Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is under fire from all corners of Guyanese society following a public outburst in which he referred to citizens as “stupid”—a remark that has triggered sharp condemnation, from opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) to prominent members of the private sector.
In a blistering letter to the editor, Opposition MP Annette Ferguson condemned Jagdeo’s behaviour as “disgraceful, offensive, and dangerously detached from reality,” urging the nation to reject what she described as an increasingly autocratic regime.
“Referring to Guyanese as ‘stupid’ is not only reprehensible,” Ferguson wrote, “but indicative of a leader who seems either unhinged or dangerously detached from reality.”
The outrage is not limited to political circles. Businessman Azruddin Mohamed also took to his social media platform to condemn the Vice President’s comments, bluntly stating, “This man has no respect for the people of this country.”
The backlash comes as Guyana grapples with escalating threats from Venezuela, including a recent armed attack on Guyana Defence Force (GDF) personnel in Region One and plans by Caracas to hold illegal elections in the Essequibo region. Ferguson criticised Jagdeo for failing to seriously address these crises, accusing him of focusing more on mockery than national defense.
This is a time when unity and leadership are required, she wrote. Instead, the Vice President uses his platform to insult and ridicule patriotic Guyanese—those same citizens who would be called upon to defend our sovereignty, the parliamentarian noted.
Ferguson also took issue with Jagdeo’s dismissive tone regarding the death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge. While the nation mourns, Jagdeo appeared more concerned with shaping a narrative of “negligence” rather than fully committing to justice and transparency. This, Ferguson argues, follows a troubling pattern of the government suppressing uncomfortable truths.
And in what many see as a deliberate distraction, Jagdeo recently accused the opposition People’s National Reform (PNCR of “practicing obeah”—a claim Ferguson flatly denied as “baseless and desperate.”
Guyana’s constitution protects the right to religious freedom, whether to believe or not to believe in a deity, to practice Obeahism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Worship Mother Khali or any faith, including the right to be an atheistic of agnostic.
However, Ferguson blast Jagdeo for focusing on religious freedom based on wild accusations are as nothing more than an attempt to shift focus from the real failures of the administration: economic hardship, insecurity, and a growing public distrust.
With Guyana facing both internal discontent and external threats, public confidence in the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government’s ability to unite the nation is eroding. Ferguson is calling on citizens to reclaim their constitutional right to speak out, citing Article 146, which protects freedom of expression.
This country belongs to the people, not to one man with a microphone and a contemptuous tongue, Ferguson warned. “It is time for real change. Let Guyana breathe again.”
The Vice President’s remarks have ignited a broader conversation about leadership, respect, and the growing disconnect between government elites and ordinary Guyanese. As calls for accountability rise, citizens from all walks of life—business leaders, politicians, and everyday people—are uniting under one demand: respect us, or step aside.
