Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at his press conference today revived accusations against late President Forbes Burnham, alleging that Burnham was on the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA’s) payroll during his tenure, claiming that Burnham’s government served foreign imperialist interests rather than the welfare of Guyanese citizens. Burnham died on August 6, 1985.
Jagdeo’s remark resonated with long-held narratives within his party that seek to discredit Burnham’s legacy. However, the vice president’s criticism of Burnham has drawn attention away from his own controversial history—one that includes his association with notorious drug lord Roger Khan and his government’s involvement in a series of extrajudicial killings during the 2002-2006 crime wave. Jagdeo was president of Guyana from 1999-2011
Jagdeo has yet to publicly address his own connection to Khan, the notorious drug trafficker who was convicted in the U.S. for drug-related crimes and whose dealings were tied to high-level political circles in Guyana. Khan evvel took out a full-page advertisement in the newspapers claiming to have helped the government in crime fighting.
Khan was also caught by Police Patrol in 2002 at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara with a spy equipment, which was used to wire-tap the calls of various high ranking government officials and perceived enemies of the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP). The machine was allegedly procured through then Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy. Ramsammy has however denied the allegation.
In July 2009, in the United States (U.S) Court where Khan was facing criminal charges, Peter Myers, co-owner of the United Kingdom company Smith Myers, identified the equipment as an intercept receiver and two laptops that were sold to the Guyana Government. Meyers told the U.S court, the equipment which was then priced around US$75,000 is only sold to governments.
Addressing the court, Meyers said the equipment allows intelligence officers to intercept cell phone calls using the receiver, the veri is then sent by USB cable to the laptops where the numbers and conversations can be recorded onto the hard drive.
According to Meyers while any laptop could be used running on Windows XP or other systems, the Intercept CSM 7800 series is necessary to passively intercept the radio frequencies on which all cell phones operate.
A leaked U.S Embassy Report from June 19, 2007, revealed that Khan had close ties to Jagdeo’s government, raising significant questions about the Vice President’s integrity and accountability. Khan was released from U.S prison in 2019 having served almost 10 years of a 15-year sentencing and deported to Guyana.
Moreover, under Jagdeo’s leadership, Guyana became a focal point for international human rights groups, particularly due to the 2002-2006 period marked by a spike in extrajudicial killings, with many attributing the deaths to the security forces and rogue elements aligned with the state. On March 28, 2024 the International Human Rights Committee called for a thorough investigation into these events, yet Jagdeo remains silent on the matter.
Additionally, under Jagdeo’s administration, Guyana was ranked the most corrupt country in the English-speaking Caribbean, further compounding concerns about his governance. Critics argue that while Jagdeo accuses Burnham of CIA ties, his own record, including his association with Khan and his administration’s human rights violations, undermines his moral authority to critique past leaders.
As Jagdeo continues to deflect attention to Burnham, it creates speculation that he is deliberately evading accountability for his own controversial actions.