THIS week, General Secretary of the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, maintained that a conflict of interest is brewing between newly elected AFC Leader and Presidential Candidate, Nigel Hughes and the oil and gas company, ExxonMobil Guyana.
He rejected both Hughes’ argument and comments by ExxonMobil which seem to suggest that there is no conflict of interest, and it was going to be business as usual. The AFC leader then announced a committee to deal with the oil and gas sector as he explained he was not prepared to sever ties with ExxonMobil Guyana now but would not resign from the leadership either.

The General Secretary vowed to shed light continuously on the conflict of interest as Hughes may be “hiding something”. Dr Jagdeo said, “…So, you (Hughes) will hear more from us at the appropriate time and place. Today is not the appropriate time and place for that…We believe it is a serious case of conflict of interest. It is paying for influence in policies.”
He took the public back in time, telling them about the historical case of a Prime Minister who was still on the CIA payroll after acceding to that office in Guyana. Dr Jagdeo said Hughes, other leaders in the AFC and the opposition have a history of lying, corruption, and conflict of interest sagas.

It seems that Dr Jagdeo, who also serves as Vice President of the PPP/C Government, may have an insight into something that the public does not know about Hughes and the AFC. He is telling the public that the government is mulling a full-scale investigation into this conflict of interest but stopped short on definitively pronouncing on that matter.
He does not want to divulge too much or let the cat out of the bag too early as there is still much time until the election or ‘silly’ season officially starts. This perhaps is why he alleged that Hughes may be “hiding” something from the public about his dealings with the foreign company.

In the coming weeks and months, the public may have to brace themselves for these revelations that Dr Jagdeo may be making at his weekly press conferences. The PPP/C Government could also have the conflict of interest investigated by some regional or international firm.
As for the rumours that Dr Jagdeo feels threatened by or fears Hughes or the AFC, anyone who understands Guyanese politics or politics, in general, would offer a different opinion. They are likely to suggest that the General Secretary is toying with both the AFC and Hughes before he is ready to give them the ‘political death lash.’

Secondly, if one is objective, then research and facts are one’s friends. It doesn’t take a needle here to see how ExxonMobil could be at work here. After all, ExxonMobil has a history, across the world, of leaving economies like Guyana in much more corruption and political mess than they found them when they first went into business. If the public is politically smart, they would see why ExxonMobil would say quickly that it has no conflict of interest with Hughes. It is giving me a Pontius Pilate vibe. And, the term ‘my hands are clean’ has become so relevant now.

Dr Jagdeo may be onto something when he said on Thursday last that ExxonMobil allegedly found a backdoor to have their say in the outcome of any future elections. They could be funding Hughes and getting him to the AFC helm, and eventually challenging Aubrey Norton for the consensus presidential candidate position.
And, if he wins and becomes President, which he will not, then Guyana belongs to ExxonMobil and the oil and gas industry will be under serious strain. Think for a moment about it. ExxonMobil has its wild horse in the race and may be hiding its hands.

Why else would Hughes say, “You seriously couldn’t be asking me to compromise my integrity because the interest of Guyana is at stake because I happen to be a leader of a political party?”
What does that mean? Does he mean he would sacrifice Guyana and its interest for ExxonMobil? What integrity is Hughes talking about? Whatever integrity, he might have had went out of the door when the details of the Booker Tate deal came to the fore. Also, his integrity went out the window when he resigned as the Chairman of the AFC, not once but twice. Anyways, he that pays (very well) the piper, calls the tune. So, Guyana is merely collateral damage in the quest for big bucks? Sad.

Thirdly, the opposition is reeling from the divisions and infighting in its camp caused by the mess that occurred at the party’s Congress and conference. Norton is badly wounded and the party’s elders are busy quietly investigating the Vanessa Kissoon saga while Sherod Duncan is ringing the bell somewhere in the West and crying about his unbelievable loss. Dr Jagdeo cleverly unmasked the leaders that will contest with his party next year. If one reads too much, way too soon, from the posture of the PPP or Dr Jagdeo, one will have committed oneself to political suicide. It’s not that straightforward. One will have many turns and thrills to go through until the elections.

Finally, hate him or love him, Dr Jagdeo is well ahead of the PNC and AFC. He quizzed, “Why do [you] have to lie so blatantly if you don’t have things to hide”. What is in the dark, must come to light.
Dr Jagdeo may be hitting the nail right on the head because of this glaring infraction and conflict of interest. The AFC is like a sick patient and a dying patient searching for treatment while the treatment is right there in front of its eyes. The treatment may be Hughes, and he will make Guyana come to its knees should the opposition elect him. Guyana’s opposition will decide. Better must come! UNDERSTAND THE GS’s CONCERN.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.