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Subtle distortions and a convenient memory

Jun 13, 2009 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
“The article on Janet Jagan in the Guyana Review had subtle distortions” according to the heading of the letter by Gitanjali Persaud in the Sunday Stabroek of May 17th, 2009.
In her first paragraph, among other things, referring to the article, she says that what “appears at first to be an objective piece of work, but has subtle distortions, rendering a preconceived image of a woman whom history has not treated too kindly.” But she herself then goes on to do her own distortions, without any subtlety, during parts of her letter, some of which I’ll deal with.
She states “For the PPP and most of the Indian population it is the 28 years of misrule and dictatorship at the hands of the PNC and outside forces, while for the African Guyanese, it is about the sufferings of their ancestors during slavery and their victimization at the hands of the government.”

That is lie number one to nail. There is no victimization of Africans or any other group by the government.
She then in another paragraph states in reference to Janet Jagan “that her legacy is interlinked with race-based politics is not in doubt, as we all remember the ‘Apan Jhaat’ cries of her party. This, of course, is another lie, as the call for ‘Apan Jhaat’ (own race) did not emanate from the PPP but from other parties whose objective it was to promote and exacerbate racial divisions, which they perceived to be to their benefit. The PPP always sought to bring and keep the races together.
Another lie that Persaud states, is that in relation to ethnic politics the PPP “has benefited from it and continues to manipulate it to benefit from it.”
Her account of the “context” of the strike by the GAWU for recognition and Mrs. Jagan’s role as Minister of Home Affairs is flawed.

Mrs. Jagan was getting little or no cooperation from the Police and she consequently resigned, so therefore to say that “Mrs. Jagan had delegated her authority to call in the troops to the Commissioner of Police to avoid delays” is absolute nonsense.
Only the Governor had the authority and before he could use it, he had to be advised by the Commissioner that the Police could not cope with the situation.
Premier Dr. Cheddi Jagan had been pressing the Governor to call in the troops to prevent the violence and conflagration which eventually broke out on the 13th of February 1962, and which everyone saw coming except the Governor and the Commissioner.
Lastly, Gitanjali Persaud states “I have enormous respect for Dr. and Mrs. Jagan and their struggles, fight and sacrifices for Guyana.” So do the majority of Guyanese and others in and out of the country.
Also, “their legacies are intertwined in the political history of Guyana, the full political history, not the part conveniently remembered or nuanced” as she did when it suited her.
John Da Silva

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