wikileaks guyana cables – bharrat jagdeo using south africa world cup coverage to boost his poor image

Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06GEORGETOWN559 2006-06-14 13:20 2011-08-26 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Georgetown

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DE RUEHGE #0559 1651320
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141320Z JUN 06
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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3638
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 000559

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL ECPS PINR GY
SUBJECT: JAGDEO USES WORLD CUP TV COVERAGE TO BOOST IMAGE

¶1. (U) President Jagdeo has taken credit for bringing
World Cup soccer to Guyanese television. The state-run
National Communications Network (NCN) has bombarded the
airwaves with this news in recent days, heralding the
“personal intervention of His Excellency President
Bharrat Jagdeo” to make World Cup coverage possible.
These announcements overtly suggest that Jagdeo himself
forked over the GY$5 million (US$25,000) shortfall needed
to secure the broadcast rights. Given the president’s
ever-growing reputation for unrestrained self-promotion,
EmbOffs had their doubts and made further inquiries.

¶2. (U) Upon further review, it appears that NCN has
completely mischaracterized Jagdeo’s contribution. This
was no personal act of philanthropy. Rather, the money
came from Guyana’s lottery fund, not from Jagdeo’s pocket
– a key fact that NCN neglected to mention.

¶3. (U) The World Cup broadcast rights for Guyanese
television cost US$70,000. NCN could only muster
US$45,000 from reluctant sponsors. The GoG turned this
problem into an opportunity, using government funds to
pay the difference and letting Jagdeo take the credit.
The move makes political sense, too. Soccer is more
popular with Afro-Guyanese, a group that largely supports
the opposition PNC/R party. The one wrinkle in the plan
is that NCN is showing the World Cup matches late at
night on tape delay, which has caused public grumbling
among soccer fans.

¶4. (SBU) COMMENT. Although this episode may seem
innocuous, it underscores the extent to which Jagdeo and
the state media have tried to portray his presidency as
benevolently overseeing his personal fiefdom. Not so
long ago, Jagdeo was still considered by most political
observers as a pawn of the ruling PPP/C party’s Politburo-
like Executive Committee. Now some PPP/C insiders must
be fretting over the president they created. END
COMMENT.

INGRAM