BHARRAT Jagdeo’s entire political world has been thrown into utter confusion as a result of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) upholding that after the year 2000, presidents of Guyana cannot serve more than two terms in executive office, thereby giving legal sanctity to the Amendment to Article 90, Clause 2(a) of the constitution.

Did he realistically believe that those very learned gentlemen would have ruled otherwise for him to pursue his ambition and lust for more power, facilitated by a third term? Justice Saunders as part of his judgment reminded that democratic governance allows “for reasonable restrictions” to be placed on both the qualifications to be a member of the National Assembly, and also to be president.

But given his fixation on the power, pomp and grandeur of such an office and what it enabled him to do, such would have blinded him to the truth of what he had signed into law in 2001. And this is what the intoxicant of power does to such leaders – they become blinded by their own inability to remind themselves of the truth to which they had subscribed and swore to uphold, since their ability to reason becomes suppressed by the insatiable lust for power.

But it is the post-ruling comments coming from the opposition leader, brought back to earth by the court’s ruling, that are interesting. Given the persona that is so natural of him, it is surprising that he has not attacked the CCJ’S ruling. But there are already some indications of this unfortunate behaviour from party supporters. It would be a sad day for justice, and all that it embraces, should such gain currency.

Jagdeo is aware, that to do so will only attract unequivocal criticism from especially the legal corridors of this country. So, he has been attempting a somersault, an attempted show of democratic thinking – precipitated by two factors: firstly, the court’s decision that has completely shattered his plans for further power, and a perpetuation of the unenlightened hold on the party’s political business by the old guard; and, secondly, his young former Member of Parliament Charles Ramson’s announcement of his own presidential ambitions, and the role of young people in the decision-making process of the party, no doubt striking at the inflexibility of the party’s traditional policy-making citadel.
Since when does Jagdeo believe in, “the need for older party comrades to make way for younger persons to emerge”? He has never been a democrat of any kind.

At least, not one who is genuine about significant change which should be about admitting modern, enlightened views on rank-and-file involvement in the party’s deliberations and decision-making on its future development. It would be egregious on the part of Jagdeo to give the appearance of embracing this new line of thinking, and not actually allowing it to evolve as a new masthead for his party. This is an attempt to wear new political clothes, brought on by the events alluded to above.

The PPP/C must realise that as a party it has to accept its role and responsibility for the destruction of this country’s socio-political psyche, with its marked defects that has distorted and corrupted this country’s moral understanding of itself as a nation. There can be no talk of the introduction of new ideas, as stated by Ramson, without addressing these two gargantuan challenges that are a threat to national cohesion and peace among the people — race and systemic corruption, as well as to the future socio-economic growth and development of this country. The PPP/C is now challenged by its more than abysmal past.

There is a new thinking and understanding by younger, thinking Guyanese, facilitated by the historical events of May 2015, that are entirely at odds with the well-known destructive, worn out, and anti-national stance of the PPP/C.