Well, he has said it. Releasing a statement in which he enunciated his willingness to continue to serve Guyana “in any capacity” and in which he sought to capture his patriotism, Robert Montgomery Persaud, current Minister of Agriculture has more than hinted – if one reads between the lines – that he has presidential ambitions.
According to the grapevine, Robert is likely to be nominated shortly as a presidential candidate to lead the PPP to this year’s elections. Robert chose not to respond directly to the reports. But one supposes that during his studies in the United States, India, Guyana and Barbados – according to his public biography on his ministry’s webpage – Robert must have read Dickens. His, “I remain a loyal and faithful servant of the people, my party and willing [to] serve in whatever capacity the people, our party and government so desire” is as transparent as Mr Barkis’s message in David Copperfield, ‘Barkis is willing,’ which he asked young David to include in a letter he was writing to Peggotty (the object of his affection), although Mr Barkis would have seen Peggotty long before the letter would have reached her.
We get the feeling that Robert is being deliberately obtuse. It would appear that he is the dark horse – the surprise candidate who comes from behind, long after everyone else has declared their intention and races ahead of them all. We get the feeling too that Robert knows more than he let on in his ‘I’m-so-humble’ statement issued on Monday and described as “cheesy” by some of his critics.
We have observed the way Ralph Ramkarran, Clement Rohee and Donald Ramotar were totally immodest about their abilities to not only win the PPP presidential nomination, but to run this country. We are not sure who nominated them. Then along came Gail Teixeira, nominated by the Women’s Progressive Organisation, the women’s arm of the PPP, who declared herself willing if the comrades found favour with her.
The Progressive Youth Organisation, the youth arm of the PPP, could very well nominate its ever so humble former chairman, who, though he has found “little time to contemplate personal ambition” with his feet “always been rooted on earthly soil, most comfortable in the trenches of struggle and most productive in the fields helping others”, is willing. He has said that his “greatest joy has been in serving the people, and in ensuring their well-being”. We can only imagine how much more joyful he would be if anointed as presidential candidate.
Robert is not only willing; he obviously believes he is able. How does he compare to the incumbent? Robert, who will be 37 years old this year, is ten years younger than President Bharrat Jagdeo and two years older than he was when he acceded to the presidency in 1999. They both have Masters degrees; Jagdeo’s in economics, Persaud’s in business administration. Jagdeo is single and childless; Persaud is married with two children. Persaud has more “in the trenches” party experience than Jagdeo.
It seemed more than obvious these past months that Ramotar was favoured and was being groomed for the job. Question is, will Robert knock him off his pedestal if nominated? It seems the curve ball has not yet been bowled and the inside political shenanigans are even more political than one might think. Interesting times lie ahead.
