Key businessmen welcome Jagdeo's appointment as President
By Gitanjali Singh
Private sector businessmen have welcomed Bharrat Jagdeo's appointment as Guyana's new President and sees in him the potential to heal the political rift which has been destroying the country's economic base. "I found that particularly over the last year, he recognised that the PPP couldn't do it alone. And I think that is a start. No one party can do it alone...we need everyone," Chris Fernandes, of John Fernandes Ltd said in an invited comment to Stabroek News after Jagdeo's swearing in on Wednesday. "He is a young man but I think that is a plus because he will bring a freshness and a willingness to see things differently and I think that is going to be useful," was Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, George Jardim's view. And head of brewery giant Banks DIH Ltd, Clifford Reis, said Jagdeo was the right choice to lead the country forward. "He is young, he is energetic and from his first statement you can see he has a handle on the programme and what we as Guyanese can do is support him and hope that he does the right thing," Reis stated. Leading city businessman, Yesu Persaud, feels Jagdeo did extremely well as minister of finance and is certain he will do better as President. "The new President has made it very clear he is going to hold out the hand of friendship and the torch of togetherness. Let's hope all the other political parties will take that up and move together as a team to build a Guyana that we will all be proud of in the twenty-first century," Persaud said. Jagdeo's accession to the presidency comes as no surprise to the private sector. Jardim noted that it has been talked about and was well known for quite a while, given the PPP's stated intention prior to the December 1997 elections. "I don't think it is a surprising move in view of the former president's illness. And given the state of the country and the economy it is a good move," said Jardim. He feels that with Jagdeo having had the experience as finance minister, at the helm of the government he will be more effective. The private sector has not heard anything definitive on appointments to fill the positions of ministers of trade and finance. However, Jardim was of the view that while the private sector enjoyed a good working relationship with Jagdeo as minister of finance, if it were possible to have another person appointed to that post it would be advantageous as the president already has a lot to do. For him the persons filling the positions as ministers of trade and finance have to be competent and open minded. Asked about Jagdeo's stewardship of the economy, which was not criticism free, Jardim said that his performance as President was certainly not going to be worse. "There is much that could be done and I have seen [his] willingness [as minister of finance]. We in the private sector have been suggesting things [to him as minister of finance and] we have had a good reception. By no means have all of these things been done but there is movement in that direction," said Jardim. "The challenge facing a new minister of finance is very clear. [He/she] would have to improve the quality of our governance...they have to do things for instance with revenue reform. That will include two things: improvement on how we collect taxes and a consequent lowering of the tax rate somewhere down the road; a more efficient system where more people pay and all people pay less," he stated. The state of the economy would also have to be addressed and the state of the public service as well as the arbitration issue. "It is going to take everybody working together to deal with these things," said Jardim. Reis, asked to comment on Jagdeo's succession, noted that any new job will be difficult but feels he will make it and wished him luck. Fernandes welcomed the appointment, believing it to be a wise one. "I look forward to working with the new president in trying to foster some of the ideas he has explained to us today and his plans. I think the only way forward is together and we need someone brave enough in leadership of the government to in fact truly and sincerely foster that and if the President keeps to his word, we have a chance," said Fernandes. Persaud said he recognises in Jagdeo, energy, determination and dedication and lauded his efforts in the past to improve the lot of Guyanese.
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