On Friday last, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, made it clear that he will be part of a People’s Progressive Party Government if the party comes out on top at Guyana’s next General and Regional Elections. Of significance is the fact that he has already chalked out his role — crafter of policies for the oil sector.
He made this disclosure during an interview with radio personality Stan Gouveia on 94.1 Boom FM. There, the PPP General Secretary said that he thinks he has one of the most significant roles to play in securing a better future for Guyana.
He said, “Contrary to what people believe, I am not interested in the trappings of office. I have [been there] and done that. A good 50 percent of the life of the President is about ceremonial things; cutting ribbons and doing all sorts of things that I have no interest in. I don’t mind folding up my sleeves and working in a dark room to just see that we create a framework that is not managed by us, but by all Guyanese.”
The Opposition Leader explained that the framework he envisages would help Guyana stay clear of the infamous Dutch disease.
The former President said, “I have travelled to Venezuela, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, many other countries and almost all of them [demonstrate that] if you don’t integrate oil money well in the system, if you use up all of it, you [end up being] worse off than you were before.”
He added, “So policy making, I have some experience in that, that’s what I want to do for the new government. I want to contribute in a way that ensures that we get more jobs for our people, have a broad-based outlook and, as General Secretary of the party, I believe I can make that difference.”
The Opposition Leader concluded, “I will be part of the new government and unabashedly so.”
