In the life of every nation, there comes a moment of reckoning—a time to confront the rot within, to speak truth without flinching. Today, we say with profound sadness: some of our brothers have utterly lost their way, seduced by ambition and blinded by opportunism.
The recent spectacle at the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) rally in Linden was not merely a low point in Guyanese politics—it was a descent into moral bankruptcy, headlined by Leonard Craig’s vile tirade. His words, particularly disgusting and gutter-like, were no mere misstep; they were a betrayal of decency, a mockery of the political stage meant for ideas, unity, and progress.
Even the Hon. Dr. Vindhya Persaud, Minister of Social Security, could not stomach the display. As a consequence, she made public comments on Craig’s use of untidy language. Her pointed refusal to claim him as a PPP/C member, labeling him only as a former Alliance For Change (AFC) operative, spoke volumes. It was a deliberate disavowal, a signal that even his new allies recoil from his opportunism. And why not?
This is the face of floor-crossing: a man so desperate to prove his loyalty that he outdoes the PPP/C in fanaticism, shouting louder, sneering harder, as if volume could mask his lack of principle. Craig’s performance had nothing to do with politics; it was a circus of self-interest, a betrayal of the trust placed in him by those, who once saw him as a voice for change. He is not alone.
Across Guyana, we see this shameful pattern: individuals who once railed against the PPP/C’s excesses now grovel at its feet, their rhetoric more zealous than lifelong loyalists. They are political chameleons, shedding their ideals for a fleeting taste of power. In fact, some PPP/C party loyalists are quite amused at the new antics of those, who once harshly criticised them.
This is not merely a change of party; it is a betrayal of the people. As Nelson Mandela, the global beacon of integrity, once warned, “A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred; he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness.” So too are those, who cross the floor, imprisoned by their own ambition, betraying the voters who believed in their promises of accountability and transparency. When you abandon your principles for a seat at the table, you shatter the fragile trust that binds democracy together. You leave your former supporters disillusioned and your new allies wary, forever marked by suspicion.
These political turncoats revel in the applause of their new masters, drunk on the fleeting validation of their adopted camp. But their words ring hollow, their passion forced, their motives transparent. The louder they shout, the more they expose their desperation to belong. Their betrayal creates a crisis of legitimacy, undermining the very foundation of governance. No amount of venom spat at former allies can erase the truth: their allegiance is transactional, their integrity expendable.
This is not about party loyalty. In fact, it is about principle. Politics is a calling to serve, not a stage for self-promotion. Leonard Craig’s disgrace is not an isolated incident; it is a symptom of a deeper malaise troublingly infecting our politics. Floor-crossers, in their zeal to prove themselves, become caricatures of conviction, their rhetoric a hollow echo of their former selves. They forget that the people are watching, that history is unforgiving, and that power built on betrayal is a house of cards.
To those who have crossed the floor, chasing greener pastures, heed this: the applause will fade, the spotlight will dim, and what remains is the truth you abandoned. The voters who trusted you will not forget. The comrades you now flatter will never fully trust you. Your legacy will be one of opportunism, not leadership.
We must demand leaders who stand firm in their convictions, who serve the people, not their own ambitions. As Mandela’s words remind us, true leadership is rooted in integrity, not expediency. The question now is not whether our lost brothers can find their way back; it is whether we, the people, will hold them accountable for straying in the first place. Let us rise, reject this politics of betrayal, and rebuild a Guyana where trust and principle reign supreme.
