Opportunism Replaces Principle: VPAC’s Dorwain Bess Laments Culture of Political Crossovers
By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – Dorwain Bess, an executive member of the Vigilant Political Action Committee (VPAC), has weighed in on the recent wave of high-profile political defections in Guyana, branding the movement as a symptom of a deeply entrenched culture of opportunism and self-interest.
In an exclusive interview with Nightly News, Bess expressed no surprise at the shifting political loyalties, arguing that public service has taken a back seat to personal enrichment in modern Guyanese politics.
Bess characterized the current political landscape as a continuous cycle of the same self-serving behaviors. He pointed out the glaring ideological contradictions of defectors who seamlessly transition into the ranks of political forces they once vehemently denounced.
“What we’re seeing today is a rotation,” Bess stated. “What Guyana would have seen for as long as we can remember is a rotation of the same style of politics. Politicians who are in it not to serve, but politicians who are in it for their own personal benefit.”
He questioned the integrity of politicians who previously labeled the current administration as corrupt, only to later align with it without offering the public a transparent explanation of the structural changes that prompted their shift.
The Economic Reality of Defection
Bess noted that historical precedents for this behavior exist on both sides of the aisle, pointing to past shifts involving figures like James Bond and former Region 10 (Linden) Chairman Sharma Solomon. However, he also acknowledged a harsher socioeconomic reality driving these decisions:
“The reality that Guyana would have left the [people] suffered for so long that any opportunity presents itself today for them to run and try to find a way to start to earn… they forgot what the sole purpose was.”
According to Bess, when a society systematically rewards personal wealth and survival over public duty, it creates an environment in which politicians naturally drift toward whichever side controls the state’s purse strings.
The VPAC executive highlighted that these developments place People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Leader Aubrey Norton in an increasingly precarious position. Because a significant portion of these high-profile departures have occurred under his direct watch, it raises fundamental questions about internal party management and recruitment.
“What does this say as a whole about the people that you would have chosen?” Bess asked rhetorically, emphasizing that the mass exodus of councilors and former parliamentarians severely weakens the opposition’s credibility ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
Ultimately, Bess warned that until the Guyanese electorate stops rewarding opportunistic behavior, principles will continue to be traded for political and financial advantage.
