Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo says the government’s focus has now shifted from election campaigning to delivering on promises made to Guyanese, explaining that his reduced public appearances in recent months were tied to planning and implementation work rather than health concerns or political uncertainty.
Speaking publicly for the first time about his absence, Jagdeo dismissed rumours surrounding his health and political future, saying speculation intensified after the elections concluded.
“We won a big majority,” Jagdeo said. “My role changed from general secretary of the party and shifted from campaign to planning.”
The Vice President said the administration is now heavily engaged in implementation work, including housing development, economic management, and long-term planning aimed at ensuring Guyana avoids the economic instability often associated with rapid oil wealth expansion.
“We have to build 40,000 homes,” he said. “To keep the economy going and not suffer from the Dutch disease requires a lot of planning.”
BEHIND-THE-SCENES WORK
Jagdeo explained that although he was less visible at political meetings and public engagements, he remained actively involved behind the scenes working on government policies and programmes.
“When you were not seeing me in the public domain, I was working on things of a different nature,” he said.
He added that with several major programmes now entering implementation phases, he intends to return to a more active public role.
“I’m back in the public domain addressing the implementation of some of these issues,” Jagdeo stated.
The Vice President also dismissed criticism from political opponents, saying his priority remains improving the lives of Guyanese.
“Once the country moves forward and our people get assistance, I don’t care what the opposition says,” he declared.
Jagdeo confirmed that his press conferences and public engagements will resume, though he noted the emphasis will now be more policy-driven than campaign-focused.
“We’ve done the campaign and now we have to deliver on the campaign,” he said. “That is what we’re working on delivering.”
