Regardless of the outcome of today’s polls at the People’s Progressive Party’s Congress, its leaders must be ready to continue the fight against widespread Government corruption, ethnic discrimination, social marginalisation and authoritarianism, which have resurfaced under the new A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change regime.
The party cannot afford to lose ground and time. It must come out of this year’s Congress batting and united.
It must send a strong message to its political opponents that it will not spare any effort to draw political blood by exposing the sinister and devilish plans of this new regime which appears intent on continuing the failed proposals and legacy of former President Forbes Burnham.
At the end of the Congress, the agreements reached; deals brokered; and solutions proffered with respect to the PPP’s future political strategy and game plan, must be honoured and respected. The party’s newly elected leaders must ensure that they do all that is possible to advance policy proposals and positions articulated by its members whenever it re-enters the National Assembly.
The new directorate of the PPP must also ensure that they would have properly documented the concerns of their grassroots membership and lobbyists who were yearning for change since 2011. This is an integral step in the process to fully rebuild, rebrand and reform the party. This step is also important because it could result in the full restoration of the party’s electoral appeal and favour amongst its traditional strongholds while winning over the support of young people and Afro-Guyanese.
Also, there must be no confusion as to who the party’s leader is, and who is wielding the sword of influence within the PPP. This is an issue that became complex following the 2015 General and Regional Elections. Hopefully, the party’s membership and new Central Executive Committee will give some thought to advancing a new course of action that will see more cohesion between the Offices of the General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition.
The truth is former President Bharrat Jagdeo is one of the very few persons within the party who possess the ability to lead the PPP to a massive victory in the next elections. His performance so far as Leader of the Opposition has proven time and time again that he is a cut above the edge and a guiding light for many young and ambitious party members who are seeking to contribute not only to their party’s development but the overall growth and prosperity of the country.
His commitment to his party and the working class people of this country appears to be the driving force behind his political career. His recent return to politics is testimony to that belief.
Jagdeo, therefore, should be the only person that the party rallies behind because of his track record, credentials and willingness to confront the David Granger Administration with aggression and assertiveness. Unlike many past Opposition Leaders too, Jagdeo’s posture is completely different as he demonstrates a rare ability to compromise where necessary, advice the Government on how to correct its shortcomings and work to improve the general welfare of the citizenry.
If Jagdeo is able to win the support of a majority of the Congress delegates today, this would signal a massive defeat for all of his political opponents both within and outside the party. It would also confirm the widely held belief that party supporters are not unhappy with his return to the helm of politics but rather overwhelmingly supportive because it means that a PPP victory in 2020 is almost certain.
But Jagdeo too must be careful not to take the support of the delegates and the masses for granted. He has already paid a massive price personally for standing up to his peers and those who had controlled the old-greasy PPP machinery. He stood up to the likes of Moses Nagamootoo and Ralph Ramkarran when they allegedly wanted to hijack the coveted presidential candidate spot in the party. He stood up to Raphael Trotman, Robert Corbin, Freddie Kissoon, David Hinds, Professor Clive Thomas and David Granger, too.
Now he needs to meet the expectations of his party comrades. He needs to ensure that those in the party’s Central Executive and Executive understand the weight of their commitments and responsibilities to the people who elected them. Jagdeo must work hard with other senior party executives like Clement Rohee, Gail Teixeira, Irfaan Ali and Anil Nandlall to maintain order and discipline in the PPP until the next elections and beyond.
There is no room for complacency, arrogance and divisiveness in the PPP Camp if it is truly to convince those Guyanese who voted against it that it has learnt its lesson and is ready to lead again.
