…and revolutionary (PPP) changes
Well, even though there had been hints it was coming (notice your Eyewitness dissecting Pressie’s recent talk about helping the “working class”?), the announcement that the PPP’s gonna be “considering” dropping the words “Marxism-Leninism” and “socialist” from its constitution still hit your Eyewitness with a jolt. And “considering” was put in scare quotes because he knows the comrades at the ongoing party Congress will absolutely agree with the proposal. And that brings us to the important question as to whether the folks there would still be greeting each other as “comrade” henceforth!! Or wearing red shirts??! Wow…this’ll be a whole new world for a lot of folks!!
The change was a long time comin’. As the GS noted, defining the party by an “ism” from 60 years ago is much too constricting – and causes all sorts of futile debates and arguments as to whether the “line” is being followed. Back in 1978, the Chinese Communist Party – debating how to developing their country – saw Chairman Deng declaring: It doesn’t matter whether the cat’s black or white – once it catches the mice!! And look what they’ve achieved after making that pragmatic choice to accept pragmatism!! They’ve lifted more people out of poverty than any other country in the shortest possible time in the history of the world!!
So, as we try to do the same for our piddling population of less than 800,000, why shackle ourselves to a century-old formula for development?? Especially when the country that pretty much launched the path of Marxist-Leninist development in 1917 – Russia – also jettisoned it? Now, of course, some old heads are going to resist the change. It’s expected…after all, change is never easy. But change into what?? And this is where the PPP’s gonna be challenged to explain – through action rather than words – what the new dispensation means. For example, “socialist” – which preaches “from each according to his ability; to each according to his needs” – will be replaced by “just and equitable”…and as we know, that’s open to a host of interpretations.
Similarly replacing “Marxism-Leninism” with “our party’s founding principles” will raise questions like whether the principle of “democratic centralism” in making decisions will also be thrown out!! Or will the party now let “a thousand flowers bloom”?? Deng’s Chinese Communist Party embraced capitalism, but retained the democratic centralism model. Whatever we may think, our country’s in for a period of intense discussion as to what it’ll all mean for us.
Your Eyewitness believes that if we can keep our eyes on the new prize – lifting up the “poor”, rather than the “working class” – we’ll have achieved what the founding fathers and mothers wanted!!
Onward upward!!
…in electricity supply
There’s no question the PPP’s been embarrassed by the slew of blackouts over the past few months. The shameless PNC didn’t lose a chance to try scoring points – as usual – even though they set the standard for “blackout” in Guyana. But we’ve secured a new supply for electricity – 36KV of it- from a Turkish ship moored in the Corentyne River. Imagine that!! Your Eyewitness is old enough to remember the Robert Corbin Barge, bought for millions and millions from the States, never supplied a KW in the late eighties. Maybe they wanted to rig elections in the dark??
Your Eyewitness expects that this time – because of the international connection (no pun intended!!) – the power will be supplied and the challenge will be to get it to the customers. One of the variables in electricity supply that GPL didn’t take as seriously as they should was its distribution. Fortunately, the Government have announced they’ll not only be installing a 69KN transformer in Berbice, but be rehabilitating the entire system!!
