August 2, 2020 is a date many Guyanese will forget. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) regime came to office with a number of electoral anomalies after a national recount of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections. Leading up to the elections, many promises were made to Guyanese, by the PPP/C, once they are successful at the polls.
August 2, 2024, marked exactly four years since the PPP/C regime took the seat of Governance. This is the penultimate year to GRE 2025, it is the year all Guyanese should have their score cards ready, after analyzing the performance of the PPP/C regime. There is nothing for the Guyanese to celebrate under this PPP/C regime!
Over the last four years, things have taken a different turn in our nation. The guardrails of our democracy have been debilitated under the PPP/C regime. The workings of our Parliamentary Democracy have NOT been successful over the last four years. It only works for the PPP/C during budgets, passing of bills and supplementary financial papers, when they need additional monies.
Mr. Ali’s only accomplishment over the last years is being an “itinerant Head of State,” who spends in my estimation 15% in office, probably just chairing Cabinet meetings and exercising of official instruments to persons, 25% traveling overseas and the remaining 60% in the fields, meeting and making promises to residents, which in many cases are NOT delivered and inspecting projects.
As an individual, I have been keeping a close eye on many of the unresolved issues that are under the watchful eyes of the PPP/C regime. Here are a few of the issues:
- Murders of the Henry Boys and Naresh Singh, unresolved!
- Murder of Orin Boston, unresolved!
- Murder of Peter Headley, unresolved!
- Murder of Quindon Bacchus, unresolved!
- Murder of Mr. Ricardo Figundes, familiarly known as “Paper Shorts,” unresolved!
- COVID-19 $25,000.00 cash grants, many Guyanese still have pink slips in their possessions.
- Former Directors removed from GUYOIL board, due to procurement procedures.
- Narco trade has returned, with No arrest.
- Allegations of corruption involving Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo and Su gates. Nation was told that Mr. Sue will be served with court documents since 2022. This matter is still pending.
- Nigel Dharamlall, allegations of rape and sodomy.
- First audit of oil expenses found US$214m in questionable claims by Exxon and partners.
- Burning of Brickdam Police Station
- Burning of schools ( North Ruimveldt Multilateral School, North West Secondary School, St. George’s Secondary School and Christ Church Secondary School).
- Twenty-one children died in Mahdia Dorms.
- Constant power outages
- Corruption in the Guyana Police Force, involving senior officers.
- Flouting of the Procurement Laws.
- Death of five servicemen in an aircraft crashed.
- 50,000 jobs still to be delivered.
- Political Victimization
- 50,000 house lots, still to be realized.
- Public Servants promised 50% increase in salaries. Still to be realized. From 2021-2023, Public Servants received a total of 21.5% in salaries.
- High cost of living continue to affect ordinary Guyanese, either little assistance from the government.
- Guns and ammunition on the streets.
What is troubling, is that Mr. Ifraan Ali over the last four years has NOT hosted much press conferences as President. Hardly the ministers host press conferences exclusively to keep the public inform on the activities of their respective ministries. Jagdeo seems to know if all and would usually provide information on the workings of the various ministries. At times when questions are up to him by reporters, he would bluntly refer them to the respective ministers. In many cases, at his pressers you would hear the reporters complaining about their challenges in reaching Ministers.
Mr. Jagdeo will not sit at his press conferences to update the nation on the successes or achievements of the Jagdeo/Ali regime over the last four years. What is disgusting for me is his constant untruths he would provide to the nation.
I believe Mr. Jagdeo is suffering from a mental disorder. I would like to recommend that he seeks expert assistance. His press conferences have become unimpressive since in my view they lacks focus, uninspiring direction and substance, since they fail to attract attendance from other reputable media houses. At his elongated pressers, his attention is on the Coalition Government and what was done and what was NOT done.
Furthermore, Mr. Jagdeo’s press conferences can also be described as comical! He sits there hurling insults to reporters and demeans them in the vilest of ways.
It is known that matters before the courts are classified as “subjudice,” and should not form part of a public discourse. The case involving several prominent figures from GECOM and political matters commenced on Monday, July 29, 2024. Less than 72 hours, Mr. Jagdeo at his press conference stated that these matters are likely to go way up to the CCJ! My concern is whether Mr. Jagdeo is seeking to intimidate the officers of the court and the defendants involved in the case, or he is a fortune teller?
Guyanese, have we forgotten the horrific and troubling twelve years of Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s tenure as President? Has he changed from then to now? The book of Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us how deceitful is the heart above all things, and desperately wicked. Therefore, it is difficult for me to say that Mr. Jagdeo has changed, since his actions towards ordinary Guyanese, who rejects his style of leadership are under persecution, including his political opponents from the Opposition.
Therefore, I will conclude by saying to all Guyanese, there is NOTHING to celebrate with the PPP/C in their fourth year of governance. They of themselves are fully aware that they cannot celebrate, hence, we have not seen the pump and ceremony leading up to August 2, 2024 and even on the actual day, I have not seen anything. Finally, I would like Messrs Jagdeo or Ali to identify from all the major projects being done, at least five successful ones fully completed.
Hon Annette Ferguson MP
