INCLUSIONARY democracy is grounded in the Constitution, laws and internationally acceptable time-honoured principles.Bharrat Jagdeo, who was former president with a dubious track record, having wrenched control from immediate past President Donald Ramotar, to return to Parliament along with other nefarious characters, has become leader of the opposition. The Leader of the opposition is a constitutional office and the holder has to be treated with in an official manner. But while it is so, one cannot lose sight of Jagdeo’s track record as a leader in this society, who governed with brutal fear, acquired wealth under questionable circumstances and associates with questionable characters.

Under his government he has signed agreements with Desmond Hoyte as leader of the opposition, Robert Corbin as Leader of the opposition, the Guyana Public Service Union and Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC).
He refused to honour one iota of the things he had agreed upon. It will be an understatement to say Jagdeo has no moral standing and cannot be trusted. It is a sad day for Guyana that so brutish a man can continue to hold public office where he will be automatically attributed dignity and prestige that he does not deserve.

If Forbes Burnham, Desmond Hoyte, Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan who are dead, their records are scrutinised today and many are critical of their stewardship, he who is alive must be asked to account for his stewardship.

At no time the society must be led into the false illusion that because Jagdeo is leader of the opposition we must turn a Nelson’s eye to his past.

The recent meeting between him and President David Granger that has been dubbed as a process of inclusionary democracy/inclusive governance cannot be shrouded in secrecy, because Jagdeo’s track record is one of such that will see him most likely come out later to say: 1) there was never any discussion of the issues with the president and, 2) at some point down the road when he is asked to account for any agreement made with the president he is most likely to say there was never any agreement on the issue/s.

If honesty falls on Jagdeo’s head he will never recognise it. The GTUC can speak from experience, having had meetings and agreements with him. Let it be known that on 8th March 2000 the parties agreed in the presence of then President Jagdeo that the government will make available a plot of land on the Linden/Soesdyke highway for an all-inclusive housing settlement, on the condition that the GTUC presents a concept note on the issue. This was done and when same was presented to the government, Jagdeo said that that was not the agreement.

Dr Roger Luncheon was so embarrassed about Jagdeo’ attitude that he turned to him and said ‘Chief, what the TUC is saying that was the agreement we had.’ Jagdeo then said, if that was the agreement, make the application to Lands and Survey and instruction will be given for it to be processed. During the Jagdeo and Ramotar governments the application was never processed. On the change of government, the file was presented to the GTUC and we were advised that instruction came from the Office of the President that the application must not be processed. Asgar Ally, former Minister of Finance in the PPP government publicly described Jagdeo as a liar.

Today, Jagdeo is on record saying he will champion the fight against corruption, and is demanding transparency and accountability, when from the outset in every form of life he had denied people their fundamental rights and together with his cohorts (allegedly) raped the coffers of this nation. He will be par excellence in fighting corruption because he has the strongest attributes identifying how corrupt practices ought to be executed.

President Granger, while well intentioned cannot be allowed to be lulled into any level of complacency, but must be encouraged to hold the course in making sure that the period Jagdeo led this country, a public inquiry be conducted to find out who was behind the extrajudicial killings of 400 plus young men and the raiding of the national coffers. The people have voted for a change which is premised on good governance and accountability. Jagdeo must be held accountable through every institution in this country, inclusive of the judiciary.
LINCOLN LEWIS