat Jagdeo. However, that they haven’t done for obvious reasons, nonetheless, we are now comforted in the knowledge, the United Nation Human Right Commission, has confirmed what we knew all along, PPP is corrupt.
