Soul of Guyana, though tested, is “alive and well” – Pres Ali

…says Cheddi Jagan, PPP fought for freedom, independence, integrity of country, people

Despite having gone through many trials over the years, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday declared that the soul of Guyana is alive and well, with many of its foundational pillars still being upheld by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
He made these remarks at an annual commemoration held at Babu Jaan, Port Mourant, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), “Celebrating the life, work & legacy of Dr Cheddi Jagan” – the founder of the PPP.

According to President Ali, the “soul of the country” is defined by the fundamental principles and value system of a country. He noted that Dr Jagan was the key architect who led the movement to craft the soul of Guyana as a free nation – one whose identity, values and aspirations require nurturing and protection to grow and advance.
“And if the soul of the nation is its identity, its values and aspirations then you know by now that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic has consistently stood on a value system that protects the rights of people, that fights for democracy and freedom, that upholds the oppressed and that lead in the revolution of thinking and advancement of our country,” he declared.

“Evil and dark forces”
The President noted that only four years ago the soul of Guyana was tested when “evil and dark forces” tried to steal the 2020 General and Regional Elections, but these efforts were thwarted by Dr Jagan’s party – the PPP – along with other members of the Guyanese society who are committed to the fundamental values of the soul of the country and will never allow the “evil and dark forces” to tamper with it.
“And that is a reminder to us that the soul of our country, though tested, is alive and well. And it is alive and well, because the principal foundation on which the soul was developed and derived is alive and well, and that foundation is the People’s Progressive Party. We are alive and well. And once the principal foundation on which the soul is derived is alive and well, then our country is in good hands and our country will be alive and well, because the protectors of soul will do everything in their power and capacity for the upholding of the principal value of the soul.”

According to the Guyanese Leader, that fight was similar to the struggles endured by Dr Jagan – who, after fighting for independence from colonial rule – was forced to turn that fight against those who rigged elections for 28 years to snatch the newly-won freedom and liberty of the Guyanese people.
“We must never forget this history, but what did Comrade Cheddi do? Comrade Cheddi did not bend back, what Comrade Cheddi and the People’s Progressive Party did was that they fought back for the soul of Guyana, they fought to retrieve the soul of Guyana, they fought to put back the soul of Guyana on the right track, and in 1992, after 28 years of struggle, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic won back the soul of Guyana and brought back the freedom, the independence, the decency, the integrity of the people of Guyana.”

Political consciousness
Today, according to Ali, that fight still continues, but cannot be won by the PPP/C alone. He noted to overcome this, however, requires political consciousness.
Pointing out that national unity was a fundamental principle that the PPP/C stands on, the President posited that anyone who deviates from this and spreads racism and division is fighting against the soul of Guyana.
He said Guyanese have to decide where they stand, whether it is part of a system like the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), whose foundational principal pillar is in characters such as Hamilton Green.
Green, a former Prime Minister of Guyana and ex-General Secretary of the PNC, suggested that elections rigging be used to remove the PPP/C Administration from office. His statement, which was made during an address to a group of persons gathered for the LFS Burnham Foundation Annual Commemorative Symposium 2024 last month, was defended by the current leadership of the PNC.
“Those are the enemies of the soul of the nation and we must destroy them with truth, with facts, with hard work and political consciousness… Today, I want us to remember that Dr Jagan, in fashioning the soul of this nation, spoke about equality, dignity, democracy – those were foundational elements of the soul and if you look at what we’re doing today, if you examine the policies, we have today you will see how we’re staying true to these foundational elements and principle of the soul of the nation.”
President Ali stated that those who believe themselves to be the intellectual crafters and architects of Guyana, and the voice and the conscience of the people would be recorded in the country’s history as aiding and abetting the rigging of elections and attempting to take away freedom from the Guyanese people. These, the Head of State noted, are the people who believe they can provide better leadership than the PPP/C Government.
“There are still forces out there that believe the People’s Progressive Party does not possess the finesse, we don’t have the sophistication to be in Government or to lead this country. Maybe we don’t wear the right type of suit, maybe we don’t speak the right type of English, but what we do is always, every single day, do what is right for the people of this country. That is our fight. Our fight is for the upliftment of the people of this country. Our fight is for the safety, honour, dignity, democracy, freedom of the people of this country.
“Our fight is to look at the children who came up here [on the stage] in their eyes and say never again should you have to fight for democracy, fight for the rule of law and fight to ensure that the Government you voted [for] got into office. That fight must be the fight we cement through institutional mechanism so that the soul of this nation, the soul of freedom, the soul of free and fair elections, the soul of human dignity must be safeguarded and that is the fight of every one of us here.”
President Ali went on to reflect on the gains of his and past PPP/C Administrations that have worked to transform Guyana socially and economically. He recalled the stagnant state of the country’s economy during the five-year rule under the APNU/AFC coalition – which the PPP immediately started to reverse when it returned to office in August 2020.
Today, he outlined, the PPP/C is one of the fastest growing political parties in the Latin American and Caribbean region. As such, Ali welcomed all of those who have joined the PPP/C, especially the growing number of young people as the Party works on taking the soul of Guyana to even higher heights. In the same breath, he urged party activists – both old and new – to ensure they do not spread propaganda, but arm themselves with the truth – consistent with the fundamental principle that the PPP/C stands on.
“The political consciousness of our people is a critical part of the soul of our country and all of us together, we have a duty… [We have an increase in] the number of young people that are coming to us, because they see hope. They see an opportunity to be part of something good for Guyana. They see us as that national unified force that can do what is right for Guyana… This People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government, we are committed to doing, every day, what is right for Guyana and what is best in the interest of the Guyanese people.” (G8)