Every day, Guyana’s public discourse is crowded out by a group of self-styled commentators who, truth be told, would serve the nation better as museum pieces than as thought leaders. The familiar roll call—Lalbachan Chris Ram, GHK Lall, Anand Goolsarran, Kenrick Hunte, Charles Sugrim, Lincoln Lewis, Henry Jeffrey, David Hinds, Vishnu Panday, among others—echoes endlessly across newspapers and airwaves.
Each of these individuals has had ample opportunity, in various roles, to make a meaningful contribution to Guyana’s development. Yet their résumés reveal little of enduring value. What binds them is not vision but vitriol; not substance but cynicism. They cast stones at everything under the sun, while clinging stubbornly to the comfort of outdated ideas.
It is long past time they shifted gears. Instead of monopolizing the public square with tired rhetoric, they could offer genuine value as mentors—passing wisdom, if any remains, to younger professionals who are ready to lead. The generational baton must pass—not because of age, but because a refusal to evolve suffocates progress.
Look instead at the PPP/C’s slate of candidates—brimming with some of the nation’s finest young professionals in their 20s and 30s. Consider President Irfaan Ali: still among the youngest leaders in Guyana’s history, whose dynamism, accessibility, and drive have redefined the tone of national leadership. President Ali’s energy is second to none. And behind him stands a team equally vibrant, equally competent, equally determined to build the Guyana of tomorrow.
Of course, the critics will argue that this logic should also apply to Bharrat Jagdeo, who has walked the corridors of power for decades—Finance Minister in the 1990s, two-term President in the 2000s, and today Vice President. But the comparison collapses on inspection. Jagdeo is no relic. He is a political phenomenon—one of the most successful and visionary leaders Guyana has produced. Unlike those mired in the rut of antiquated thinking, Jagdeo has evolved into a contemporary statesman: adapting with the times, mastering the complexities of a changing global order, and leaving behind both leadership and legacy.
The same distinction applies to the late Dr. Cheddi B. Jagan, who remained an enduring force for progress until his last breath. And to be fair, L.F.S. Burnham and Desmond Hoyte also earned that recognition. Both men served Guyana at the highest levels of leadership, dedicating their lives to public service. Both died in office—Hoyte while serving as Opposition Leader. Whatever one’s political persuasion, it would be dishonest to dismiss them as relics. They were active, evolving leaders who met their end still in the arena.
This is the crucial distinction: not all long-serving leaders are fossils; only those who refuse to evolve deserve that title. Guyana’s future cannot be driven by those staring perpetually into the rearview mirror. It demands leaders who grasp where we are, envision where we are going, and chart a path to get us there.
Relics belong in museums. Leaders belong in the arena.