Dear Editor
THE nomination of Irfaan Ali as the presidential candidate for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) should not have been and is not surprising for those who are familiar with this party’s political culture, especially given its maximum leader brand of political leadership culture of Bharrat Jagdeo.

The Robb Street political household, by its acquiescence to Jagdeo’s bullyism, has laid bare what it really is, despite its voiceless bravado – a sorrowful bunch of political cowards who has allowed one man to snuff out whatever courage at intra-party dissent that may exist, and allow themselves to be cowed into complete silence. Toothlessness,to be more precise.

Central Committee hell! It has simply rubber-stamped Jagdeo’s nominee, giving him on a platter what they knew he wanted. Of course, it is quite obvious that throughout the years, he ensured that this body became stacked with his diehards who would grant him his every wish. For the PPP/C supporters, they ought to have known the political persona of their “shining light” Jagdeo, is one predicated solely on total control, and having to get what he wants – the “control freak.”

In fact, they should have been able to anticipate Ali’s nomination, given the former instance of Donald Ramotar’s pick as the party’s nominee, and Jagdeo’s sole input in that now historical farce which was to culminate in the former’s defeat at the 2015 poll, culminating in his eventual eclipse in his party’s pecking order.

So, why all the shouts of despair, vehement protests, and seemingly hostile criticisms from PPP/C supporters, suddenly questioning the integrity – especially on the question of suspected fraudulent academic certificates, and calibre of a candidate that has been foisted upon them? Were they not also aware that questions about Ali’s integrity had already become public, especially given the 19 criminal charges for which he has been placed before the court?

Instead of their asking serious questions of their party leaders, thus seeking answers to the likelihood of Ali being selected as its presidential candidate, as to why such a tainted person is being offered – they proceeded to give disparaging responses to what could be described as valid criticisms made by correspondents: a clear example of this palsied mindset can be found in blog responses of Raj Beekie and Alesha Persaud in response to the letter captioned “Allegations about Irfaan’s qualifications”, in the Guyana Chronicle dated January 13, from the eminent Guyanese physician Dr. Mark Devonish, whose investigations unearthed grave contradictions surrounding Ali’s claim to his academic certification.

These two particular apologists and their comments represent a traditional, sickening dumbstruck silence when it comes to PPP/C supporters calling on their party leaders to account for issues of personal integrity, propriety and their stewardship of governance, with the issue of GuySuCo and the PPP/C’s role in its collapse being a seminal example. Their signal failure to do so through the decades are what has been responsible for their party leaders’, especially Jagdeo’s, continuing arrogance, and disrespect for the truth, even in the face of proven acts of malfeasance that involve so many of his former cabinet and other high state officials. This is a fact that party supporters generally are now apparently prepared to acknowledge in their current vitriol against Ali’s nomination, given their veiled criticisms of his stewardship as minister of housing.

But even here in what may be seen to be a principled stand on the type of party presidential candidate, there is dishonesty and convenience. One would have observed that there is seemingly popular preference for Anil Nandlall as party pick; but he too, comes under a cloud and is tainted for two reasons: his ugly and vicious phone attack on the staff at Kaieteur News, during which he uttered physical threats, and his attempts at procuring a sexual liaison for a relative. Add to this sickening verbal assault that was totally unbecoming for the chief legal officer of the then government, would be the accusations of theft of the law books, for which he has been committed to stand trial.

Both these issues, in any jurisdiction that upholds and adheres to the principles of their country’s leaders, and would-be leaders being held to the highest standards of propriety, renders both Ali and Nandlall ineligible for such a consideration. This is the clear dishonesty and conundrum, and is what is responsible for Jagdeo’s continuous patent disregard and disrespect for his party’s support base, due to their well-known monolithic culture of not breaking ranks because of race.

Unfortunately, it is this archaic, unenlightened, and decrepit political culture on their part that continues to give support to the party’s continuous self-enclosure in its protective, self-debasing cocoon that prohibits their accountability to party base, and evolve a modern political culture.
All that has taken place with regard to Ali’s nomination is that, despite their roof top and middle of the ocean shouts – they have been given the candidate which their silence/not wanting to publicly hold their party leaders accountable, has facilitated.

Regards
Earl Hamilton