Some who criticised Jagan now praise him

Dear Editor,

There have been many commentaries and letters praising Dr. Jagan’s contributions to the political landscape of Guyana. Many political figures and academics went to Babu John to pay tribute to the great leader. But some of them are hypocrites.

No one can dispute that Jagan made an enormous contributions to Guyana. He was the architect of the anti-colonial movement and for many he was the founding father of the nation. But Jagan also was responsible for many ills in the nation and these were exposed by critics in New York during the 1980s and up to 1992 when democracy was restored.

The people who critiqued and attacked Jagan now praise his contributions to Guyana and some of them hold prominent positions in the government. I will not expose their names but they are a bunch of opportunists who would sell their souls for a position rather than act on principle like some of us who fought the dictatorship.

I remember when in NY we were struggling for the restoration of democracy, very few assisted us. We were lonely visionaries out in the streets putting up a fight for the dignity of the Guyanese nation but receiving little public support. Very few wanted to hear about Guyana. Money was hard to come by. Businessmen ran us out of their stores when we went begging for donations to print literature to distribute to the public about happenings in Guyana during the dictatorship. Pandits ran us out of their mandirs when we attempted to distribute handouts.

Mulvis and imams did not want us around. We were seen as a lonely bunch of losers. The number of protesters at picketing exercises in front of the U.N or the Guyana Mission to the UNC was often small. Sometimes a few of us stood picketing in the freezing cold losing work (any by extension pay) and ignoring our studies. We were laughed at and scorned.

I remember one individual, the ultimate opportunist, who never participated in a picketing exercise because of the fear of recriminations from Hoyte who he said knew him well. He wrote the harshest critiques on Jagan but today he praises Jagan. Today that individual is high up in the government. Another individual, then a businessman in NY, said he wanted nothing to do with Jagan. “Me and Jagan, not on the same stage”, I remember him telling some of us in 1992 before the elections. Today he holds a high position in the government and praises Jagan. And there are many more examples of individuals who have reversed their positions on Jagan.

There is nothing wrong in changing one’s position on issues or about individuals. In fact I believe Jagan deserves the highest praises and accolades. But in reversing one’s position on how one feels about Jagan, is it done for opportunistic reasons to facilitate appointment to a position?

Yours faithfully,

Vishnu Bisram