In a recent critique of opposition politics, Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo delivered a scathing assessment of Alliance for Change (AFC) Leader Nigel Hughes, describing his position within the party as riddled with unresolved issues and poor leadership.
During his weekly press conference on Thursday last, Jagdeo accused the AFC of being “even worse than the PNC,” citing their lack of commitment and alleged dishonesty during their time in Government.
Jagdeo singled out Nigel Hughes, whom he sarcastically referred to as a “rising star,” for his perceived inability to address critical matters. He questioned Hughes’ role in the controversial 2016 agreement with ExxonMobil, saying that Hughes prioritised his client’s interests over the country’s.
According to the VP, Hughes has left key questions about his involvement unanswered, including the financial benefits accrued from these engagements.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
“They tried to promote him as the savior of the opposition, et cetera. He has a long track record of, I don’t want to say wickedness, but unscrupulous activities. He was right in the centre of the AFC in their disastrous period in Government. He was in the middle of the engagements on Exxon, the negotiations. Now, on all of these projects, they don’t have any position. This is a hopeless party,” he said.
Hughes, was also criticised for his inconsistent stance on the rigging attempt of the 2020 General and Regional Elections. The VP pointed out that Hughes is yet to issue a formal apology for his party’s role in the electoral chaos.
Jagdeo further lambasted Hughes for defending some of the most contentious decisions of the APNU/AFC Coalition Government, including the layoff of sugar workers, the removal of the $10,000 schoolchildren grant, and the discontinuation of the joint services bonus.
In a bold statement at one of AFC’s weekly press conference, Hughes had declared that the AFC stands firmly by its actions during the tumultuous aftermath of Guyana’s 2020 elections, and has nothing to apologise for.
During the 2020 elections the AFC was a member of the APNU/AFC then coalition Government, which faced massive criticism for undermining the electoral process. For five months following the March 2 elections, the APNU/AFC Coalition employed various delay tactics, including filing multiple court cases to stall the official declaration of results, which were ultimately confirmed through a CARICOM-led national recount.
False narratives
Commenting in Hughes’ ongoing insistence that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was wrong in ruling that 33 votes constituted a majority of the 65-seat parliament in the no-confidence motion, Jagdeo stated “I can go through the track record, his track record…until now, he argues that the CCJ is wrong. From now, more and more people think, as he’s being exposed, how mediocre he is now, because people had this impression of him that was like all erudite and sophisticated but now people recognise him for what he is”.
“He says the CCJ is wrong. 34 must be the majority of 65. Still digs in on this as recent as a couple weeks ago. Defends their lack of adherence to the Constitution in the no confidence motion. When it’s clear what should have applied for anyone, any right-thinking Guyanese,” he said.
Jagdeo also accused Hughes of spreading false narratives to fuel political divisions. Referring to Hughes’ claim that 1,200 Afro-Guyanese youths were unalive [killed] under the PPP/C Administration, Jagdeo called the statement “a blatant lie.”
In defending his claim, Hughes stated recently, “I’ve been practicing law for 37 years, and I believe the number I gave is accurate.” Jagdeo countered this, arguing that Hughes’ data was baseless and intended to manipulate public perception.
“The number he has and the number he gave, 1,200. So, somebody needs to say, just release the number. Of course, he doesn’t have the number. The people he defended, he said, he came up with, this is the science of the AFC. I have the numbers because I defended a number of criminals over the 37 years that I have practiced law”.
“Stabroek News did a studied piece and showed that 400 people were killed over that period and that many of them were policemen killed by the bandits. Some of the bandits themselves killed by police. Some were victims and a few people didn’t even die who was on that list that they circulated. So, and that it was Indo- Guyanese and Afro- Guyanese on the list. Maybe a hundred and something of the list of the 400 were Indo- Guyanese,” the VP expressed.
According to Jagdeo, the AFC’s track record of dishonesty and mismanagement is unparalleled.
In November, Jagdeo called on the leaders of opposition parties to engage transparently with the press and the public, emphasising that accountability is essential in fostering unity and progress in Guyana.
On this point, he stated emphatically, “The public deserves the truth, and it’s time for these leaders to face the reality of their lies.” (G1)
