Presidential candidates do not matter

Jan 19, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
In this election year, I think that Freddie Kissoon should be more concerned with the Party of his choice rather than to be worried about the next PPP presidential nominee. Freddie wrote that Nagamootoo is a nice politician. Surely, he is. But, so are several other dedicated, loyal, and hard working PPP members.
Only one person can be the Presidential nominee, and regardless if it is Nagamootoo, Ramkarran, Rohee, Ramotar, or anyone else, there will be some degree of dissatisfaction, not only within the top party membership, but, also within the party supporters.
In Guyana, the people vote for the party of their choice, not for the Presidential nominee. Freddie should not worry about the future of Nagamootoo, who may not be the P.P.P. presidential nominee, but, who is a top brass, dedicated P.P.P. party member, and who will support whoever is the next P.P.P. presidential nominee.
To my mind, Freddie is only trying to stir up hatred within a party that he dislikes so very much, and for which he has no voice. Who cares if he likes Nagamootoo, and if he feels that Nagamootoo should be the next P.P.P. presidential nominee?
I know of many dedicated and loyal P.P.P. organizers and members that were severely beaten, shot, and dragged away to prison during the P.N.C. illegal time in office. These members, including Ali Baksh and Tabrak Bashir on the Essequibo Coast, remained faithful to the P.P.P. during the most difficult period. Many had no source of income and had to struggle to maintain their families by selling the ‘Thunder’ and with a small stipend from the Party.
Can everyone of these loyalists be the next P.P.P. presidential nominee?. Certainly not. Freddie should know that free and fair elections are what make a country democratic, and that there is no denial of democracy just because the members of the party do not decide who gets the presidential nominee.
This is how it has always been in Guyana, with the P.N.C. and with the P.P.P.
Regardless of the many negatives, Guyana has certainly made a lot of progress, as it has always been, with the P.P.P. in office. Guyana, to my mind, is no more an under developed country. It is a developed country. The P.P.P. government has provided better roads, better housing, better schools, and better health care, and it is doing what it takes to better the living conditions of the people. Unlike the 26 years of the P.N.C., Guyana today is inundated with every kind of food items, the most fashionable jeans and dresses, televisions, cell phones, laptops, computers, internet, microwave ovens, refrigerators, and even air conditions. There is always so much to eat, drink and wear now in Guyana.
Beautiful houses can be seen from Berbice to the Essequibo Coast. All of this and much more in less than 20 years. Those who have eyes will see this progress.
Those who are hard working, progressive, and have a sense of responsibility are contributing and are enjoying this progress. But, those who do not want to really work for a living, and, prefer to be criminals, thieves, murderers, have no sense of responsibility, and are hoping and waiting for a P.N.C. victory cannot and will not see this progress.
The young voters of today should be made knowledgeable of the 26 years of P.N.C. rule, when hundreds of basic food items were unavailable, and when flour, cooking oil, peas, onions, and garlic were banned, and when there were shortage of gasoline, kerosene and diesel. Every public servant had to subscribe to the P.N.C. weekly paper, attend P.N.C. political meetings, become party members, and show allegiance to the Party.
In 1992, good overcame evil, and Guyana woke up to a new dawn. The prayers of the suffering were answered, and democracy returned to Guyana. Regardless of who is the next P.P.P. presidential nominee, Guyana will continue to move forward.
The P.N.C. had 26 years to take Guyana forward, and Burnham, Reid and Hoyte proved incapable and incompetent to bring the kind of progress that the people of Guyana are enjoying today. I think that there is no doubt in the minds of most Guyanese that this progress can only continue with the P.P.P. in government, and they will ensure that this happens when the time comes to elect a new government.
Mohamed Majeed

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