Dear Editor,
I see Jermaine Figueira is at it again, wrapping himself in the language of constitutional piety while hoping nobody remembers his own recent track record. I refer to his letter to Kiskadee Watch newspaper dated July 11, 2026.
Let’s not pretend this is about some lofty defence of due process. This is about a former Member of Parliament (MP) who now finds himself singing for his supper on the other side of the political fence, and expects us to believe his principles travelled with him intact.
Rewind to April 2024, when this same Mr. Figueira was Chair of the Public Accounts Committee. Back then, he had no problem accusing the PPP of “deliberately avoiding accountability.” He was loud, he was pointed, and he didn’t seem too worried about demanding “admissible evidence” before opening his mouth. Funny how quickly the music changes when you’ve jumped ship and are expected to earn your keep with your new handlers.
Now he lectures us on “evidentiary standards” and the “burden of proof” as if he’s handing down wisdom from the High Court. But here’s the thing – citizens don’t need a court order to connect dots. When you see unexplained wealth, and a sitting president whose bushland sat idle for over a decade but miraculously transformed into a technological showpiece farm in just four years, you’re not making a legal accusation. You’re asking a legitimate question. And in a democracy, that’s not just allowed – it’s expected.
Figueira wants everyday Guyanese to produce “verifiable facts” before they even speak. But how exactly are we supposed to get those facts when the very government he now defends keeps the paperwork under lock and key? Can the Leader of the Opposition walk into the Lands and Survey Department and ask to see the lease for that Linden Highway property? Not under this PPP Government and definitely not under the former APNU+AFC Government in which Mr. Figueira served. So this whole routine about “evidence” is just a convenient way to shut people up.
And this business about “presumption of innocence” – spare me. That’s for criminal courts, not for public office. When you’re the President of this country, your affairs are public business. If you can’t handle tough questions about where two billion dollars appeared from, then maybe public life isn’t for you.
Let’s be straight about what’s really going on here. The Leader of the Opposition might have personal history with the President – that’s no secret. But that doesn’t make the questions any less valid. The farm exists. The land sat untouched for years. The money came from somewhere. Those are the facts that need clearing up, not with political noise but with documents, receipts, and a proper paper trail.
Until that happens, Mr. Figueira can dress up his defence in all the legal jargon he likes. Most Guyanese will see it for what it is – a man doing his job for his new bosses, trying to muddy the water because the truth is getting too close for comfort. We’re not fools. We know the difference between a witch hunt and a warranted inquiry, and we know the loudest cries for “due process” usually come from those with the most to hide.