Mixed reaction to President's resignation
by Robert Bazil
THERE was mixed reaction yesterday from the business, political and labour arenas on the resignation of President Janet Jagan and tomorrow's swearing-in of Finance Minister Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo as Head of State. People's National Congress (PNC) leader Mr. Desmond Hoyte refused to speak to journalists when he arrived at Parliament Buildings for a sitting yesterday except to mumble "She should have resigned a long time ago...if you want jokes..." And President of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Vice-Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Mr. Ramdial Bhookmohan said that Guyana has seen the end of the Jagan era which has started a new political culture in the People's Progressive Party (PPP). "Now that the Jagan rule has come to an end, the question of Jagdeo coping with the Presidential office is left to be seen by the Guyanese people," he said. Congratulating Jagdeo on his new office, Bhookmohan described the politician as a young, vibrant person to the likes of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, who has the mental ability to be a leader. While he felt that Jagdeo should have had a little more experience, the businessman stated that as Finance Minister, his track record is enough. "As a young person he should see the need for dialogue and seek to get the support of the opposition...this can take his presidency and the country, a long way," he advised. Stressing the need to include the social partners in his plans, Bhookmohan emphasised that if these are involved, Guyana's future will be bright because it depends on every political group. Pointing to Jagdeo's youth, he felt that he may "very well" be the person to make the changes Guyana needs and congratulated the PPP on this move, explaining that the new president may know what are the problems of young people. "Young people are the beacon of development...Jagdeo has to try to retain those that are left here and attempt to bring those that have left, back home," Bhookmohan reiterated. Alliance For Guyana (AFG) Member of Parliament, Dr. Rupert Roopnarain said "we are sad to hear that the President is resigning because of failing health and we wish her a really speedy return to as full a recovery as possible". He stressed that the party is concerned about the rules of succession and the way these are being applied. He said it does not feel that Article 85 of the Constitution that sets up the procedure for the succession of the presidency was intended to be interpreted and used in this particular way. "We are concerned about it and we will be raising our concerns in chamber," he said. On Mr. Jagdeo as the new President, Roopnarain noted that he has been fulfilling the duties of the Minister of Finance with mixed success and how he will perform in the presidency remains to be seen. "My own hope is that he will be forward looking, open, will consider new options and be prepared to usher in a new dispensation," he told the Chronicle. In relation to the Parliament, the politician said: "We have just come through a long consideration of the Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) and it is of some concern that on no occasion when the PPP appeared before the Select Commission or the Commission, did they attempt to raise the question of constitutional provision in relation to succession." He felt that if they intended to apply the rules of succession in this particular way, then it might have been a good idea for them to have raised the question of Article 85 in the appropriate place. Leader of The United Force (TUF), Mr. Manzoor Nadir indicated to reporters yesterday that in terms of economic policy Jagdeo was still being tried, but with respect to politics one cannot deny that he is an astute politician. "To get into office via the route he has taken; being the special advisor to former Finance Minister Asgar Ally, ending up taking over that position...then he got into the executive of the PPP on the `A' Team as one of the candidates for the position...now he is in the `A' Team, he finally got the ultimate position." Meanwhile, veteran trade unionist, Mr. Joseph Pollydore told the Chronicle that the choice of Jagdeo as President is in keeping with a decision of the PPP in the run-up to the 1997 elections. Pollydore described Mrs. Jagan as a prominent woman of Guyana and said that he had not expected such an announcement so soon. He noted Mrs. Jagan's intention to stick around even after she would have left the presidential office.
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