I deal with reality. Facts and circumstances. No rumors, slanders. Guyanese haven’t seen Vice Pres. Bharrat Jagdeo. Until recently, briefly. PPP rank-and-file haven’t heard from their General Secretary. Leaves them uneasy. A few highly trusted in the PPP sanctum sanctorum know his whereabouts, probably his disposition, why the leave of absence, without a hint. I haven’t read of anything, minute or major, from Dr. Jagdeo. Puzzling. Worrying. I hope he’s alright. It’s probably just a self-imposed stay away from the unrelenting glare of the spotlight, the spreading corrosive torments of ink, the harsh voices raised in tactless, relentless and, oftentimes, tasteless condemnation. Again, my prayer is that he in fine mettle, just taking some time off for some much-needed self-examination. Despite his cameo, uncertainty reigns.
For him to be away for three consecutive weeks from his Thursday afternoon national healing spa is unheard of; untimely. It leaves me uneasy. Especially, when I absorb what Dr. Irfaan Ali has mutated into under the mantle of unfettered, uncontrolled national leader. A leader who says anything for a laff. A man who makes raucous music with the fears and hopes and dreams of the weaker in Guyana. A man and a leader who seems to fear truth, as though it is his mortal enemy. If this is Leader Ali today, what could be expected of Maximum Leader Irfaan Ali tomorrow, the next year, years beyond? Today he is the loudest. Tomorrow he could see himself as the greatest. A Founding Father of Guyana (the only one). A messenger from the mud of Guyana, who doesn’t need to walk in the sands, or footsteps of that other messenger from the deserts of Arabia. Seeing himself as superior, perhaps. The clues keep coming; shivering comes, too.
Many complained that Bharrat Jagdeo was too suffocating. Let the younger leader breathe, spread his wings, make his missteps. I was among those who critiqued Dr. Jagdeo, but one of the few who gave him a nod to free up the other chap. Now when I see Ali the Magnificent in action, I find myself weighing between the homegrown man, the Taliban, and the American. The Taliban is an army; the American is Don John. Both come out more favorably than the local power. The local leader has been given a partial review and it is awful. He is superficial. He is artificial. He is not beneficial to the interests and welfare of the Guyanese people. Starting with the ones below the middle of the ladder. Continuing to the horror of those trapped in the purgatory of the bottom. Or below the bottom. Yeah, there is such a place-wide and woeful-in oil rich Guyana. After all his chatter and banter, his frivolous and serious manner, this is Excellency Ali in the sinews and in his cells.
Dr Jagdeo as chief policymaker left much to be desired. Because he is out, I cannot kick a man who looks out. Xmas Village, or otherwise. Kicking is for the PPP, which has copyrighted its lifetime lock on malice, toxicity, radioactivity. Dr. Jagdeo as party general secretary is Vladimir and Kim twinned. Everyone knows their place, when to be seen and heard; not get uppity. No exceptions. With the new man on a rampage, there is the need for Jagdeo’s deflections and damage control. Ever hear his name called with foreign cars. Foreign relations, and foreign accounting. But not foreign vehicles. Ever hear him discussing deals that didn’t first clear the family man he brought back from Florida? No such contracting in spiritual houses. Government places, for sure; but not god’s houses. Dr. Jagdeo was not only street smart. He was surefooted, could smell danger from five years in the future, and stay far from that today. OFAC can talk, and men can hold up their phone and let it talk. See, what I mean.
Leadership restraint. Manly mental maturity. Or, in official jargon: check and balance. It is said that the water is never missed-never mind how grumsy, smelly, unhealthy-until the well run dry. Bharrat Jagdeo has kept out of sight, probably professional advice, for only a month, and those he kept in check are already out of control. I have a warning for all Guyanese. Whoever thought that Burnham was bad, and that Bharrat is worse, are in for a shock. They had something called a sixth sense. The man at the wheel now thinks that he has all the sense. Serious trouble brewing. Come back soon, BJ. Wiser. Humbler.
