Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has called for stronger cooperation among Guyana’s political parties while reflecting on the legacy of former Opposition Leader Robert Corbin.
Jagdeo delivered the remarks on Wednesday evening at a Night of Reflection held in Corbin’s honour at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. He remembered the former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) leader as someone who was prepared to challenge entrenched political divisions in the interest of national unity.
Recalling their political engagements, Jagdeo said efforts were made during his presidency to establish greater trust between senior members of the PPP and the PNC and to discuss the country’s future. However, those discussions eventually broke down following criticism that Corbin was making too many concessions to the ruling party.
Jagdeo rejected allegations that Corbin had been controlled by the PPP or had abandoned his party’s principles, insisting that he remained a strong defender of the PNC throughout their interactions.
The Vice President said Corbin recognised the difficulties involved in governing and understood that overcoming decades of political division would require courage and a willingness to pursue new approaches.
Jagdeo also stressed that established political parties must respond to the changing expectations of the population, particularly younger Guyanese, warning that failure to evolve could weaken their connection with the electorate.
He said cooperation, inclusivity and greater political maturity would be essential to Guyana’s long-term development, expressing the view that the country’s major political parties would eventually need to find ways to work together.
Reflecting on what might have been achieved if earlier efforts at cooperation had succeeded, Jagdeo said Corbin’s absence was a loss for the country and acknowledged that he continued to value the former opposition leader’s perspective.
He also offered condolences to Corbin’s relatives, friends and political colleagues, describing him as someone who had recognised the importance of changing Guyana’s political culture before the idea gained broader acceptance.
Corbin died on October 4 at the age of 78. He served as Deputy Prime Minister under the PNC administration from 1985 to 1992 and later became Leader of the Opposition and head of the PNCR, leading the party until 2012.
