Jagdeo ‘appreciation’ draws cheers and jeers

A member of the Guyana Defence Force greets President Bharrat Jagdeo at yesterday’s ‘Day of Appreciation.’ At the President’s left is Army Chief of Staff Commodore Gary Best. (Anjuli Persaud photo)

By Gaulbert Sutherland and Frances Abraham

Hailed as a visionary who put the Guyana’s economy on a solid footing and the country on the world map, President Bharrat Jagdeo was honoured at a ‘Day of Appreciation’ yesterday that drew thousands of supporters but also became a lightning rod for critics.

Jagdeo, who will demit office in a few months after leading Guyana for the past 12 years, used the occasion to urge reconciliation, togetherness and patriotism. “The journey from a village boy to