The meeting between President Bharrat Jagdeo and Mr. Robert Corbin has generated considerable speculation about the nature and scope of that meeting. It brings into sharp focus either Corbin’s lack of judgment and naivety or his conscious decision to collaborate with the Jagdeo Administration. Mr. Corbin said in a statement that they discussed Local Government Elections. Even if this is what they did, Mr. Corbin has a lot of explaining to the people of Guyana generally and his political constituency in particular. It is noteworthy that it was he, instead of the President, who only revealed the nature of the meeting when pressed by sections of the media. Since when is Mr. Corbin Jagdeo’s spokesman?
It seems to me that it was politically imprudent for Mr. Corbin to meet Mr. Jagdeo in secret when the idea of a third term for Jagdeo has not been laid to rest. Further, it seems very foolish for Mr. Corbin to meet Mr. Jagdeo in secret when everyone knows that the PPP does not intend to have Local Government Elections under a reformed system. It should have been evident to Mr. Corbin that Mr. Jagdeo was setting him up to create the conditions for their postponement since the PPP and Jagdeo are afraid of elections in which citizens can run as independents. Elections under the reformed system will reduce the PPP’s stranglehold on its constituency and will not allow them the opportunity to use race and the PNC to scare them into voting PPP. Since Jagdeo and the PPP are not prepared to incur the political cost of holding them under the old system and they do not want to be accused of sabotaging the elections, they resorted to the easy prey – a Corbin that is unprepared and is himself afraid of the PNCR’s declining fortunes under his leadership
Once Mr. Corbin has been caught in this Jagdeo manoeuvre he has saved the PPP and Jagdeo from the possible boycott of the elections and the anger of the international community, which underwrote the reform of the local government system. The PPP therefore wants the local Government elections postponed and have found a scapegoat in Corbin having failed to trap the Elections Commission and make them the scapegoat.
Jagdeo and the PPP will postpone the elections, and when this happens, as it will, then Mr. Corbin will stand accused of collaborating with the Jagdeo regime. It will make a mockery of his claim that his Party is mobilized and prepared for the elections. It will certainly confirm that his party is not prepared but is in disarray. Above all things this unsatisfactory situation will emphasise that Mr. Corbin lacks the wisdom and political savvy to continue to lead the PNCR. He must consider whether holding on to the leadership is in the best interest of the PNCR and Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
James Reese
