From ‘rejects’ to ‘recycled’

Jul 08, 2024 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Peeing Tom…

Kaieteur News – Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recently branded the Alliance For Change (AFC) as having “recycled” politicians. This characterization  is particularly ironic given the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) history and its previous labeling of the original AFC leadership as political “rejects.”

At a recent press conference Jagdeo said of the AFC, “This is a recycled party, a party of recycled politicians. Not a single one of them is new and doesn’t have baggage.”

In his eyes, the AFC has now morphed from a party of political rejects to one of having a recycled leadership.  At his next press conference, Jagdeo should explain how this transition from political rejects to recycled politicians took place.

Jagdeo seems to have overlooked the fact that it was the same political rejects that kicked his party out of office. It was because of the same ‘political rejects’ that his party was denied a parliamentary majority in the 2011 elections.

It was the same rejects that tabled a motion of no-confidence against the PPP 2011 government. This forced the then President to shorten his term, dissolve parliament and call fresh elections in May 2015.

In 2015, the AFC, with its coalition partner A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), managed to unseat the PPP, ending its 23-year dominance. The very politicians Jagdeo dismissed as “rejects” were instrumental in this seismic shift.

The AFC penetrated the PPP’s strongholds, especially in regions like West Coast Berbice. During the latter days of the 2015 campaign, the PPPC got word that their stranglehold on sugar workers were slipping and that many of these workers were now supporting the AFC. Jagdeo rushed up to West Coast Berbice to speak to these supporters. They bluntly told him that “boat done gone a falls,” signifying the change in allegiance from the PPP to the AFC.

Jagdeo’s return to politics after a hiatus, which he claimed was for pursuing a lucrative international career, brings an ironic twist to his criticism. He, along with many of his colleagues who had been on the political sidelines in the Opposition, re-emerged to reclaim positions of power in 2020.

This raises the question: how does Jagdeo distinguish between his own return and that of the AFC leaders that he deems as being “recycled”?  If the AFC leadership is to be deemed “recycled,” then by the same logic, many in the PPP, including Jagdeo himself, fit this description.

The narrative of political recycling isn’t exclusive to any one party; it’s a pervasive issue across the political spectrum in Guyana. The PPP has a long history of bringing back experienced politicians who have previously served in various capacities. They did this often. One man walked out of a leadership meeting and was deemed to have resigned. Yet, they brought him back on the campaign platform when it suited them.

The PPP is also notorious for poaching members or-ex-members from other political parties. A key strategy of the PPP’s electoral playbook involves persuading individuals associated with opposition parties to either defect to their side or to publicly endorse them. This maneuver serves to psychologically weaken the opposition. By enticing notable figures from rival camps, the PPP aims to create a perception of an opposition that is losing key personnel. The PPPC therefore has its own policy to promoting recycling.

The PPP therefore knows about recycling politicians. Instead therefore of casting aspersions on the AFC, Jagdeo might benefit from a reflective look at his own party’s practices. The PPP’s all-powerful Executive Committee, for instance, is replete with figures that have been in the political arena for decades. These individuals, though experienced, can also be seen as part of the recycling process that Jagdeo criticizes in the AFC.

But since Jagdeo is so concerned about recycled politicians, he should set the precedent. By stepping aside and allowing new leaders to emerge, he can demonstrate a commitment to political renewal. This would not only silence critics who point to the PPP’s own recycling but also strengthen the party’s credentials.

The PPP, with its long history and significant influence, is well-positioned to lead by example. Jagdeo claims he has been around politics since his teenage years and has been in government for more than 30 years. Is it not time that he calls its day and retires? Then he can add another ‘r’ to his political lexicon – “rejects”, “recycled” and “retired”.

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• AFC, baggage, Executive, Jagdeo, PPP, recycled, rejects

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