WE SO lack constructive discussion across this society that we trend stories and propel news that most times serve little or no purpose. In so doing, we often ignore the real issues that matter to the wellbeing of Guyanese.For example, we saw national uproar over three comments former President Bharrat Jagdeo is alleged to have made. Even if Jagdeo spoke out of turn, what does it serve this nation to blow these stories way out of proportion to their positive value?

Opposition leaders and a large swathe of the media latched on to Jagdeo’s soundbites, collecting a couple of words out of his comments and proceeding to lambaste the nation with negative complaining and juvenile rants.
Claiming that Jagdeo labelled the ruling party a “Coolie Party” warrants absolutely no response. We should instead analyse exactly what he said, and in what context. Thus also with his now famous “kick ass” comment, also made within a narrow context, but which we saw got drawn out and given subjective meaning.
But the story that took centrestage, his comment about the relationship between his own lifestyle and that of Dr Cheddi Jagan, particularly their houses, shows how starved we are of constructive discussions, deep analysis and sane conversations.

TABLOID SLEAZE
In fact, Opposition Leaders and practitioners of our negative media culture seem obsessed with Jagdeo. Hardly could he say anything. His littlest utterance becomes fodder for screaming headlines full of tabloid sleaze.
The story of his house now stands as a trendy topic of discussion, and it’s a favourite subject for the Opposition on the campaign trail in this elections season.
Why is Jagdeo’s house such a big deal? We saw his comment torn to shreds, with comments from folks like Ralph Ramkarran, an elder statesman of Guyanese politics, and the daughter of Dr Cheddi Jagan, Nadira Jagan-Brancier who lives overseas.
While we could sympathise with Dr Jagan’s daughter for taking offense at what she may perceive to be unfair reference to her dad, we as a nation got into the spat, and Jagdeo’s house again became a passionate subject of discussion, with a national newspaper regaling the public with full colour pictures of his house spread across two pages.
Here’s the thing: In the context of modern Guyana, with our fast- rising GDP, our economy booming and our wealth increasing, Jagdeo’s house is not such a lavish mansion, is it? We’re no longer a nation suffering gross poverty.
In the days when Dr Jagan built his home, Guyana’s socio-economic state was of excruciating poverty, with many of his people living in logies in Port Mourant, with illiteracy and gross poverty rampant in Guyana. We were a poor British colony. Now we’re a thriving 21st Century nation, leading the Caribbean for the past decade in macro-economic indicators.
Jagdeo’s house ranks on the same scale as buildings sprouting up all over Guyana, all across Georgetown and New Amsterdam and Essequibo.
In fact, Alfro Alphonso’s luxury building on the edge of the Pomerron River at Parika has become an icon of aesthetic wonder, with the glass front reflecting the river’s calm brownness.
Criticisms of Jagdeo’s house seem to point a finger at him because he may not be a businessman, but a Public Servant. As former President, Jagdeo is entitled to conduct private business; and if he increases in wealth, once Government is satisfied with his taxes and so on, why would we want him to live as an ordinary citizen?

VISIONARY ROLE
Jagdeo has taken on a visionary role in our society; he’s dedicated his life to a very tertiary concern of the Guyanese people.
This is no apologist exercise on behalf of Jagdeo. In fact, this writer has never met him. But it’s unfair to him that he comes under so much scrutiny and criticism, without an effort to put him into context, or to understand what he says when he comments.
Especially on the campaign trail, one would expect any leader to talk off-the-cuff, making comments by the way, meaning not what we make these out to mean.
We see nasty meaning made out of little things, in the process demoralizing, demotivating and depressing our nation.
Citizens encountering this national uproar over what Jagdeo’s comments mean are frequently not privy to the full context of the comments. They hear the soundbite, and then commentary on the soundbite from commentators who attack Jagdeo, not out of authentic analysis, but out of spite, maliciousness or the seeking of vengeance.
Jagdeo may not be an angel, as he’s mere human. We cannot expect him to be perfect. He would make blunders and mistakes. It’s the nature of each one of us. We’re all prone to mistakes and uttering stuff that others would misinterpret and misapply and misuse for their own ends.
But we must be careful that we do not drag the Guyanese nation down in the process of tearing down one person.
Jagdeo has his supporters, and he has his detractors. It’s the way of politics and power. But we cannot make his soundbites the subject of national criticism every time he opens his mouth to say something.

BANISHED AND EXILED
Given these stories that trended about Jagdeo, one would think the former President adds nothing of value to this nation; that he should be banished and exiled. But President Donald Ramotar saw it fit to appoint him as Chairman of the National Economic Council. And Jagdeo has a wealth of experience and knowledge to add to President Ramotar’s Government, which is affected by the national brain drain.
Many folks reading this would jump up and scream it’s Jagdeo propaganda, especially because it’s published in the Chronicle. Jagdeo needs no propaganda. He’s contributed enormously to Guyana, having had to battle his way in the rough and tumble and tough playing field of party and national politics. He may have offended people and stepped on toes and left scars on some people who expected him to deliver their desires.
But that’s no reason to sideline him and belittle his contribution to the development of Guyana, to chastise him every time he opens his mouth to comment, or to apply sinister meaning to everything he says.
His personal life is one thing, for him to choose to live as he pleases, but his national life, and his potential to contribute value to the Guyanese nation, and the possibilities he brings to the national table, make him a citizen we want to see making a defining role for the Guyanese people.
His Presidency is over. But as past-President, his contribution is now starting. Let’s give him room to be himself, and to really contribute to our nation, even as he devotes his energies to party politics, the atmosphere where his unique leadership style is so successful.