The PNC did more to destroy rather than build this nation

Feb 26, 2009 Letters

---

Dear Editor,
Humphrey Charles is welcome to come to the assistance of Donald Isaacs and join the discussion with his letter published in Sunday’s Kaieteur News of February 22nd, 2009 captioned “Guyana’s development under PNC unquestionable.”
He starts out by saying, among other things, that the PNC took over from the PPP in 1964 with “the Kaldor Budget and racial conflicts that destroyed relationships, villages, and buildings and caused lives and forced relocations.”

It is well-known and documented that the PNC, United Force and Trades Union Congress instigated a campaign of civil disturbances and violence to get the PPP out of office. Most notable, among a series of incited violence, was the disturbance of Friday, 13th February, 1962, using the Kaldor Budget as the main excuse, which resulted in the looting and burning down of many businesses in the main commercial sector of Georgetown, and peaceful citizens being beaten, seriously hurt and others murdered.
When one of the mobs was approaching the business of Brodie and Rainer, one of the employees shouted to the crowd, “PNC, PNC” and they spared that building. The British Governor called on Forbes Burnham to go around the city and talk to the mobs and tell them to go home. He did not call on Cheddi Jagan, as it was quite clear where the violence was coming from.

Burnham declined to do so; callously saying that he could not use up his supply of gasoline, as it was necessary for party work. Further, he said that “he, who calls off the dogs, owns the dogs.” It is very important to point out the differences in responsibility, status and authority between the PPP governments of 1957 to 1964, elected under the first-past the-post or constituency system (no racial census here, as is alleged takes place now, and the contrived PNC/UF coalition government, elected under the new system of proportional representation, imposed by the colonial government with the full agreement of both the PNC and the UF. The PPP did not agree to this system. True to form, the PNC now wants to change back to the previous first-past-the post or constituency system. If they can’t win, change the rules of the game or move the goal posts.
From 1957 to 1964, real power remained in the hands of the British Governor. Dr. Jagan was only designated as the Chief Minister eventually being changed to Premier, some time later, under “internal self-government.”

The Governor and three other Englishmen held the most important portfolios compared to the five elected PPP ministers. The Governor was empowered to elect up to 11 members to the Legislative Council.
The PPP, in the face of many difficulties and obstacles to progress, tried to establish industries to promote development and employment. They succeeded in purchasing the Demerara Electric Company, privately owned, and giving very poor services, with regular blackouts and complaints by the public, improving the service. They also established the first ever Industrial Estate at Ruimveldt.
Rice production was increased from 137,000 tons in 1957 to 275,00 tons in 1964.The University of Guyana was set up in September, 1963 so that students who could not afford to go abroad would be able to access higher education. Several primary schools were converted into all-age schools so that children could get free secondary education.

A scheme was launched to eradicate malaria. Fourteen out of 34 planned health centres were completed and Cottage Hospitals were built in several areas. A campaign was carried out to eradicate filaria, an anti-typhoid scheme was inaugurated, 21 new maternity and child-welfare clinics were established in riverain areas to lay the basis for free medical care.
Housing was expanded in town and country, and logies on sugar estates almost eliminated. The PPP took in hand the Black Bush Polder and Tapakuma Schemes, an engineering design was worked out for the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Scheme, thousands of acres of land was made available to large numbers of farmers, and also to Cooperative Land Producers Societies.

Research and experimentation with new crops were done at the Mon Repos Agricultural Station and an Agricultural School was later established.
When the PNC/UF coalition government came into office in 1964, Independence, for which the PPP had struggled for and campaigned over many years was granted on 26th May, 1966 and thus Guyana became an independent country and the PNC/UF government had full control and authority, except for a Governor-General for a short period of time and then a titular President.

It is amazing that the PNC, after they ditched the United Force who was disenchanted with them in any case and gaining control over 80 % of the economy, could still make such a mess of things, with which, we are still trying to cope and overcome.
John Da Silva

---

---