Latest update January 24th, 2025 6:08 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

The PNC will be judged by its ‘callous legacy’

Feb 25, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
I respond to a particular letter in the Kaieteur News of February 21, 2011, in which mention was made to Guyana’s democracy, and the “callous legacy’ of the PNC that followed the 28-year reign of their dictatorial domination over this country.
Malcolm Harripaul’s exaggerated and contemptuous accusations against the PPP government were written to distract readers from the actual cruelty and barbarity of the PNC dictatorship. During the time that the PNC ruled this country, Guyanese were thrown, terrified of being hauled off to jail without reason or bail, and being detained for long periods of time by the government. There was no freedom under the PNC, since there was zero-tolerance for anti-government actions.
This letter writer must realise that when painting a picture for the public, it must be done in the public’s interest, and therefore the entire reality of the issue must be made known. The PPP however, can never be painted with the same brush as the one used for the PNC, as their policies are completely unalike, particularly under the areas mentioned in this unscrupulous letter. These areas that I am referring to are those of human rights, democracy, and freedom from human rights violations. These areas merely cover some aspects of the PNC “callous legacy”.
The Permanent Mission of Guyana to the United Nations in 2008 asserted that while Guyana is not a perfect democracy, it is an evolving one, which was birthed, only after the end of the PNC regime in 1992.
In their findings, the United Nations concluded that “Guyana is an emerging democracy after the 28 years of an undemocratic regime. It is still at a fragile state…Guyana could only speak of Human Rights best practices after the restoration of democracy in 1992 which opened the door for the reformation process.”
In his book “The Rise of the Authoritarian State”, Clive Thomas described Burnham’s Guyana as an authoritarian state. During this period, Guyana was divided into social classes, with Burnham’s elite enjoying a lavish life, while
the rest of the population perished. Political oppression, repression, and assassinations were rampant, along with large scale disappearances and jailing of those in opposition to the government.
During the PNC tenure, Guyana was thrown to the dogs. From being respected as the bread-basket of the Caribbean, Guyana, under Burnaham’s mercantilists, zero-sum rule, became one of the poorest countries in the world, unable to feed even its own people adequately. All of Guyana was aware that the PNC government was drowning Guyana. The unwanted and repressive sanctions placed on basic necessity goods, was deemed cruel and heartless by the people, but their cries were ignored because the constant rigging of elections led them to believe that they were infallible, without need of the people’s support.
The history of Guyana under the PNC is plagued by election violence and human rights violations, a wave of crime and economic deflation that destroyed this country. Freedom of the press was unheard of. Today we have more than 20 private television stations in Guyana, and four Daily Papers, three of which are privately owned and controlled.
This letter writer may try to delude the public, but history does not lie. It is history that has and will continue to show that this “callous legacy” of the PNC is what that party will be judged by.
Rachael Bakker

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 20th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

West Indies U19 Women secure first win, advance to Super Six with victory over Malaysia

West Indies U19 Women secure first win, advance to Super Six with...

Jan 24, 2025

SportsMax – The West Indies U19 Women’s team clinched their first win of the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, defeating hosts Malaysia by 53 runs to advance to the Super Six round. After a...
Read More
“We will have a similar approach”

“We will have a similar approach”

Jan 24, 2025

Sam, Fernandes outshine competition at GCF/Moo Milk National U12 chess tourney

Sam, Fernandes outshine competition at GCF/Moo...

Jan 24, 2025

Ramzan, Fraser pilot Demerara U15 to strong win over East Coast U17

Ramzan, Fraser pilot Demerara U15 to strong win...

Jan 24, 2025

Dave West Indian Imports gets Everest Cricket Club’s renovations off the mark

Dave West Indian Imports gets Everest Cricket...

Jan 24, 2025

Interim leadership agreed to dissolve GCF executive issues

Interim leadership agreed to dissolve GCF...

Jan 24, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]