Political commentator and columnist GHK Lall has commended President Irfaan Ali for key commitments made during his second inauguration speech on Sunday, September 7, 2025, describing the day as one of “nobility and glory” for both the President and his government.
In his characteristically sharp yet reflective style, Lall—who wryly noted that he hadn’t listened to the speech—nonetheless credited the President for delivering on symbolic and substantive messages that resonated beyond the occasion.
“My apologies for not listening to a word. But when the word has resonance, it takes wings and soars,” Lall wrote in his latest column. “And, so it came to pass that Sunday, September 7th, 2025, will go down as a day of nobility and glory for Excellency Ali and the PPP Government.”
Access to Information: A Long-Awaited Move
Lall highlighted the President’s pledge to improve access to information, noting that it marked a significant shift from the opacity that citizens have long criticized. He thanked President Ali for what he called a long-awaited breakthrough, referencing persistent public advocacy and personal efforts.
“Thanks, Dr. President. All those sweltering middays in front of the Office of the Commissioner of Information and Office of the President has borne fruit,” he stated, crediting the symbolic endurance of “Lady Mary Currie” in his metaphor for persistence and patience.
While uncertain about how much information will be released or how soon, Lall still welcomed the move.
“It will be better than what existed before, and little things mean a lot,” he noted, while humorously advising that the current Commissioner of Information be “let down gently and preferably under the cover of dark.”
Anti-Corruption Squad: ‘Long Overdue’
Perhaps the most forceful praise came for President Ali’s announcement of an anti-corruption squad, a move Lall saw as both necessary and validating.
“Those who have a corruption problem will have to go through me. With proper permission, I stand alongside President Ali,” Lall quipped, before acknowledging the deeper implications: “Since that’s so, it means that corruption does exist and it is that bad.”
He stressed the importance of the quality and integrity of those appointed to the squad—“from its chief to its cooks”—and said that if the team functions well, it could boost the government’s credibility and polish its public image.
However, Lall also drew attention to a potential contradiction: the ban on the word “corruption” in the National Assembly, reportedly enforced by the Speaker. The reputable Transparency International Organisation, in it Corruption Perception index ranked Guyana the most corrupt country in the English-speaking Caribbean.
“The Hon. Speaker of the National Assembly (sorry the name eludes) must now recalibrate his ban,” Lall argued. “It wouldn’t look too kosher for the government to be hailing its anti-corruption squad, while the Speaker blocks the word in parliament.”
He pointed out the irony of ministers potentially boasting about anti-corruption efforts, while the very term remains censored in the legislature.
“It would be the height of comedy (and ridiculousness) for guvment peeple to be banging the table in high dudgeon about the presidentially-originated anticorruption drive… while the Speaker maintains his ban on the corruption word.”
‘I Always Said He Was the Man for the Job’
Ending on a somewhat personal note, Lall reinforced his longstanding support for the President’s leadership potential.
“I always said that His Excellency was the man for the job, and he proved me right last Sunday.”
While known for his biting wit and critical tone, Lall’s remarks this week suggest cautious optimism—particularly if the President follows through on the pledges made.
