Rodney COI…WPA’s growing influence also posed a threat to the PPP – Dr. Nigel Westmaas

Jul 02, 2014 News

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Historian and sociologist, Dr. Nigel Westmaas told the Rodney Commission of Inquiry (COI) yesterday that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had also felt threatened by the growing influence of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA).

Dr. Westmaas, also member of the WPA, continued his portion of evidence at the COI into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney under cross examination by Attorney- at -Law Basil Williams.
Williams in his representation of Peoples National Congress Reform, (PNC/R) questioned the witness regarding the threats that the WPA posed on other opposition parties.
It was suggested by the attorney that the WPA posed a serious threat to the support base of the PPP, which was the main opposition party at the time, and it was also explained that the WPA had undertaken a multi-racial challenge unlike the PNC and the PPP itself.
Westmaas explained that in most cases, the parties were allies in broad coalition fighting a particular entity.
“It was not one group but a group of political parties  trying to work together to achieve a common goal in terms of democratic rule…but there were differences, in terms of ideology  and political practices.”
Williams subsequently made reference to the fact that the party must have felt somewhat threatened at the growing influence of the alliance as PPP Executive, Janet Jagan, subsequently appealed to their supporters demanding that they stop joining the WPA.
In response, Westmaas said “That was a later period in terms of the same multiracial challenges which I was referring to in the rural areas, where the WPA had active members that were distributing hand outs and so on before the meetings. It was a reaction that in some areas organizations felt threatened in one way or the other.”
He clarified that during the 1970s the WPA expanded to Skeldon, Line Path and other areas in Berbice.
As such, the Attorney referred to an excerpt from Eusi Kwayana’s evidence, in which he spoke of the work of Dr. Rodney and the WPA.
“His work among the sugar estate workers was less demanding and less thorough. The WPA went to the sugar estate in those days for the sake of good understanding and mutual trust between us and the PPP…not only the PNC but the PPP also had fears and misgivings about the WPA agitation  and organisation in the sugar belt.”
The witness agreed with the evidence as it was read.
The lawyer quoted another portion of Kwayana’s evidence as he continued.
“An important part of this anti-polarization process was the fact that the WPA supported any struggles of the sugar workers for improvement of wages and conditions of industrial relations.  This support was declared not only in the sugar belt itself but in other areas which was formerly only known as under the influence of the PPP.”
As such, the Lawyer concluded that both mass-based parties (PPP and PNC) could have felt threatened by WPA activities.  Westmaas agreed.
While Dr. Rodney had offered the people a Christmas present (that is a downfall of the PNC Government) in Christmas of 1977, a familiar promise was made to the population by the PPP.
Williams said that the PPP during an election period promised the people Dr. Rodney’s head on a silver platter, which was a serious statement coming from that level of the PPP.
The witness then explained that the PPP felt threatened by the WPA’s work in the sugar belt.
“They felt threatened in terms of their support base but it was not antagonistic, in terms of what you’re implying.
The Attorney later said that the PPP had guarded its constituencies, “zealously and jealously,” as the contrast between the groups widened.
“The WPA did not agree with all the PPP’s proposal for a national patriotic front…The PPP exhibited its protective nature in 1977 therefore, it would be safe to say that the WPA was being carefully watched by the former opposition party, (the PPP)”
While he disagreed with the phrase “carefully watched,” the witness agreed that there had been some back and forth between the two parties, but there was also unease about other political parties going in the areas which were under the influence of the PPP.
The witness explained that the main political parties, at the time had formed the Patriotic Coalition for Democracy (PCD) but that the coalition dissolved shortly after the PPP took power.
“After the PPP took office the WPA got no Minister… The WPA had no part in change of constituently and politically for the better. In other words, PPP turned its back on you,” the lawyer suggested.
To this, the witness responded that the issue is much deeper than that. Dr. Westmaas later agreed that Burnham regime’s sanctions on WPA resulted in civil rebellion.
“Because if you imprison persons of influence such as Dr. Rodney or Dr. Roopnaraine society will react”
He explained that the security forces were confronted with all sorts of threats against national security.
The witness recalled a content document presented by Attorney Keith Scotland, who later read the contents of a pamphlet which was circulated among the population, following the death of Dr. Rodney
Questions were raised with regards to the author of the document which read “To Walter, hickory dickory dock, appointment at eight o’clock we wouldn’t need bail when we done with the jail and this walkie talkie start talk..Rock-a-bye Rodney now lives in the past dispatched to his master so quick and so fast…”

 

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