For almost four years, I ignored Moses Nagamootoo. But ignoring his recent shameless celebration of the PNC/APNU/ AFC’s assumption of government on May 11, 2015, and the just-more-than five years of disaster in government would be an abrogation of our responsibility to the truth.
The just-over-five years in Government, with Moses Nagamootoo as the Prime Minister, was one of the most colossal of failures by any Government in the history of any country in Caricom. During the period of 1,959 days, as recently recounted by Clement Rohee, Moses Nagamootoo was a rubber-stamp PM, and President David Granger was mostly missing in action (MIA). The most remarkable things that happened during that disastrous period were: the violation of Guyana’s Constitution, an attempt to rebrand Guyana in the colours of the PNC and AFC, the stagnation of the economy, and the loss of jobs for more than 50,000 Guyanese.
When Nagamootoo joined with Granger and ignored the names of eighteen highly-regarded Guyanese to be named as Chair of GECOM, the APNU/AFC Government deliberately breached the constitution.
When President Granger proceeded to name James Patterson as the Chair of GECOM, it was a blatant violation of the constitution. Nagamootoo supported this travesty. The Caribbean Court of Justice had to intervene and declare that the action was a blatant disregard of the constitution.
Nagamootoo had to know at the time that Granger was violating the constitution in order to fill the position with his “Bollers”. Burnham had a Chair of the Elections Commission named Bollers, who did Burnham’s election-rigging bidding. Patterson was going to do Granger’s bidding in a clumsily disguised start to an election-rigging process. Nagamootoo, who had written and spoken voluminously on the PNC’s rigging of elections, had to have known the intent of the PNC at the time.
This is what he was celebrating, betraying the Guyanese people over and over again.
On December 21st 2018, soon after a good thrashing at the LGE 2018, when the PPP won almost two-thirds of all available local government seats, the PPP won a No-Confidence Motion in Parliament. The Parliament reflected the LGE 2018 results and the general feeling of hopelessness in the country. As the Parliament ended with the passing of the No-Confidence Motion, and the PNC was stunned that its supporters did not come to their rescue with any kind of meaningful protest, Nagamootoo led a press conference admitting that the No-Confidence Motion was passed in accordance with the constitution and in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Parliament. He conceded that elections must be held by March 21st 2019, that is: within 90 days of the passage of the No-Confidence Motion. Yet, less than 24 hours later, they were pressuring the Speaker to reconvene Parliament because 33 could not be greater than 32, with Nagamootoo using some kind of voodoo measurement scheme comparing half-bottle and quarter-bottle rum to prove that 33 is not greater than 32.
The constitutional requirement of 90 days for holding elections was totally dismantled. Instead, just as they stupidly tried convincing the Guyanese people, who laughed at them, that 33 could not be greater than 32, they stretched 90 days into almost a year. Nagamootoo was one of the cheerleaders for this reckless disregard and blatant violation of the constitution and the intelligence of the Guyanese people. This is what he was celebrating on May 11, 2024.
It is one thing to betray the people, but one would think that he would be contrite enough to remain quiet. Yet, his belligerence would not allow him, and instead of apologizing to the people, he celebrated what he and the PNC/APNU/AFC accomplished — the torching of the constitution.
Nagamootoo completely ignored that they governed a period of total economic stagnation. Sugar was downsized and on the pathway to total closure, with more than 10,000 directly losing their jobs and thousands of others suffering the economic backlash. During that period, almost 50,000 people lost their jobs, in mining, agriculture, services.
They promised a reduction of VAT, and they claimed they kept the promise by reducing VAT from 16% to 14%; but they added VAT to hundreds of items, including water, electricity, education, vitamins, various food items. Internet, etc.
They closed the Housing Ministry, downgraded the scholarship programme, took away the disciplined forces’ annual bonus and the “Because We Care” cash grant to school children, and the water and electricity subsidies for pensioners. They raised more than 200 taxes. They promised workers dramatic raise in wages and salaries; instead, they raised their own salaries and benefits by between 50 and 100%, while freezing wages for sugar workers and giving out minimal salary increases for public servants, telling them their turn will eventually come. They promised young people jobs and free university education, but they never got around to those promises, telling the youth to cook dog food, plantain chips, cook-up and sell by the roadside. When young people asked why there was no place for them, they told the young people they must await their turn.
This is the legacy Nagamootoo wanted to celebrate. It is shameless.
After hiding from the public for several years, Moses Nagamootoo emerged launching a book filled with misrepresentations, misinformation and embellishments. Most of the people he had choice attacks for have ignored him, as I have done. Calling me “foul-mouth” did not in any way fazed me, and I was never going to take him up on this, even though many persons called me to respond. It was so out-of-place when, during the launch, he called for unity when, both in the book and during the launch, he continued to use misinformation and misrepresentation to sell his book. Truth is: Nagamootoo is loathed among the Guyanese citizenry.
