Origins of PPP tyranny: Revisionist notes

Feb 28, 2015 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

Without exception, I haven’t seen any analysis of the PPP’s use of tyrannical power since 1999 when Mr. Jagdeo became President that has factored in a role for Dr. Jagan. All the assessments point to a breaking away by the Jagdeoite PPP from the political culture that Dr. Jagan practiced.
I believe that while Dr. Jagan was a million times better than all the PPP leaders he left behind and that he wasn’t a corrupt man, a revisionist analysis would reveal that Cheddi Jagan to a lesser extent, and his wife, Janet, to a greater extent, left some cultural strains in the PPP that can be cited as the reasons for the utter immoral, corrupt, authoritarian party that it has become under Jagdeo and Ramotar.
I couldn’t see Cheddi Jagan tolerating the utter moral depravity that has completely canopied the PPP. I could not have envisaged Dr. Jagan just sitting back and watching newcomers steal state funds from various agencies to build mansions with swimming pools. But it is because of what Dr. Jagan and his wife instilled in their protégés that have led to this phantasmagoria of graft, incestuousness, moral turpitude, crude racism and naked power.
Dr. Jagan and his wife saturated their protégés with the need to be suspicious of criticism because they felt Guyana always had an anti-PPP instinct about it. Secondly, both Jagans inculcated into party newcomers the necessity of not trusting organizational friends because at some point they will betray the PPP.
Thirdly, there was the subtle hint that urban Georgetown, meaning African Guyanese, will never accept Indian leadership of Guyana. Fourthly, ever present in the PPP was the warning from the Jagans that the PPP will only stay intact if members accept the doctrine of democratic centralism and embrace all party decisions.
Using this conceptual framework, we can fully comprehend the advent of authoritarian politics from Jagdeo onwards. We can start with number four. Dr. Jagan himself began to witness first hand the beginning of corruption under his Presidency but there wasn’t anything he could have done. I believe he wanted to stop it but there was absolutely no room to manoeuvre.
To move against his corrupt younger colleagues was to undermine the power base of the PPP. After nearly three decades in opposition, Dr. Jagan didn’t want to take chances of chastising his upper leadership. He demanded that the RPA head, Fazil Ally, repay Dr. Hughley Hanoman. Mrs Jagan refused to go back to a house in Pradoville One after she saw how resplendent it was and knew that it came from corruption money.
As the PPP settled into power, corruption under Dr. Jagan widened. He died in 1997, his wife retired in 1999 and from thereon, Mr. Jagdeo continued where Dr. Jagan left off. The need for the PPP to rally around its leadership led to levels of corruption that has made the PPP one of the most finally venal regimes in the world.
In terms of number two, that was the negative legacy Dr. Jagan left in the PPP. An insecure Cheddi Jagan mauled the WPA after 1992. There was no way Jagan could have worked with the WPA in power because he was always suspicious of other political parties. When he and Mrs. Jagan left the scene, they left Jagdeo with that imprint.
The rallying cry from the PPP after Mr. Jagdeo came to power that to work with other organization there must be trust was just an excuse not to share power. The PPP’s total rejection of parliamentary cooperation after 2011 goes back to what Jagan told them.
In terms of number three, Georgetown became a casualty of Dr. Jagan’s permeating culture inside the PPP. Unless the PPP loses power, Georgetown will be neglected as a matter of policy. It is no exaggeration to say that the PPP has a psychic hatred for the capital city because the capital city has been its nemesis since the 1950s. As a spin off of number three, the PPP will continue to discriminate against African Guyanese. For the PPP Georgetown equals African Guyanese.
In terms of number one, this has been the major downfall of the PPP. Once the PPP remains in power, mild criticism of even the street lights will be seen as chastisement of the PPP. The poison against the media was inevitable. Dr. Jagan had congenital suspicions of the private media.
There will never be even a quiet toleration of the private media. Once the PPP remains in power, reporting of news not favourable to the PPP will be bitterly condemned. Tragically, I think this was too much a burden for the heart of David De Caires to bear.

Latest News

Origins of PPP tyranny: Revisionist notes

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 20th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Wharton’s brilliance propels Chase’s Academic to another Republic...

Seales’ 4 for 5 gives West Indies control...

WARRIORS BOUNCE BACK AGAINST HAMPSHIRE

Victoria go top with second win

GFF and Namilco officially launch Maid Marian...

GFF celebrates the successful completion of...

Features/Columnists

The PPPC does not practice political inclusion

Haiti: Tragically Descending into Deeper Crisis

What’s going on with this $100,000 cash grant?

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Origins of PPP tyranny: Revisionist notes

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 20th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]