Passing the baton of new leadership
HER EXCELLENCY the President of the Republic of Guyana, Janet Jagan should be commended for having the humility and vision to make way for a young successor as head of state and government, Finance Minister Bharrat Jageo, while she is in a position to do so. The baton of new leadership will be formally passed at Wednesday's inauguration ceremony. In every democratic state the smooth transition from one head of government to another is essential for the continual process of good governance in a multi-party parliamentary democracy. In our particular circumstance, it is the most unfortunate state of her health, and not any demand from any recognised section of the Guyanese society, that has made necessary Mrs. Jagan's own personal, voluntary decision to give up the Office of President. She has held that Office with characteristic humility and dignity these past 20 months since she led her PPP/Civic team to a decisive second term victory at the polls in December 1997. During that period, the presidency has been subjected to some of the most vile, personal attacks ever hurled against a head of state and government of this country. The orchestrated attacks came from the frustrated and bitter ones whose own credentials in democratic governance stand more as a stinging indictment than any recommendation for this country and a future generation. They may yet come to rue such political myopia and mischievousness. In her broadcast to the nation yesterday afternoon, President Jagan, a woman who has devoted more than half a century of her life's struggles to the advancement of the welfare of the people of Guyana, the country she made her own on her marriage to that titan of West Indian politics, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, told this nation: "It has been the objective of my government to rebuild the economic and social foundations of the society and to launch out on a development course which would see Guyana coming out of its underdeveloped state. And we intend to do so with the interest of the people at the centre of our strategy. "Our open economic system is intended to bring growth and human development...What is important is that we have put Guyana back on track. There is more hope for a bright future." For the 20 months she has been President, Mrs. Jagan has added to the dignity of her office, showing humility and restraint in the exercise of power where others had been so eager to demonstrate arrogance and abuse of power - even when such power was clearly not based on the expressed will of the Guyanese people. Such restraints by the Jagan presidency, in the face of unwarranted and unjustified hostility was at times viewed as ineffectiveness or weakness of a government. But Mrs. Jagan's own interpretation, as stated in her broadcast yesterday, differs fundamentally from her government's detractors. "Our attitude", she said, "has been one of patience and we realised that the State and Government, not the opposition or destructive elements, have the responsibility to see to it that the society does not descend into anarchy. We needed to have great political wisdom and prevent racial conflagration by finding new ways to solve the problems of a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society..." And so she did, even under tremendous provocation and personal abuse, as will be recalled, when it really matters, by Guyanese of all races, religions and classes and by those at the national, regional and international levels interested in social justice, basic rights and human dignity. In setting in motion the relevant constitutional arrangements for the youthful Minister of Finance to succeed her as President in accordance with a pledge made during the 1997 general elections campaign, Mrs. Jagan has shown a quality of leadership that is necessary for all who claim to be committed to the national interest. How the country progresses from here onward without a Cheddi or Janet Jagan in the leadership structure of either the government or the People's Progressive Party will have to be evaluated as time goes by. But it is clearly a new ball game, a most challenging period for a country, for the generation of Guyanese for whom the Jagans had become so integral a part of our societal life. Even some of their most bitter and frustrated opponents have had to admit in private - they can hardly expect to do so publicly -their admiration for the commitment and sacrifice to public life, to the social, economic and political advancement of this country by the Jagans, the husband and wife team that have devoted more than 50 years of their working life to the cause of the Guyanese people. We commend President Jagan on her momentous decision to leave office at this time and for giving substance to consistency and courage in honouring her campaign pledge to be succeeded by the young Finance Minister. For his part, Mr. Jagdeo will obviously need all the goodwill of his experienced government and party colleagues and the leaders of civil society to make his own positive contributions to good governance. We wish him well as we do for the health and happiness of Mrs. Jagan.
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