By Gerald V. Paul

Oh, oh, a wah story dis or is it, allyuh hear story, nah. Eh, eh.

Eyesers, the co-campaign manager of the coalition of strange bedfellows of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Raphael Trotman sounded a bit boyish (childish?) regarding former president of Guyana Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo’s prominence on the campaign trail.

So, between the sheets, oops, lines, is Trotman, friken?

“I am pleased that one press conference and one speech would generate so much worry among the opposition,” Jagdeo commented.

After the official launch of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C)  at Kitty, Guyana, at a huge gathering of Guyanese in a rally with massive diversity of races and classes, small wonder Trotman is trotting around like he sees the PNC’s Burnham jumbie, telling him to try wuk some obeah … nah suh? ROTFL.

But how can you blame Trotman as he reads the tea leaves on the political landscape where Jagdeo was Champion of the Earth as designated by the UN Environment Program, an endorsement of the people of Guyana’s long-standing efforts to help change the way the world values scarce natural resources.

Jagdeo is being recognized as a pillar of transition to a 21^st century green economy according to 2010 Champions of the Earth Awards organizers. Jagdeo appears a forward thinker while Trotman’s AFC Party was backward looking as they said no to dis and dat, cut dis and dat in Parliament.

“President Jagdeo is a powerful advocate of the need to conserve and more intelligently manage the planet’s natural and nature-based assets. He has recognized more than most the multiple green economy benefits of forests in terms of combating climate change, but also in terms of development, employment, improved water supplies and the conservation of biodiversity,” said Achim Steiner, former UN secretary-general and the UN Environment Program executive director.

Jagdeo, who went on to serve as president of the Assembly of the Green Growth Institute based in South Korea, made a clarion call: “Green growth will help build sustainable economies.”

In a University of Toronto Climate Change address, where he was treated like a rock star, Jagdeo shared his vision with the distinguished audience on protection of Guyana’s 40 million acres of untouched rainforest through the sale of carbon credits or investments in eco-tourism and pharmaceutical discoveries.

By the way, Eyesers, Ontario will host a Climate Change Summit of the Americas July 7-9, leading up to a binding international agreement in Paris.

Jagdeo proposed the UN Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) program should adopt Guyana’s model on forest management and encouraged the rest of the world to live in a way “where protecting forests is more economically prudent then cutting them down.”

Having spent almost all his life in politics building his land of Guyana, Jagdeo said he is prepared to support his movement and help his government, a government headed by President Donald Ramotar. A former finance minister, he has been appointed chairman of the impending National Economic Council.

As Jagdeo’s PPC/C hits the campaign road in Guyana, Trotman’s AFC, Moses “I am not Indian” Nagamootoo and comrade David “I am not Burnham” Granger are set to hit the road in Toronto with their “I am not” message.

But allyuh look, or is dat, hear, story? Eh, eh.