President announces imminent resignation
Jagdeo to be sworn in as PM in first step


Stabroek News
August 9, 1999

Citing health reasons, President Janet Jagan yesterday announced her imminent resignation making way for Finance Minister Bharrat Jagdeo [please note: link provided by LOSP web site] to become the country's seventh President.

In the first stage of a manoeuvre to comply with constitutional requirements, Prime Minister Sam Hinds yesterday tendered his resignation and this was accepted by the President, according to a statement last evening from the Office of the President. Hinds departure as PM will enable Jagdeo to be sworn in as PM. This ceremony is set for 9 am today in the Cabinet Room, Office of the President. President Jagan is then expected to resign as President after which Jagdeo will automatically move up to that spot and reappoint Hinds as PM.

Announcing her intention to resign simultaneously on the state-owned radio and television stations at 17:00 hrs, Mrs Jagan said that the choice of her successor reflected a promise to the electorate and assured all concerned "that the responsibilities of good and strong leadership will be guaranteed".

Stating that "the time has come for me to take a decision which I have been considering over the past month, Mrs Jagan said that she had considered at length and consulted close colleagues on the question of continuing in office as president. "It is now my firm and studied conviction that I can no longer offer to the nation the vigorous and strong leadership that I had sought to provide during my 20 months as the lawfully and duly elected President of the Republic of Guyana", she said.

Mrs Jagan said that when she became ill last month on her return from the Rio de Janeiro Summit of Leaders of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, she was advised to seek further tests abroad in spite of hospitalisation in Guyana and medical tests in Trinidad. Despite assurances "that my condition is not life threatening, I found that my energy and stamina have been seriously reduced", she said. Mrs Jagan was said to have had a slight heart attack and is suffering from angina. Her doctors have put her on an aggressive medical regimen.

As such, she said she wished to announce her resignation and to fulfill the promise of the `A' Team concept she made during the 1997 elections campaign. The `A' Team comprises herself, Prime Minister Hinds and Jagdeo. It was stated during the elections campaign that should anything happen to her a "clear cut means" would be used to replace the President by the third member of the `A' team who was Jagdeo, with Hinds retaining his position in the post allotted to the Civic component of the PPP/Civic alliance.

Speaking of Jagdeo, she said that he is youthful and has presided admirably over the important Ministry of Finance. She said that he is firm in dealing with government business and is not afraid to make decisions. He will be aided by many veterans in the field of politics and those who have experience in running the affairs of this country.

Stating that she brought all her years of experience to the highest office and had sought to maintain the dignity of this office, she said that it is imporatnt for the country to be led by people who have the wisdom to know what is best in the interest of society. Noting that the late President, Dr Cheddi Jagan and Prime Minister Hinds brought dignity to the office, Mrs Jagan said that she is confident that Jagdeo will maintain the dignity of the office of the president. Jagdeo will serve for about 16 months until the next elections.

Speaking about her term in office she said that "we have put Guyana back on track. There is more hope for a bright future". She added that "more and more people" are using their creativity to create wealth and to be part of the process of nation building and "more and more people" feel that they have a stake in the country and want to see it develop and flourish".

She lamented that a glaring feature of the Guyanese society, especially since the 1997 general elections is that "we have not enjoyed the political peace so necessary for advancement and change". However, she offered that as an optimist, she knows that peace will come in time.

Stating that she was encouraged by history, the past and present, here at home and in the world at large, Mrs Jagan said that "we are not alone in being beset by unreasonable and uncivilised behaviour of an opposition that cannot accept the results of democratic elections".

Quoting from an episode in which early American President Thomas Jefferson's attorney general warned him about the "perverse, hostile and malignant state of the opposition, with facility of imposing on the public mind and producing excitements, every measure originating with the executive will be attacked with virulence". Mrs Jagan argued that such oppostion was overcome and America went on to become a powerful nation.

Her government and herself, she pointed out have been criticised for being "too `soft'" and "too `weak'" in dealing with those who want to destroy the nation's gains.

She added that her government's attitude has been "one of patience and we realised that our state and government, not the opposition or destructive elements, have the responsibility to see to it that this society does not descend into anarchy. We need 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".

The opposition by now, she posited, must know the response of society at large to the destruction they have caused both to the economy and to the social fabric of the nation. As a politician with some 50 years experience in this country, she assured that such tactics can cost votes. She added "and that is what they will reap - the wrath of the people".

Commenting on the present and future of the nation, she said that the process of healing the wounds of the nation continues. However, she said this will take courage and strong will. "To bring peace requires understanding and this must be done without violence and disruption of the daily lives of our people", she averred, adding that there "must be reasonableness and a will to find common grounds if there is to be peace, progress and prosperity".

She warned that "the future of this country is at stake and we cannot let the iron fist rule. We have had enough of that. Our task is to unite the nation and to do this we must strive for better ethnic and cultural understanding and give assurances of security to those who feel insecure".

Remarking on the goodwill and support she received throughout her term in office, Mrs Jagan forwarded that the government which she led for 20 months has had several important objectives, many of which have been achieved with concrete steps in train to achieve others". The foundation policies of her administration, she said were clearly outlined by her predecessor and late husband, Dr Jagan whose vision of a united, free and prosperous Guyana continues to define "our work on behalf of the people".

Dr Jagan's administration in just four and a half years succeeded in stemming the slide that was evident in the society for decades, she asserted. His adminstration had the task of consolidating democracy which was won after a long and hard battle involving many Guyanese "who may or may not support the PPP/Civic". "The protection of our democracy", she said "is vital for the development of our country. Its protection and deepening is a matter for all Guyanese". She added that "we all cherish this freedom and we must see to it that at all costs there must never be a return to authoritarianism and rigged elections. The results of that part of our history are still here for us to see".

Secondly, she said it was the objective of her government to rebuild the economic and social foundations of the society and to launch out on the development course which would see Guyana coming out of its underdeveloped state. In building a new society. She contended that "we have sought to encourage genuine partnerships with the main players in civic society, especially the private sector and organisations of the working people".

In conclusion, Mrs Jagan thanked Hinds, Cabinet colleagues, the staff of the Office of the President, the Commissioner of Police Laurie Lewis and the Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force Major General Joe Singh and other hard working people in government.

She issued special thanks to her PPP colleagues who "walked with me and my husband all these years. I want to give a big thank you to all those people who voted for me and the PPP/Civic alliance in the last elections".

She assured that she would not be going into retirement. "And, of course, I am not going anywhere. I will be around to assist in whatever way I can", she noted.

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Guyana: Land of Six Peoples