WPO has the capacity to lead the struggle for women’s empowerment in Guyana

Dec 01, 2012 Letters

---

 

 

DEAR EDITOR,
The WPO is undoubtedly the largest, oldest and most militant women’s organization in Guyana, if not in the wider Caribbean. Formed some 60 years ago under the dynamic leadership of Mrs. Janet Jagan, the organization has become synonymous with women’s struggle for a better and dignified existence.
That organization held its Congress on Saturday and Sunday last and as is now typical of all Congresses held by the WPO, it has once again served to re-energize its membership and infuse some new and younger blood into the organization.
The WPO has always been in the forefront in the struggle for women’s rights in Guyana. I recall the battle waged by the WPO during the days of indiscriminate bans on essential food items by the PNC regime.
Women were mostly affected since they are the ones primarily responsible for ensuring that there is food on the table.
The banning of wheaten flour, peas, milk and other items touched at the very core of a woman’s instinct to provide for her family, and the WPO as the premier women’s organization was understandably outraged by such assault on the people of Guyana, in particular women and children.
Then there was the struggle waged by the WPO to bring an end to compulsory National Service introduced by the PNC which effectively prevented many women from acquiring higher education. Those were the days when in order to complete University education or other tertiary education such as the Teachers’ Training College, it was compulsory to do a stint of paramilitary service in one or more of the several hinterland locations.
Many parents, in particular Indo-Guyanese, found this objectionable on cultural and other grounds and as a consequence, many young girls did not pursue higher education or had their programmes aborted prematurely.
I have vivid recollections of those days having completed a stint of National Service myself as a University student.
I am still to see the logic in putting students through the rigours of the drill square which has nothing to do with their academic or intellectual development.
I cannot say that I have benefitted in any significant way from such service which, in my opinion, was a waste of time and resources which could have been better spent.
The WPO has also played an integral role in the wider struggle for independence from colonial rule, and later on when the democratic rights of the Guyanese people were taken away by the PNC it played an active role along with that of its parent body, the PPP, for the restoration of democracy in Guyana.
The organization has been a close and reliable ally in the struggle for the advancement and protection not only of women’s rights, but that of Guyanese as a whole.
This is the only Congress since the formation of the WPO some 60 years ago that the physical presence of former President and founder-leader of the WPO, Mrs. Janet Jagan, was not there. Mrs. Jagan had been a tower of strength and a source of inspiration for so many women who are today taking on the mantle of leadership of that organization.
These included persons such as Indra Chandarpal, who took over from Mrs. Jagan as General Secretary of the WPO and remained in that position until the recently held Congress when she was elected as President of that Organization. Ms. Sheila Verasammy has replaced her as the new General Secretary after having served as the Assistant General Secretary for a number of years.
The WPO as a women’s organization has come a long way since the 1950s when the country was still under colonial rule and later under dictatorial rule.
The WPO was actively involved in the liberation struggle of Guyana against colonialism, neo-colonialism and for the restoration of democratic rights.
As President Ramotar pointed out during his charge to delegates and observers at the recently held Congress at the Diamond Secondary School, the organization must continue to be vigilant and mobilized, especially in the face of opposition attempts to derail the democratic process which the organization, along with the PPP, fought so hard and bitter to restore and consolidate.
The WPO over the years had produced some outstanding women who have served in senior positions in both party and government.
These included women such as Gail Teixeira, Indra Chandarpal, both of whom served as Ministers of Government, Philomena Sahoye-Shury, Patricia Benn, Shiela Verasammy Shirley Edwards, Christna Ramjattan, Mitra Devi Ali, Merlin Oudho, Rosanna Campbell, Sabra Basir, Bijuli Moti, A Veeren, Sandra Baldeo and so many others.
The WPO has demonstrated that it has the capacity to lead the struggle for women’s empowerment in Guyana.
This Congress will certainly serve to give further impetus to the organization in its mission to help create that environment in Guyana where there is genuine gender equality and where women would be provided with the opportunity to realize their full potential both as women and as active participants in the exciting task of nation-building.
Hydar Ally

---

---