Dear Editor,
The PPP now PPP/C is a party that has stood the test of time, they have come through the fire, they have come through the flood and are still here. This party has had a long arduous journey, one that is filled with many violent obstacles planted in its way, so it would be quite interesting for us to do a brief historical study of this party.
A People’s Party formed in the 1950s by Dr Cheddi Jagan and his wife Janet, Burnham was deputy to Cheddi in that first PPP party. Things went well for a period of time, but the insatiable aspirations of Burnham to gain power, coupled with the clear fact of the British and American anti-sentiments towards Cheddi, caused him to sever ties with the PPP and form his own party the PNC.
From this time onwards, Guyana was plunged into turmoil, conflict that was deliberately set by the American-directed CIA agents to bring Jagan down. The British conspired with the Americans in having the suspension of the Constitution and the forceful removal of Jagan. He and his pregnant wife were put in prison, paving the way for a Burnham takeover.
But it was not so easy a task to accomplish, as the most popular figure in any election would certainly be Cheddi; he simply would not go away. Douglas Hume, writing back to British Prime Minister Macmillan, said, then how could we get rid of Cheddi in a democratic process, to which the answer came back, urge them to form a coalition; that was the union of parties UF and the PNC. Isn’t it ironic that the same strategy was employed in 2015?
If ever a party was installed, meaning illegally given the position of power, the PNC was. Burnham was offered the reins of power in a place he never earned, and for that reason he rigged every election thereafter. Rigging became an institutionalised feature of the PNC Regime. Isn’t it ironic that the same illegal process to hold office raised its ugly head in 2015 and again in 2020?
The PPP/C stayed in the wilderness for 28 long years while the country drifted further and further into poverty. Once again the cries of the masses led by the grassroots leader Cheddi Jagan came to the fore and free and fair elections were held. As night followed day, the PPP/C was again returned to power and the place that they rightfully belong.
No sooner had they entered office that the destabilising force of violence again reared its head on the Guyana Landscape. There were two years of nonstop violence, plus “slow fire moh fiah”. You may recall the bloody event that took place at the PPP/C Congress held in the Corentyne when gunmen from Georgetown – a stronghold of the PNC – invaded, shot and killed innocent people. These were violent, destabilising times in our nation’s history.
Further to our discussion, every PPP/C presidential candidate was faced with assassination attempts, you are talking about Dr Jagan, Mrs Jagan, Dr Jagdeo and the sitting president Dr Irfaan Ali. These are stark realities of the work of Opposition directives who believe that they can force their way back into power through violent means. But that will not happen, because the Guyana today is not the Guyana of yesterday where division and racial animosity existed, we are promoting a Guyana where peace, harmony and progress exist.
Finally, I will close with the very line I quoted at the beginning, the PPP now PPP/C is a party that has withstood the test of time, long live the PPP/C, let peace, progress and prosperity continue.
Respectfully,
Neil Adams
