Gail Teixeira speaks: Parliament , Diplomats,Regrets.

BY: GHK LALL

It’s why I have such regard for the Hon Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Lady Gail Texeira.  For every Guyana wake house situation, she has the right sad song: “Now it’s crying time again….”  Seems she has the dirty job of conveying the disappointment of Pres Ali and Vice President Jagdeo to the meddling diplomatic community.  Disappointment, not disgust.  Or wanting to tear into the likes of Excellencies Luca Antonini and Nicole D. Theriot and give them a piece of the PPP headmen mind.  Comrade Gail is now new and improved: “it is regrettable” has tactful diplomatic tinges plastered.  When used twice, it underlines PPP outrage at being caught with its parliamentary pants down.

According to Minister Texeira, all the ambassadors had to do was ask.  Almost a hundred days with the walls and rafters of Guyana’s parliament shrouded in ghostly silence.  Not a word from Excellency Ali, Speaker (what’s his name, again?), or parliamentarian par excellence, Minister Texeira herself, and diplomats helpful to Guyana’s cause get their knuckles wrapped.  I translate “it is regrettable” for Guyanese and the diplomatic community.

First, the good news: doesn’t qualify as “a feral blast.”  I must differ.  It’s tantamount, however, to this: get thy dirty paws off Guyana’s parliamentary affairs.  Or, know thy place, mind thy manners, and stay the hell out of Guyana’s business.  It’s said that no good deed goes unpunished.  Well, there was the enlightened Gail Texeira taking it upon herself (with the Ali-Jagdeo combo backing) to sock it to the ABCEU people who were only trying to move things along.  The PPP Govt didn’t need the help, since June 5th was already settled in PPP land for the reconvening of parliament.  Note the clever arithmetic, folks: after snatching over three months of this parliament’s life away, the crafty PPP seized another two weeks, a dozen more days, of parliament being as quiet as a graveyard for itself.  There’s soundness of vision, a group of clever politicians using their wits to give Guyanese fits.

Speaking for myself, I extend my own regrets to the venerable, increasingly incomprehensible, Gail Texeira, Duchess of Parliamentary Governance in Guyana.  Those who are fragile, shouldn’t be hostile.  The Guyanese people were patient.  The diplomats that mattered were patient.  Reconvening parliament on June 5th (hopefully, this means in 2026) represents more than 100 days of inaction, incompetence, and intransigence.  It is PPP insipidity, despite its 7-seat majority, and indicative of its impotency.  It still fears.  Still has to hide and dodge and disappear for long stretches.  Dr. Ali failed to answer the call of the bell.  Dr. Jagdeo failed to decide on what new job title fits him best.  And, there is Ms. Gail Texeira, who failed to persuade.  But now looms large and casts an awkward shadow, as Guyana parliamentary master maneuverer.  “It’s regrettable.”

Where was the honorable lady before, a veteran of countless local political skirmishes, now a proven hand at articulating silvery outrage at the resident diplomatic community.  The ABCE people are getting impatient.  The PPP is proving to be an unwanted burden that can only be tolerated for so long.  The PPP has to be helped with elections.  It has to be helped with oil (Excellencies Theriot and Helsberg on renegotiation).  Its people helped to count their toes and comb their hair.  But, when helped with a push to get parliament going, there is Gail ‘Stormy Weather’ Texeira reading her version of a riot act to foreign diplomats.

Who helped parliament to get started after the elections?  Diplomats.  Who has to jump in again and move to restart parliament?  Diplomats.  But there is Excellency Texeira telling the world that June 5th was set moons ago.  It’s regrettable that that PPP memo was filed under ‘SHRED, then DISCARD.’  This is governance for the gods.  By whom, please don’t ask.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 592 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙂𝙪𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙘, 𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙨.